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The Housing Industry Association (HIA) is expressing both disappointment and anger on behalf of the thousands of small businesses in the ACT building and construction industry that will be impacted by the decision to delay reopening of residential building sites, while allowing large sites including government projects to reopen next week.
“The last two weeks has been very challenging for the industry. Builders and trade people working from home is not an option, and when the industry is not working, people are not getting paid,” said Greg Weller, HIA Executive Director ACT/Southern NSW.
“Not only has this taken a toll on builders and tradespeople, there are many Canberrans waiting to get into their new homes that are now under financial stress, or feeling pressure to move out of their existing accommodation.
“It is incredibly disappointing that the ACT Government has given a blessing to large civil and commercial sites to reopen from next week, but has left the small business in housing out in the cold.
“HIA in good faith has accepted the initial shutdown, despite its challenges and we have worked with the Government to outline a simple, and what we believe would be an effective and safe pathway, to reopen small scale residential building sites.
“HIA’s plan accepted reduced numbers of workers on sites and the adoption of all the same COVID safety measures now proposed for large sites. Today’s announcement comes as a surprise and a great disappointment.
“If some building sites can open safely, then why can’t others? Detached home building projects operate predominantly outdoors and in open spaces, and only require minimal numbers of people to be on site at any one time.
“To suggest that a large commercial sites which have hundreds of workers attend on a daily basis can operate with a lower risk than detached home building with three or four people is just non sensical.
“The residential building industry in the ACT and across Australia has had an exceptional record of operating safely throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
“No other jurisdiction has locked down home building in this way for this length of time, and there has been no evidence that the industry has been a source of transmission,” concluded Mr Weller.
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The Housing Industry Association (HIA) has tabled its submission calling on the Federal Government to act swiftly on the Productivity Commission’s Five Pillars reforms to lift productivity and unlock new housing supply.
The Housing Industry Association (HIA) has appeared today at the Senate Inquiry into Climate Risk Assessment to advocate that the Federal government should drive a national, coordinated plan to make Australia’s homes stronger and safer in the face of a changing climate.
Opening statement by Simon Croft, Chief Executive Industry & Policy
Eligible small businesses in NSW can apply to SafeWork NSW for a rebate of up to $1,000 on the purchase of safety items. This includes items to help control exposure to silica dust.