Housing industry insights
Advocacy & policy
News & inspiration
Support & guidance
Member perks
Industry insurance
For your business
Apprentices
Building it right
Building materials & products
Managing your business
Managing your safety
Building your business
Other subjects
A rewarding career
Study with us
A job in the industry
Grow with us
Our podcasts
Our initiatives
Get involved
Awards
Awards winners
Industry events
Most popular products
Top categories
For your business
{{propApi.title}}
{{propApi.text}} {{region}} Change location{{propApi.title}}
{{propApi.successMessage}} {{region}} Change location {{propApi.title}}
{{propApi.text}} {{region}} Change location{{propApi.title}}
{{propApi.successMessage}} {{region}} Change locationHousing industry meets decision to continue lockdown with anger and disappointment
Housing industry meets decision to continue lockdown with anger and disappointment
Member and guest login
Enter your email and password to access secured content, members only resources and discount prices.
Did you become a member online? If not, you will need to activate your account to login.
If you are having problems logging in, please call HIA helpdesk on 1300 650 620 during business hours.
Forgotten password
Need some help?
If you are having problems logging in, please call HIA helpdesk on 1300 650 620 during business hours.
If the email address you have entered is registered, you will receive an email with further instructions.
Become part of the HIA community
Enables quick and easy registration for future events or learning and grants access to expert advice and valuable resources.
Create a guest account
Enter your details below and create a login
Send me exclusive tips, early access to new launches, and special offers. I can change my mind at any time.
By clicking Get started now you agree to the terms and conditions and privacy policy.
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.
For further information please contact:
Changes to ACT property developer licensing
Just days before property developer licences become mandatory on 1 October 2026, the ACT Government has introduced a Bill to amend the Property Developers Act 2024.
Preparing for the card surcharge ban
The card surcharge ban starts on 1 October 2026. Find out what the changes mean for builders, contractors and suppliers, and learn how to prepare your pricing, contracts and payment systems.
Brick supply and allocation update
HIA continues to engage with government, manufacturers and industry stakeholders regarding the current brick allocation arrangements and the impact on home building across Western Australia.
Top Queensland home builders ranked for 2025/26
Hutchies is again the largest home builder in Queensland, topping the annual Housing Industry Association (HIA) COLORBOND® steel Housing 100 report for the state.