{{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
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:
Tasmanian Government holds firm on NCC 2025
The Tasmanian Government has confirmed it will not adopt the revised National Construction Code (NCC) 2025, following the Building Ministers’ Meeting held on Wednesday.
New powers to address Fidelity Fund headaches
HIA has expressed significant concerns with the operation of fidelity funds due to the complexity of the insurance product, lack of adequate protection for consumers and absence of independent APRA regulation.
Building Ministers decide on NCC 2025 content and release
Commonwealth, State and Territory Building Ministers at the Building Ministers’ Meeting met yesterday to decide on the content and timing of the National Construction Code (NCC) 2025.
HIA welcomes Building Ministers concrete actions on building code reform
“The Housing Industry Association (HIA) welcomes commitments made today by Commonwealth, State and Territory Building Ministers in providing decisive action to pause non-essential building code changes and to reset how the NCC is developed and implemented going forward,” said HIA Managing Director Jocelyn Martin.