Master Builders Australia
Peak building and construction industry association Master Builders Australia will launch its Federal Election campaign today, putting all parties and independents on notice to stop the talk and deliver real action to end the housing crisis.
The campaign, More Homes For Aussies, is focused on the key areas that will ensure there is enough housing supply and supporting infrastructure right across the housing spectrum: social and affordable housing, private rentals and owner-occupiers.
The housing crisis is the number one specific election issue that voters expect to be solved this election.
As well as investment in more housing supply, we need to see more action on reducing supply barriers.
Independent research by Insightfully found 1 in 4 say housing is the most important issue for them and 7 in 10 Australians say the Federal Government has not done enough.
Master Builders' election platform lays out a clear guide on federal policies that will alleviate the housing crisis and warns against policies that will make it worse.
With over 445,000 building and construction businesses, representing 1.35 million workers, the industry is ready to get shovels in the ground.
What the industry needs
- More skilled people to get the job done
- A migration system that works
- Greater focus on critical infrastructure
- A strong, growing economy
- Concrete action to ensure there's enough social, community, rental and owner-occupier housing
- New laws to prevent and combat illegality within construction unions
- Workplace laws that work for small business
- Keeping workplaces safe
- Building roads, rail, hospitals and schools to support growing communities
- More resources to enforce existing laws to get rid of bad players in the industry
- A tax system that supports innovation, investment and productivity for businesses
- Investing in future building technologies and sustainability
What the industry doesn't need
- Changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax that reduces the number of new homes built and drives up rent
- Anti-business industrial relations laws that strangle businesses and increase costs
- Building regulation laws that ignore practical impacts and have inadequate implementation timeframes
- A narrow focus on TAFE at the exclusion of industry-led Registered Training Organisations
- Increase red tape small and family businesses
- Payment models that don't work in practice
Quotes attributable to Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn:
"We know a lack of supply is causing the housing crisis. While it's been decades in the making, Australians rightfully expect it to be solved today.
"What kind of Australia are we building if we can't even provide adequate housing options for people now?
"The building and construction industry is central to ensure there's more homes for Aussies but until political parties step up and put their words into action we will continue to be hamstrung.
"Builders and tradies are frustrated. We can't keep tinkering at the edges, focusing on demand levers that do nothing to solve the problem, and dragging our feet on delivering existing supply constraint commitments. We need action on the ground now.
"Policies must be supply focused by bringing down construction costs, boosting productivity and ensuring land is shovel ready.
"Housing is not a political football to be passed around from local, state and federal governments. It requires a coordinated approach with the Federal Government leading the way.
"Seventy per cent of Australians believe the Federal Government is the most responsible to solve the housing crisis and the industry agrees.
"Master Builders will not shy away from campaigning on policy ideas that will make the housing crisis worse and hold industry back."
Campaign background
The campaign will run across digital and traditional media platforms which includes but not limited to: social, radio, podcasts, gaming, print, robocalls, and online news.
Based on extensive electorate analysis through MBA DataHouse, Master Builders has identified 40 target seats across the country which are made up of a mix of seats with a high share of building and construction businesses and tradies (10%+ of voters), renters and those under mortgage stress.
Each week Master Builders will release a scorecard on how major parties are performing against the housing solutions checklist and we will ensure communities and industry are aware of any major developments.
Some of MBA's target seats:
- NSW: Gilmore, Patterson, Parramatta, Reid, Fowler
- QLD: Ryan, Brisbane, Leichhardt
- WA: Curtin, Tangney, Bullwinkel, Pearce
- VIC: Chisholm, McEwan, Dunkley, Aston, Kooyong
- NT: Lingiari, Solomon
- SA: Sturt, Boothby
- TAS: Lyons, Braddon
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