WITH areas like Ipswich experiencing rapid population growth, demand for housing has surged, putting significant pressure on the market.
Master Builders Australia, the peak body for the $200 billion construction industry, recently launched its Federal Election campaign, urging all political parties and independents to stop the talk and take real action.
Local builder Paul Henderson supports the move, saying delays in approvals, rising material costs, and a lack of skilled workers are holding up much-needed projects.
“We’ve got developments ready to go, but the red tape and costs keep mounting. Families need homes now, not years down the track,” Mr Henderson said.
“The demand in areas like Ipswich is at an all-time high, but without real policy changes, we’re stuck.”
Redbank Plains mother-of-two Sarah Bennett has been searching for an affordable rental for months and said the market was tougher than ever.
“Every time a place becomes available, there are dozens of people lining up. It’s heartbreaking,” Ms Bennett said.
“We need more homes built, plain and simple.”
Master Builders is calling for a coordinated effort between local, state, and federal governments to remove barriers to construction, including lowering costs, boosting productivity, and ensuring land is ready for development.
“Our industry is ready to build, but we need the right policies in place to make it happen,” Master Builders CEO Denita Wawn said.
“Housing supply is the biggest challenge, and while this has been decades in the making, Australians expect solutions now.”
Industry leaders are also pushing for more skilled workers, improvements to the migration system, greater investment in critical infrastructure, and stronger action on rental and social housing.
To keep the public informed, Master Builders will release weekly scorecards tracking how major political parties perform on key housing solutions. The campaign will run across digital, print, radio and social media to ensure voters know where leaders stand.
“We’re done with empty promises,” Ms Wawn said.
“The industry is ready to build. We just need governments to step up and deliver.”
With over 445,000 building and construction businesses representing 1.35 million workers, the industry is ready to get shovels in the ground.
“Builders and tradies are frustrated,” Ms Wawn said.
“We need policies that focus on supply – without them, the crisis will only get worse.”
