WA Builders’ lobby pushes for training, commercial building stimulus ahead of State election

As the State’s builders ride the wave of a COVID-19 housing boom, the head of WA’s peak construction industry body is urging Albany election candidates to look to training and the commercial sector to maintain the momentum.

Master Builders WA executive director John Gelavis visited Albany this week to meet candidates and outline his industry’s “electoral wish-list” ahead of March 13.

The State Government’s Building Bonus grant and Federal Government’s Home Builder stimulus offered some first-homeowners up to $45,000 at the height of the pandemic.

The City of Albany approved 399 building licence requests worth about $65.8 million from September-December last year as a result.

This was an increase from 273 building licenses worth about $33.4m in the same period in 2019.

“Once the stimulus projects runs out — how do we keep the industry moving forward, how do we keep the jobs and skills moving forward?” Mr Gelavis said.

“The building and construction industry is playing such an important role in a post-pandemic environment.

“We are helping the State move forward and recover and you do that through construction jobs.”

Albany’s construction industry accounts for 9.4 per cent of the region’s total employment, ahead of the State average of 9 per cent, Master Builders WA says.

Mr Gelavis said WA’s building boom had put pressure on trade supply lines for products such as timber, and forced the industry to think fast about how to train workers for the future.

“The jobs and skills component is really critical to WA,” he said.

“As much as the stimulus has been really successful, there are some challenges around trade supply.

“We think it’s a great opportunity for the Government and the TAFEs to work with the industry groups and industry associations like Master Builders to help attract the builders and subbies back into the building and construction industry.”

Mr Gelavis said he would be pushing the State Government to recreate the success of its home building stimulus packages in the commercial building sector to help “community projects come to life”.

Master Builders WA proposes a “community builder” program including State Government grants of up to $5m covering 25 per cent of the value of a new or substantial renovation of community facilities.

“There’s some great opportunities in Albany, particularly around land supply,” he said.

“We would like to see more title land available but also continued investment in infrastructure is particularly important.”