New-build opportunities flagged as builders' lobby heats up with government

“A strong building industry means a strong economy,” Ms Wawn said.

“Our industry has done the heavy lifting over recent years to support the economy’s transition from the mining construction boom and is now underpinning much of the economic growth supporting the return to surplus that’s forecast for 2019–20.

“What we need now are budget measures to help our industry sustain that growth.”

One part of Master Builder’s Australia’s key priorities for the federal budget 2019 is a request for more housing and infrastructure.

This includes:

• Increase direct government funding of public infrastructure;
• Expand cross-government activities to boost supply of housing and infrastructure,
• Increase the provision of adequate stock of public housing and tie NAHHA funding to performance in meeting targets; and
• Boost funding the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) with a focus on implementing the recommendations of the Building Confidence Report (Shergold Weir Report).

Additionally, another key priority of Master Builder’s Australia is a focus on tax incentives, which includes keeping negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount.

Further priorities impacting the property market are the creation of more jobs and the boosting of vocational skills, which include a new programme and support for apprenticeship programs as well as promoting apprenticeships through a new advertising campaign.