New measures seek to address labour shortages and boost housing supply
The Property Council of Australia and Master Builders Australia have welcomed measures aimed at addressing labour shortages in the housing and construction sector, emphasising the importance of apprenticeships to meet housing targets and ease the strain on employers.
The Property Council applauded the government’s announcement of $10,000 bonuses for apprentices in the housing sector, designed to support Australia’s target of building 1.2 million new homes by 2029.
“More workers on site is essential to solving the housing supply puzzle,” said Property Council chief executive Mike Zorbas (pictured above left). “Hopefully, this incentive will see completion rates increase. Australia needs more bold thinking like this as we face headwinds in getting to our important national target of 1.2 million new homes by 2029.”
Zorbas also called for better coordination on accrediting skilled migrants and streamlining pathways for midlife career changes into construction trades, citing labour shortages, planning delays, and high construction costs as long-standing barriers to addressing the housing deficit.
Apprentices will be given $10,000 to learn a trade in a federal bid to attract more workers to the construction industry. But while industry groups and the opposition support it, not all trainees will be eligible. Taylor Aiken reports from Canberra. https://t.co/YReZ2eFq2R #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/OMtZv7qtvE
— 7NEWS Sunshine Coast (@7NewsSC) January 25, 2025
Similarly, Master Builders Australia welcomed the findings of the recently released Review into the Australian Apprenticeship Incentive System, which addresses the challenges of attracting and retaining apprentices — particularly for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which make up 98% of businesses in the construction sector.
“Labour shortages are currently the biggest handbrake on fixing the housing crisis,” said Denita Wawn (pictured above right), chief executive of Master Builders. “Employing an apprentice comes at a cost. Not just their wage, but the hours spent teaching them, covering their training costs, managing the associated administration, and helping them navigate the workforce, which all adds up.
“A robust incentive system must provide assurance and minimise risk. It should mean that the employer does not shoulder the entire cost burden for the 50% of apprentices who do not complete their studies.
“Master Builders will work through the recommendations in the review and urges the federal government to prioritise the consultation and implementation of non-contentious recommendations as we do not have time to waste.”
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