In response to Prime Minister Morrison's speech at the National Press Club address, Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn sees a light at the end of the tunnel.
The Prime Minister’s speech to signpost the Government’s approach to building economic recovery was encouraging on many fronts, according to Denita Wawan, CEO, Master Builders Australia.
“The Prime Minister’s recognition that there is much worse economic news to come is important especially as the building and construction industry braces for what some are referring to as a “blood bath” in the coming months as forward contracts fall off a cliff particularly in the housing sector,” said Ms Wawn.
“The Prime Minister’s announcement that the Treasurer and the Minister for Housing are working on a plan to support the residential building sector is therefore extremely welcome.
"Time is of the essence as forward work is fast evaporating.
“Whatever measures are announced, they must result in building activity commencing immediately."
Ms Wawn's statements follow hot on the heels of the Housing Industry of Australia's Graham Wolfe where the HIA were looking to introduce measures to stop the pause in construction that will happen in the second half of the year and into 2021.
"The stimulus needs to be about getting slabs on the ground in the second half of the year," said Mr Wolfe.
Read more of Mr Wolfe's comments here.
Ms Wawn said announcements on their own do not amount to stimulus and unless measures are put in place soon it will too late for thousands of small residential builders and tradies.
“The PM’s acknowledgment that the economic crisis results from the successful response of Australian governments to suppress COVID-19, and not from a market failure, is an important signal that the Federal Government is willing to act to give business the necessary tool-set to kickstart economic growth and ‘make the boat go faster’,” said Ms Wawn.
“Industrial relations and vocational education reform have long been areas of high priority for Master Builders and our members around the country.
“We support the Prime Minister’s call for employer and employee representatives to put aside “ideological posturing” and work together to ensure the viability of the businesses that employ Australians. In building and construction nearly 400,000 mostly small businesses employ 1.2 million people.
“While continuing to support the rule of law on construction sites we support the shelving of the Ensuring Integrity Bill in the interests of building a bridge to economic recovery provided that other measures are developed to combat unlawfulness on construction sites as the Prime Minister indicated will occur."
Ms Wawn said Master Builders has forged a cooperative dialogue with the CFMMEU and the AWU to ensure the viability of the building and construction sector during the COVID-19 health crisis.
"We plan to do our part to continue on this track in the interest of achieving reforms to aid recovery from the crisis and meet the Prime Minister’s September deadline,” said Ms Wawn.
“We also welcome the Prime Minister’s indication that the recommendations of the Joyce Review of the vocational education and training (VET) system will be approached with new vigour.
"Master Builders is in one hundred percent with the Prime Minister when he says an effective VET system is crucial to increased productivity and growth."
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