Following the 2022-23 Federal Budget, delivered on 25 October 2022, Master Builders Australia says that the building and construction industry should remain cautious about lifting productivity and minimising inflationary pressures given the uncertain economic landscape.

The Budget confirmed funding for election commitments including more university and vocational education and training places, infrastructure and local manufacturing.

Master Builders Australia chief executive, Denita Wawn, says that the Association welcomes the changes: “We welcome funding to increase visa processing capacity and raise awareness of opportunities for high-skilled migrants.

“The Housing Accord announced tonight along with the funding of housing election commitments support an additional pipeline of work over the medium term for the residential building sector. In implementing the suite of policies, governments must be mindful of the capacity constraints currently hitting the industry including labour shortages, material costs and the burden of new regulation.”

She adds that the Federal Government must resist the temptation to pursue industrial relations policies that will adversely affect low unemployment and productivity and impact real wages in the long term.

“We continue to strongly disagree with the abolition of the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) but acknowledge the Government’s announcement of additional resourcing for the Fair Work Ombudsman to more comprehensively regulate the Fair Work Act 2009 in the building and construction industry,” she says.