2023 is expected to be another challenging year for the construction industry. Our policy and advocacy approach will be centred on ensuring the industry is well-placed to weather these challenges, as well as seeing the industry positioned to meet emerging challenges and make our industry a better place to work for all participants.
Our 2023 efforts
In 2023, our advocacy efforts will focus on:
- Sustainable businesses
- Better building practices
- Fair and reasonable regulation.
We will also have a proactive focus on leading change with a ‘future builders’ program comprising:
- Master Builder continuous professional development (CPD)
- Industry champions
- Renovating to better buildings
- Building products coalition.
Sustainable businesses
Builders and ready and willing to provide the housing, social and other infrastructure needed. However, for the industry to deliver the buildings Queenslanders need, new construction must stack up and builders must make enough profit to sustain their business.
What we are going to work to deliver in 2023:
- Increase the deposit received for domestic building projects to support contractors’ ability to properly fund construction work up front and manage their cashflow
- Government publication of a comprehensive Queensland Forward Procurement Pipeline for accurate and timely information on the government’s program of building work, in particular, infrastructure to be delivered as part of the Olympic preparations
- Improve tendering processes and contractual risk allocations in government building contracts and provide Master Builders contracts with better price adjustment mechanisms
- Support compliance with the Psychosocial Code of Practice and the mental health of workers
- Raise the profile of career opportunities in the sector.
Better building practices
Master Builders take pride in the work that we do and the buildings we deliver. What we build and how it is built is always evolving in response to new challenges.
What we are going to work to deliver in 2023:
- Guidance supporting the National Construction Code (NCC) 2022 energy efficiency and accessible housing requirements that brings clarity to the provisions
- A single, mandatory, state-wide Housing Code for greater certainty and efficiency in housing development
- Upskilling of the industry through a Master Builders CPD program
- Government guidance on what constitutes best practice for client-appointed project manager/contract administrator (superintendent).
Fair and reasonable regulation
Buildings are delivered through supply chains. There needs to be fair regulation of the entire supply chain to ensure that the playing field is level and those who are responsible are held to account. Government red tape must also be addressed where it is constraining the industry without a corresponding benefit.
What we are going to work to deliver in 2023:
- Further delay the introduction of Project Trust Accounts into private sector projects over $3 million and over $1 million to avoid unnecessary business costs for no corresponding benefit
- Reform of the Queensland Home Warranty Scheme to ensure that payment of claim decision is fair to all parties
- Reform of the rectification of defective building work process to ensure decisions are fair, proportionate and targeted at all relevant parties
- Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) to reinstate the process of providing guidance on which licence is required for particular scopes of work.
Future builders
Master Builders can enhance its influence by taking a proactive stance and leading change. To help realise our agenda, Master Builders will take positive steps to show how the outcomes can be achieved and not just talked about.
We will position ourselves as positive leaders for the change needed in our industry.
To do this we will start with the Future Builders Program. A program of positive actions to directly contribute to the outcomes we are working to achieve in the policy agenda.
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