02/08/2022

The 6.1% rise in inflation to be at the highest level in over 30 years highlights the severity of the current economic challenge and the need for sound economic management to be the Federal Government鈥檚 priority mission. 聽

Denita Wawn, CEO of Master Builders Australia said that, 鈥淭he jump in inflation reinforces the building industry鈥檚 call for the Federal Government to ensure that all its policies are targeted to fighting inflation, protecting growth, and boosting productivity.鈥澛

鈥淭he Federal Government鈥檚 move to fast track the dismantling of the ABCC comprehensively fails this test,鈥 she said. 聽

鈥淓conomic modelling by EY and commissioned by Master Builders shows that depriving the construction industry of specialist regulation and oversight for the first time in two decades will increase the cost of delivering projects and exacerbate inflationary pressures in the wider economy,鈥 聽Denita Wawn said. 聽

鈥淏uiders have been grappling with inflation at more than double the level of today鈥檚 announcement for more than 12 months,鈥 she said. 聽

鈥淭his is being felt by consumers whose buying power to build a new home has been substantially eroded,鈥 Denita Wawn said. 聽

鈥淚t is to be hoped that the recent move by the Reserve Bank to increases interest rates has had some moderating effects on inflation. Today鈥檚 increase in CPI which is below market expectations supports Master Builders call for the RBA to adopt a cautionary approach to the normalisation of monetary policy going forward,鈥 Denita Wawn said. 聽