Response to PM鈥檚 National Press Club Address
The Prime Minister鈥檚 speech to signpost the Government鈥檚 approach to building economic recovery was encouraging on many fronts.聽
鈥淭he Prime Minister鈥檚 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 鈥渂lood bath鈥 in the coming months as forward contracts fall of a cliff particularly in the housing sector,鈥 Denita Wawn, CEO of Master Builders Australia said.聽
鈥淭he Prime Minister鈥檚 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,鈥 she said.聽
鈥淲hatever measures are announced, they must result in building activity commencing immediately. 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,鈥 Denita Wawn said.聽
鈥淭he PM鈥檚 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 鈥榤ake the boat go faster鈥,鈥 she said.聽
鈥淚ndustrial relations and vocational education reform have long been areas of high priority for Master Builders and our members around the country,鈥 Denita Wawn said.聽
鈥淲e support the Prime Minister鈥檚 call for employer and employee representatives to put aside 鈥渋deological posturing鈥 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,鈥 she said.聽
鈥淲hile 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,鈥 Denita Wawn said.聽
鈥淢aster 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鈥檚 September deadline,鈥 she said.聽
鈥淲e also welcome the Prime Minister鈥檚 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,鈥 Denita Wawn said.