THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO RELEASE A PLAN TO HELP TRADIES IN TROUBLE

02 June 2020

Housing construction work urgently needs a boost and the Morrison Government still hasn’t detailed a plan to help tradies in trouble.

The pipeline of work in the housing construction industry is drying up and will result in a sharp decline in work for nearly 7,000 tradies and 1,800 small and family businesses working in construction in the Bean electorate unless urgent action is taken.

Labor called on the Federal Government over five weeks ago to develop a National Housing Stimulus Plan to stop massive job losses in the housing construction industry.

“Almost one million people work in the construction industry, with around 7,000 of them working right here in Bean,” David said.

“The Government needs to stop delaying and urgently develop a plan to help save these jobs.”

Before COVID-19 hit between 170,000 to 160,000 homes were expected to be built this year. Now it is predicted to be as low as 100,000.

To help fill this gap Labor has already called on the Government to:

1. Work with State governments, the private sector and superannuation funds to invest in more social and affordable housing and the repair and maintenance existing social housing; and

2. Build more affordable rental housing for the true heroes of the COVID-19 crisis - nurses, cleaners, aged care workers, supermarket workers, bus drivers, and other front-line workers.

Before the COVID-19 hit a lot of Australians were struggling to buy and rent a home:

• Home ownership rates were at their lowest level in 60 years;

• Rental stress was high here in Canberra; and

• The last Census revealed more Australians were homeless than ever before.

While housing has been key to this health crisis – it can also be a key part of economic recovery.

In times of previous economic shock, housing construction has played a vital role in national economic recovery.

Now is the time to act. The Government needs to hurry up and detail a plan before more local tradies in Bean lose their jobs and more small and family businesses hit the wall.