Master Builders Australia kicked off its federal election campaign, “More Homes For Aussies,” challenging all political parties and independents to transition from discussion to decisive action to address the ongoing housing crisis.
The initiative highlights the urgent need for increased housing supply and infrastructure across various sectors including social housing, affordable units, private rentals, and properties for owner-occupiers.
Fresh ABS data showed underlying inflation had increased to 2.8% as of December, with a modest increase in building activity of +0.5% for the quarter. Despite steady headline inflation at 2.5%, rental prices have surged by +5.8% over the past year, and the cost of a new home is up by about +40% from pre-COVID-19 levels.
These figures, according to Master Builders, underscore the urgency for increased housing production as a lever to mitigate cost-of-living pressures.
The housing crisis has emerged as a key issue this election, with voters demanding solutions.
Independent research by Insightfully shows that one in four Australians ranks housing as their top concern, and 70% are dissatisfied with the government’s efforts.
“We know a lack of supply is causing the housing crisis,” said Denita Wawn (pictured), CEO of Master Builders Australia. “While it’s been decades in the making, Australians rightfully expect it to be solved today.
“What kind of Australia are we building if we can’t even provide adequate housing options for people now? Builders and tradies are frustrated. We can’t keep tinkering at the edges, focusing on demand levers that do nothing to solve the problem, and dragging our feet on delivering existing supply constraint commitments. We need action on the ground now.”
The building industry, representing more than 445,000 businesses and 1.35 million workers, is ready to act. It needs more skilled workers, effective migration policies, and improved critical infrastructure.
Master Builders also advocates for a robust economy and legislative reforms to ensure safe and productive workplaces and to enforce industry standards effectively.
Master Builders’ campaign also highlighted potential detrimental policies such as changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax, overly restrictive industrial relations laws, impractical building regulations, and an overemphasis on TAFE that could hinder progress in resolving housing issues.
The campaign will be visible across both digital and traditional media platforms, including social media, radio, podcasts, gaming, print, and online news.
Based on extensive electorate analysis through MBA DataHouse, the campaign targets 40 strategic seats nationwide, affected by building and construction industry density, rental issues, and mortgage stress.
Each week leading up to the election, Master Builders will publish a scorecard assessing how well major parties align with the housing solutions checklist, keeping communities and industries informed of significant developments.
As the federal election approaches, Master Builders’ campaign is focused on holding politicians accountable and keeping the housing crisis central to policy discussions.
The organisation is dedicated to promoting policies that encourage the construction of more homes and support the industry's growth and safety.
In line with this, Master Builders Australia is urging the government to prioritise the building and construction sector in the 2025-26 federal budget to drive economic growth and address key productivity and inflation challenges.
