Blueprint for the future: a building and construction industry that works for everyone

Today, building and construction industry leaders representing unions, head contractors, sub-contractors and government agreed to work together to build real, long-term change to the industry.

Coming together for the National Construction Industry Forum (NCIF), members recognised a unique opportunity for reform and unanimously agreed to develop a Building and Construction Industry Blueprint to achieve this.

The Blueprint will outline a clear pathway for the sector to work together to bring real long-term change to challenges in the industry, including industry culture.

It will identify and prioritise the industry’s key challenges and develop a staged workplan for the NCIF to consider appropriate solutions.

The aim of this work will be to create lasting and tangible change within the industry.

The NCIF agreed that real long-term change must come from, and be driven by, the building and construction industry itself, with the support of government.

NCIF members will meet over the coming months with the aim of developing the Blueprint within six months.

NCIF Chair and Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Senator Murray Watt said the Blueprint will showcase the progress that can be achieved when key industry partners work together.

“Working together to address the persistent challenges facing this industry is key to ensuring it is an industry that works for everyone,” Minister Watt said.

“The blueprint will focus on creating lasting and tangible change within the industry.

“To meet these objectives, we need cooperation, not conflict.

“I look forward to working collaboratively with forum members to develop the Blueprint.”

Minister for Infrastructure Catherine King said it was vital that the sector was functioning well for the benefit of the country.

“The building and construction industry is vital, it is the second largest contributor to Australia’s economic growth and delivers nearly 1 in 10 jobs,” Minister King said.

“It supports other industries through major infrastructure development, facilitates our sovereignty through delivery of our defence capabilities and provides the type of Australia we want through home building and the delivery of our transition to renewable energy.

Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic said a strong construction sector will be critical to helping achieve our target of building more houses.

“We welcome today’s collaboration so we can continue to come up with fresh ideas for the future of the sector,” Minister Husic said.

“With today’s discussion, we can have confidence there’ll be a strong construction industry into the future.”

NCIF members strongly agreed that the Blueprint should complement existing work underway, and will clearly articulate the roles and responsibilities of, and interactions between, other relevant bodies, including the States and Territories, other Commonwealth Government building and construction forums and groups, and relevant regulators.

The Government will commit necessary resources across relevant departments to coordinate the NCIF’s work, including for any subcommittees, separate streams of work, or external facilitation that the NCIF agrees may be needed to ensure the Blueprint’s development and support its implementation.

The tripartite NCIF comprises equal members with experience representing both employees and employers in the building and construction industry.