Advocacy and Policy

In a very challenging year, there were several significant wins in advocating for our members and shaping policy to achieve the best interests of building and construction in Victoria during 2019-2020.

Since the establishment of Cladding Safety Victoria (CSV), Master Builders Victoria has advocated to the State Government to use original builders to fast-track the rectification of buildings with dangerous cladding. Our advocacy was successful when it was announced in late June 2020 that the Government’s $600 million plan to fix flammable cladding would be expanded to work on up to 400 buildings within two years, and confirmation that CSV will work with a select group of reputable builders to rectify their own projects at no profit.

In January 2020, MBV was appointed to the Victorian Government’s Bushfire Recovery Taskforce and liaised regularly with key stakeholders to determine the most effective ways to direct support to our regional members and their communities.

From March 2020, our efforts to address the issues affecting our members due to COVID-19 were unwavering. We were successful in reassuring the Government, regulators and Victorians that the building and construction industry could operate with minimal restrictions, while safeguarding health and safety. Much of this intense work required collaborating with industry associations and unions to ensure a strong, united approach for the benefit of the entire industry. The result of our advocacy saw the building and construction industry remaining safe and open from the start of the pandemic.

MBV was invited to provide advice to the Building Victoria’s Recovery Taskforce to quickly identify issues facing builders, contractors and developers and we advocated diligently for stimulus measures in building and construction to promote economic recovery. We welcomed the Victorian Government’s Building Works package that allocated $2.7 billion toward shovel-ready projects and the Federal Government’s HomeBuilder grants initiative.

A noted disappointment during 2019-2020 was the passing of the controversial workplace manslaughter laws unamended in the Victorian Legislative Assembly. MBV consistently argued that these laws did not have safety as its number-one objective and were not workable or fair, and we stand by our commitment to continue to advocate on behalf of our members for workplace health and safety laws that prioritise safety.

In what has been an unquestionably tough year, the undoubted highlight has been seeing the success of our industry’s collective efforts to keep operating throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, to keep those in our industry safe and to increase our industry’s contribution to the economy in the process. This will be our primary focus through the 2020-2021 year.

A special shout out to the @masterbuildersvic team as well for lobbying and being such a vocal industry group that worked tirelessly to keep our industry working as much as possible.

#masterbuildersvic are a god send for us Tradies and Builders out here who are feeling a little confused and bewildered with the restrictions and the requirements. Stephen and his Master Builders representatives met with the New South Wales Deputy Premier last week to discuss the impact of the border closure on the construction industry. I congratulate them for their dogged determination and advocacy on behalf of their members, and share their hopes that common sense will prevail and they can get back to work.

STEVE HASSETT, FOUNDATION TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA @SCREWPILEAUS Master Builders Member

JOE SPENCER-WHITE, @BEOWULFBUILDERS

Master Builders Member

DR. HELEN HAINES MP, MEMBER FOR INDI, COMMENTS MADE IN PARLIAMENT Federal Parliamentarian