After 50 years, I decided to call time on my working life in May.

In some ways, it’s hard to believe it’s been that long – and in others, not so much. Since I joined Master Builders 17 years ago there’s been no shortage of challenge or change, and it’s been an honour to see Queensland’s building and construction industry through different waves of growth and optimism, as well as uncertainty.

As a young man, I never imagined that this industry is where I would end up. My father worked with the Department of Primary Industries, and we moved around the state quite a lot. Traversing and living in different rural and regional areas sparked my interest in a career in rural agricultural science – the land was always a source of inspiration to me. It was my father’s advice to take up a cadetship with the Department of Lands that saw me land instead smack bang in the middle of Brisbane in 1976. There I was in my long socks and shorts working in this formal environment, where the cadets were expected to make tea for the managers to drink out on the verandah, of what is now the Treasury Hotel. Truth be told, I never drank tea and did such a shocking job that I was banned from making it.

During those early days, I was introduced to a three-step approach which I have carried with me ever since. You gather the evidence, analyse what it’s telling you, then make decisions based on what you know. This held me in good stead in my 12 years working as a valuer, as a researcher on judge Patsy Wolfe’s landmark review of land policy and administration, and later in various planning, land management and advocacy roles – particularly when I moved into the building and construction industry as Director of Housing Policy with Master Builders in 2009.

Construction is all about transforming plans into bricks and mortar – and policies also need to make sense in the real world. As we know, sometimes policy works well, and other times, badly. What is always true is that these decisions have an impact on people: the builder running a small business, the subcontractor grappling with rising costs, and those trying to make their dreams of property ownership a reality – as well as the communities relying on our industry to deliver the schools, hospitals, and infrastructure they need.

Keeping that bigger picture in mind has always been a focus – and I have never backed away from challenging the status quo. The fact that someone is further up the chain than you, doesn’t mean that what they say is right. It took me a long time to recognise that, but it has proved important.

One of the most significant examples that comes to mind is our organisation’s work fighting against the introduction of the Queensland government’s Best Practice Industry Conditions (BPIC) policy back in 2018. At the time, the-then minister and treasurer told us point blank that we were wrong about the increase in costs it caused, and the flow-on effects to the private sector. The arrival of the Crisafulli Government in 2024 brought confirmation from both Treasury and the Productivity Commission that we were absolutely right, and BPIC was scrapped for good. It was such a huge moment – vindication in the wake of times where I questioned whether our position would ever be acknowledged as correct. Our point about BPIC was always about how the CFMEU exercised its influence, and how the provisions in BPIC were being implemented in practice. We were crystal clear that the potential knock-on effects to the private sector were possible, not inevitable – and that any builder looking at it realistically would factor the risk into their decision-making.

Some of the other highlights of my time representing our industry include the pause on the further rollout of the Project Trust Accounts framework, the Small Business Apprenticeship Pilot Program, the scrapping of mandatory rainwater tanks, and the overhaul of the QBCC. There is no doubt that members appreciate our efforts – the most recent member survey in 2024 found that 90 per cent agreed that Master Builders is a strong advocate on important issues – up from 70 per cent in 2018.

The efforts of the association will continue. The recent cost hikes and supply chain disruptions borne out of the Middle East conflict were a shock for industry. We still don’t know where things will end up but we’re seeing both builders and clients hitting pause on new projects owing to the uncertainty. And the industry’s reliance on fixed-price contracts is causing grief for builders, subbies, and their clients.

At the same time, the workforce shortage continues to bite. The forecast construction pipeline is $69 billion through to 2031-32, with the expected peak at $75 billion in 2027-28. We need boots on the ground now, so my advice to anyone considering a career in the building and construction industry is, go for it. You get paid while you learn, avoid building up a large HECS debt, and have the chance to work on some of the most exciting projects Queensland will see over the next five to ten years. On top of that, it offers long-term job security and stability. There are many opportunities on the worksite but also plenty off the tools – as I have proven myself.

I’m delighted and proud to have represented our members and made their voices heard, and working alongside a dedicated and passionate team to have made a difference over the last 17 years. It’s the people I will miss most.

Building and construction will go from strength to strength in the years ahead, with Master Builders helping the industry to stay the course.

Paul Bidwell is the (now retiring) chief executive officer of Master Builders Queensland

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