Australia is set to develop a national blueprint for actions which are needed to ensure the long-term success of the nation’s $300 billion construction industry.

At the National Construction Industry Forum meeting held on Wednesday, representatives from government, industry and unions agreed to develop a Building and Construction Blueprint.

Set to be developed over the next six months, the blueprint will identify and prioritise the industry’s long-term challenges, including the need to improve its culture.

It will then develop a staged workplan for the Forum to consider appropriate solutions toward the aim of creating lasting and meaningful change.

The blueprint will complement existing work that is underway through initiatives such as the National Construction Strategy, the Construction Industry Culture Taskforce and the Construction Industry Leadership Forum.

It will articulate the roles, responsibilities and interactions of various parties including governments, (Commonwealth and State), forums and groups and relevant regulators.

The Commonwealth will commit necessary resources to coordinate the forum’s work.

The latest developments come as Australia’s building and construction industry is likely to face significant workforce and capacity challenges going forward as the nation aims to deliver upon a national housing target of 1.2 million homes over the five years from 1 July 2024 whilst simultaneously delivering upon the clean energy transition as well as delivering a record pipeline of public sector transport projects.

It also comes as the industry continues to face other challenges such as cost pressures, financial viability concerns and the need to address ongoing concerns around building quality and safety.

Moreover, the industry’s importance should not be underestimated.

As well as providing employment for around one in ten Australian workers and opportunities for more than 450,000 active businesses, the industry plays a crucial role in delivering the housing and infrastructure which is necessary to support the country’s growing and changing population as well as the energy infrastructure that will be pivotal to the nation’s clean energy transition.

Australian Constructors Association CEO Jon Davies welcomed the announcement.

“We’re committed to working together to create a sustainable that welcomes all and is fair for all,” Davies said.

“We have to act fast. The opportunity is right in front of us, and we need to move quickly to get this blueprint off the ground.”

Established as part of amendments to the Fair Work Act, the National Construction Industry Forum is a 19-member statutory body consisting of government, industry and union representatives.

Its role is to advise the government on matters which are of importance to the nation’s building and construction sector.

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