Federal Member for Dobell, Emma McBride, is calling on the government to help tradies in trouble.
According to McBride, housing construction work is about to nose dive and the Morrison Government has no plan to help tradies through it.
“The pipeline of work in the housing construction industry is drying up and will result in a sharp decline in work for around 10,800 tradies and 2,500 small and family businesses working in construction in Dobell unless urgent action is taken,” McBride said.
“Labor called on the Federal Government over five weeks ago to develop a National Housing Stimulus Plan to stop massive job losses in the housing and construction industry.
“Almost one million people work in the construction industry, with around 11,000 of them working right here in Dobell.
“The government needs to stop delaying and urgently develop a plan to help save the jobs of around 11,000 local tradies and 2,500 small and family businesses,” she added.
Before COVID-19 hit, between 170,000 to 160,000 homes were expected to be built this year.
Now it is predicted to be as low as 100,000.
To help fill this gap, Labor has already called on the government to: Work with state governments, the private sector and superannuation funds to invest in more social and affordable housing and the repair and maintenance of existing social housing; and, to build more affordable rental housing for the true heroes of the COVID-19 crisis, nurses, cleaners, aged care workers, supermarket workers, bus drivers, and other front-line workers, closer to where they work.
“Before COVID-19 hit, a lot of locals were struggling to buy and rent a home.
“Home ownership rates were at their lowest level in 60 years, rental stress was through the roof and the last Census revealed that more Australians were homeless than ever before.
“While housing has been key to this health crisis, it can also be a key part of economic recovery.
“In times of economic shock, housing construction has played a vital role in national economic recovery.
“Now is the time to act.
“The government needs to hurry up before more local tradies in Dobell lose their jobs and more small and family businesses fold,” McBride said.
Source:
Press release, May 29
Jackie Pearson, Office of Emma McBride MP