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A program to fast-track qualifications for 6,000 tradies has been unveiled by the Labor Party in its latest pledge to boost housing supply.
After both major parties faced criticism that their election pledges relied too heavily on demand-side incentives that could push house prices higher, the Labor Party of Australia has committed to accelerating qualifications for 6,000 tradies in a multimillion-dollar effort to grow the number of construction workers and boost home building.
The initiative will cost $78 million over four years and aims to create a new Advanced Entry Trades Training program to help tradies who have experience but no formal qualifications gain certification.
The program will be based on NSW’s Trade Pathways for Experienced Workers program, which allows tradies to have their existing skills assessed, with applicants able to receive additional and free training to gain formal trade-related qualifications.
The NSW program has seen more than 1,200 students gain their trade qualification in an average time of seven months, rather than several years.
Labor has said its new national initiative would help deliver on its election promise to build 100,000 homes exclusively for first home buyers while supporting its wider goal to build 1.2 million new homes in five years.
The Property Council of Australia has welcomed Labor’s plan to fast-track the qualifications of tradies.
Property Council CEO Mike Zorbas said: “The only way out of this housing crisis is to build more homes, and to do that, we need more carpenters, roofers, plumbers and tilers. More workers on-site, across every trade, is a must-have.”
Master Builders Australia has also praised the program, with CEO Denita Wawn describing it as a much-needed measure to boost housing supply and tackle the housing crisis: “We need more skilled, qualified tradies on the ground to build the homes our communities desperately need.
“Our analysis shows for every new qualified tradie, an extra 2.4 homes can be built.
“This program fast-tracks that goal by helping experienced workers get the qualifications and recognition they deserve.”
Parties pitch housing fixes
The tradie initiative is the latest political commitment by major parties to boost home building in the run-up to the upcoming federal election (on 3 May), given building commencements remain at decade lows.
Labor has also said that from 1 July, it would pay apprentices $10,000 in incentives to take up apprenticeships in housing construction.
An Albanese government would also invest $10 billion to partner with state developers and industry to build up to 100,000 homes, with these homes reserved for sale only to first home buyers.
The new homes would be in addition to Labor’s broader Homes for Australia plan, which includes a $43 billion commitment to building 55,000 social and affordable homes – 28,000 of which are already under construction, according to the government.
Other moves announced by the Labor Party include a ban on foreign purchases of established dwellings from 1 April 2025 until 31 March 2027, expanding the Home Guarantee Scheme to all first home buyers, and plans to clamp down and reduce land banking by foreign investors in an effort to ease pressure on the housing market.
Meanwhile, an elected Coalition government would prioritise clearing residential development backlogs within 12 months and finalise existing residential development environmental approval applications.
The Coalition has also proposed to introduce a mortgage interest tax deduction (which has been criticised by economists and the Greens, which said it could inflate house prices and increase financial risk for first home buyers) and increase the Home Guarantee Scheme income and property caps.
On Saturday (19 April), the Coalition also announced further tax incentives for small businesses, including two new tax incentives, aimed at creating 350,000 small businesses over four years. It said it would also build a new national network of Australian Technical Colleges – specialist skills schools for years 10–12 – offering school-based apprenticeships or traineeships, as well as academic and business courses that lead to a Year 12 certificate.
However, broker groups and industry associations have called on the parties to implement broader tax reform and more direct support for existing borrowers, saying that without holistic measures, the affordability crisis could persist.
[Related: Coalition outlines plans to accelerate housing approvals]
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