should there be a building and plumbing commission? the HIA says no way
Apparently, the building industry must be absolutely nailing quality—at least, that’s the only way I can interpret the HIA’s stance against a commission into building and plumbing.
Here's the article about this: https://www.realestate.com.au/news/building-industry-warns-building-and-plumbing-commission-will-backfire-drive-up-costs-and-scare-off-builders/
Their argument? A commission would "annoy" builders and drive them away. That sounds less like a serious industry position and more like a toddler being told they can’t have a lolly.
"If you do this, I’m going to do that." That’s not a well-reasoned argument—it’s a strawman.
Let’s be real: housing quality has been subpar for years. In the rush to churn out homes, trades have been commoditised to the point where workmanship doesn’t seem to matter. And why would it, when no one on the building side is actually listening?
The core issue, in my opinion, is that construction companies are being run by marketing and sales executives, not builders who take pride in their work. When everything is reduced to numbers and the sole focus is on optimising time and cost, quality inevitably suffers. And here we are.
So, what do you think? How can we improve construction quality if we don’t first acknowledge why it’s in the state it’s in?
The AHURI quality report (September 2024) and the Productivity in Construction report (February 2025) paint a bleak picture: an industry bloated with middle management, too many chiefs, and not enough skilled workers actually doing the job.
LINK: https://www.constructor.net.au/building-better-homes-insights-from-australias-national-roadmap-on-housing-quality/
LINK: https://www.constructor.net.au/turning-the-tide-on-housing-construction-insights-from-australias-productivity-commission/
As long as there’s money to be made, they’ll keep making it—at the expense of the product. The glossier the marketing, the cheaper the materials.
What’s your take?
Other contents