What’s the Point of Builders’ Associations in Australia?
Hi everyone,
I’ve been thinking a lot about builders’ associations – you know, groups like the Housing Industry Association (HIA), Master Builders Australia (MBA), and similar bodies. But I’m wondering:
What do they really do?
Do they just provide networking opportunities?
Are they actually lifting standards in the building industry?
Are they advocating for builders and homeowners, or just looking after their members’ interests?
Are they just there to provide insurance and sort information that builders may not otherwise find by themselves?
Some questions I’ve been tossing around:
- Do these associations really help the industry? If so, how and why? Are they improving the quality of homes being built? Are they helping consumers by promoting higher standards, or just helping builders by making regulations easier?
- How should we measure their performance? Is it about the quality of their members (e.g., are they vetting who joins?), members performance over time, members minimum achieving minimum quality standards, their (industry groups_ financial health (profit/loss), or their overall impact on the industry? And if impact is the measure, what does a “good” impact look like?
Better quality homes for Australians?
A more skilled and professional workforce?
More affordable housing?
Or simply keeping members happy and profitable?
Are they really necessary today? With all the codes, standards (like the National Construction Code - NCC and various Australian Standards) and consumer protections we have, are these associations still relevant? Or are they just another layer of bureaucracy (lobby group) that doesn’t do much for the average builder or homeowner?
I’d love to hear what others think. Do you belong to a builders’ association? Have you seen them make a real difference (good or bad)?
How should we judge their success – and should they be held to a higher standard?
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