Three North East apprentices have been honoured for their achievements at the 2022 Master Builders Victoria Regional Apprentice of the Year Awards.

There were three major awards given out on the night.

Thomas Favaro was awarded the North East Apprentice of the Year Finishing Trades Award.

At the same time, Emma Hodgkinson received the North East Apprentice of the Year Developing Leader Award.

Victoria has seen a further decline in the value of construction work carried out last year as the state continues to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Master Builders Victoria (MBV) analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics data reveals that the value of Victorian construction work done has seen a decline of $1.8bn (3.14 per cent) compared to the same time last year.   

Master Builders Victoria (MBV) has encouraged more women to join the building and construction industry as it marked International Women’s Day with an industry breakfast attended by more than 400 people.

MBV is keen to achieve a greater representation of women in building and construction by fostering gender equity in the male-dominated industry.

According to Australian Bureau of Statistics Labour Force figures, there were almost 41,000 women employed in the building and construction industry in Victoria in November 2021.  

Three Ballarat apprentices have been honoured for their achievements at the 2022 Master Builders Victoria Regional Apprentice of the Year Awards.

There were three major awards given out on the night.

Mitchell Crough was awarded the Ballarat Apprentice of the Year Future Builder Award.

At the same time, Zachary Walter received the Ballarat Apprentice of the Year Developing Leader Award.

Our industry contributes over 46 per cent of the state's tax revenue, with the housing sector alone generating $3 of economic activity for every $1 invested. Every $1 million of residential building construction industry output supports nine jobs across the economy.

As Victoria emerges from COVID-19, we rely on building and construction for our economic recovery. However, we know that many of our regional members are continuing to report significant supply issues with building materials and trades.

MBV is disappointed that the Victorian Government has withdrawn its extensive planning reform package.

MBV has been working closely with the Victorian Government for several years on a range of planning reforms to cut red tape and speed up planning processes to benefit our state’s building and construction industry and the broader Victorian community.

MBV supports ongoing investment into social housing but applying a different tax to the building and construction industry was not the solution at this time.

Three Gippsland apprentices have been honoured for their achievements at the 2022 Master Builders Victoria Regional Apprentice of the Year Awards.

Andre Regli was awarded the Gippsland Apprentice of the Year Future Builder Award.

At the same time, Jenneke Kijlstra-Shone received the Gippsland Apprentice of the Year Developing Leader Award.

Meanwhile, the Gippsland Chairperson’s Award was awarded to Taj Lyttle.

Master Builders Victoria (MBV) remains concerned about Victorian building and construction insolvencies.

MBV has continued to shed light on the issue of soaring costs of materials and labour shortages, which may lead to more building and construction companies being forced into administration.

MBV Acting CEO Michela Lihou said the proportion of insolvencies accounted for by building and construction had grown steadily over the past two years.

It is now close to the highest it’s ever been since data recording started in 2013.

Master Builders Victoria (MBV) has questioned the need for another new tax on the building and construction industry while welcoming reforms of Victoria’s planning system designed to speed up building approvals and cut red tape.

The overhaul follows the 27 recommendations from the Commissioner for Better Regulation and Red Tape report on improving Victoria’s planning system.

Under proposed changes announced by the Victorian Government today, faster assessment of major developments is expected to cut wait times for planning permits.

Master Builders Victoria (MBV) analysis of Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) insolvency figures shows that 106 Victorian building and construction companies – almost a third of the national tally - entered external administration in the three months to December 2021.

Nationally, this period saw 328 building and construction companies across Australia enter external administration, up 29 per cent on the same quarter last year.