Master Builders Victoria, the CFMEU VIC/TAS Branch, and Incolink have committed to encouraging their members to make an informed decision on the COVID-19 vaccine.

They have called on the state and federal government to maintain a sense of urgency and proactively educate and inform Victorians about the vaccine.

Rebecca Casson, CEO of Master Builders Victoria, said the coalition of building and construction groups, established at the start of the pandemic had commissioned research to understand the industry’s COVID-19 vaccine perceptions and what information they required.

With tens of thousands of Victorians expected to lose their jobs after the withdrawal of the Federal Government’s JobKeeper scheme, Master Builders Victoria (MBV) is urging Victorians to potentially consider a new career in building and construction, at a time when the industry is desperately short of tradespeople.

The $90 billion JobKeeper scheme which had been a financial lifeline for many businesses, officially ended on Sunday 28 March 2021, with Federal Treasury speculating that up to 150,000 jobs could now be lost across Australia.

Victoria’s building and construction industry is currently enjoying a huge boom in activity thanks to the introduction of the HomeBuilder grant scheme, but according to Master Builders Victoria (MBV), that boom is creating significant supply chain issues which are threatening the scheme’s undeniable success.

According to MBV CEO, Rebecca Casson almost 80 per cent of Victorian building and construction businesses are currently experiencing significant delays in being able to secure concreters, joiners and bricklayers.