Western Australia's property groups have welcomed the state budget, in particular no new taxes or charges for property, but continue to call for housing stimulus timeframe extensions.
Opposition leader Liza Harvey has pledged to spend $200 million to create 20,000 trade and apprentice roles if elected premier at the upcoming state election.
The state government has committed an additional $30 million to its Building Bonus program, but is yet to respond to industry calls for extending delivery timeframes.
The state government has unveiled details of several infrastructure packages as part of the WA Recovery Fund, including a further $319.2 million in school upgrades.
Master Builders executive director John Gelavis has criticised the state government's new industrial manslaughter laws, arguing harsher penalties will not improve workplace safety.
A slate of planning reforms announced by the state government in May have now passed both houses of parliament, after negotiations with minor parties led to notable changes in how the legislation defines ‘significant' developments.
Draft legislation aimed at better protecting payments for subcontractors has excluded previously promised cascading statutory trusts, and instead promises a more “measured approach to implementing payment reform”.
The federal government has launched a new $25,000 HomeBuilder grant, to go towards new builds or renovating an existing home, as the state government prepares to announce its own package in coming days.
The state government has set up an advisory group, with executives from more than 20 businesses and community groups, to provide advice on the impacts of COVID-19 and measures to help economic recovery.
Major commercial construction jobs have been derailed by the novel coronavirus crisis, with neither the public nor the private sector stepping up to provide certainty for contractors.
The COVID-19 crisis has pushed any recovery in Western Australia's residential building sector out to 2021-22 at the earliest, with new modelling released by the Master Builders Association showing the record downturn is set to continue.
Real estate agents and new homebuilders have roundly welcomed the lifting of restrictions that shut display villages and prevented home opens, with the shift expected to help the sector rebound from record low transaction levels.
A $154 million package to support tenants and landlords and boost the construction industry has been unveiled by the state government, in its latest effort to reduce the economic carnage of COVID-19.
Health Minister Roger Cook said testing criteria for COVID-19 would expand as of tomorrow, 28 new cases in WA overnight; Premier Mark McGowan aired his grievances with the Artania cruise ship, and Andrew Forrest pledged $160 million towards procuring medical supplies and increasing testing in WA.
Western Australia's biggest building surveyor has warned an insurance impasse could halt major construction and infrastructure jobs across the state, with surveyors facing cost hike challenges and delays in renewing professional indemnity insurance.
Perth's residential property market is proving resilient in the early stages of the novel coronavirus crisis, but agents are bracing for leasing and home sale transactions to grind to a halt in coming weeks.
Multinational accounting firm RSM says thousands of small businesses across the country are likely to collapse as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, as government stimulus packages fail to address the financial challenges faced by a large number of affected operators.
Western Australia's construction and commercial property sectors are bracing for the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, with imports of building materials likely to be disrupted and retail activity expected to plunge in coming weeks
Western Australia's property sector has welcomed the state government's announcement of a $150 million housing investment package for first home buyers and low income earners.
Off-the-plan apartment buyers in Western Australia will receive a 75 per cent rebate on stamp duty for the next two years, capped at $50,000, under a stimulus package unveiled by the state government today that has been roundly welcomed by the development industry.
Home building activity will continue to shrink over the next 12 months in Western Australia, with the state's residential construction companies having to wait until 2020-21 for any improvements in a sector that has been in decline for a half decade.
The state government has taken a first step to protect subcontractors by introducing a bill to establish a specialist investigations unit within the Small Business Development Commission.
WA BUDGET: Property industry lobby groups have urged the state government to use its more favourable budgetary position to provide more stimulus to the housing sector.
WA's commercial construction bosses remain cautiously optimistic, even as the industry reels from the longest and largest contraction of activity ever recorded.
The Housing Industry Association has significantly downgraded its forecast for new house builds in Western Australia for 2019, tipping a decrease of 0.9 per cent, compared to its previous estimate in May of an 11.8 per cent rise.
Builders could soon face tougher penalties for not paying subcontractors on time, but the Master Builders Association has warned several reforms proposed to solve recurring payment issues could increase construction costs and result in more company collapses.
Subcontractors WA chair Louise Stewart has welcomed the state government's decision to expand the use of project bank accounts (PBAs) to protect subcontractors, but is pushing for the introduction of legally binding statutory trusts.
The McGowan government is facing renewed pressure to reconsider its proposed foreign investor surcharge, and its removal of the $5,000 first homebuyers boost.
Federal Labor's proposed changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax would hit Western Australia's residential building sector at a time it is already reeling, according to economic modelling commissioned by Master Builders Association.
The Housing Industry Association has appointed former Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA director of advocacy Cath Hart as its Western Australian regional director.
Property executives John Gelavis and Allison Hailes have both left their respective roles this week, with Mr Gelavis selected to head the Master Builders Association of WA.
