Housing industry suggests longer worksite hours, making construction an essential service amid fuel crisis

Allowing worksites to operate for longer hours and changing bitumen levels on certain roads have been raised when WA builders met with the Cook Government to discuss fuel shortage issues. Housing industry leaders met with Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti and Housing Minister John Carey on Tuesday, in the wake of skyrocketing fuel and diesel prices as a result of conflict in the Middle East. Fuel price pain has flown through to the construction industry in the form of increased cost for transport and materials such as concrete, bricks and asphalt. Ideas raised at the meeting included trying to work with local governments to temporarily expand the hours of work allowed on building sites to reduce transport costs too and from the sites as well as making it easier to accommodate cement deliveries. It was also suggested the Government review the minimum required level of bitumen content in asphalt for subdivision roads and crossovers, making it cheaper to build. Master Builders WA chief executive Matt Moran — who separately met with Roger Cook on Wednesday morning — said the industry was struggling to keep up with cost rises. “The reality is the building and construction industry and businesses we’re speaking to are nervous about what is currently happening,” he said. “People are recovering from COVID, and then this happens, it is a concern for the industry, and we really do need to be classified as an essential industry and essential service because that will unlock more support for our industry.” Ms Saffioti said it was crucial for industry and government to work in tandem. “While the full impacts of the conflict in the Middle East are yet to flow through our supply chains, rising fuel prices are expected to drive up construction costs,” she said. “It’s crucial that we work closely with industry early to identify and manage these risks to housing delivery so WA can stay resilient if these global challenges continue.” The meeting also discussed ways to ensure the construction industry had practices in place to ensure cost increases because of the war were both transparent and temporary. Mr Moran said the sector worked in good faith, but cost increases were inevitable. “Absolutely, we’re committed to working closely with the State Government and the industry as a whole to ensure that any cost increases, while unavoidable when we get higher costs consumers ultimately have to pay, we need to ensure it’s for as short a period of time as possible,” he said. “We need to find out how we can ensure the industry keeps going is sustainable, and that it minimises the impact on consumers.”