Big spending budget to supercharge a construction-led recovery

“The Budget delivers $5.3 billion funding for 12,000 new social and affordable homes to give more Victorians the stability they need to improve their lives. The initiative is also predicted to create an additional 10,000 jobs in building construction each year over the next four years,” Mr. Daly said.

Jobs in construction often start with apprenticeships and there is $33 million earmarked to expand opportunities for apprentices and trainees through a Big Build training pathway.

“Victoria already encourages businesses working on major projects to invest in our future workforce through the Major Projects Skills Guarantee and this new initiative complements this, supporting the employment and training of up to 1,500 apprentices each year,” Mr. Daly said.

“Master Plumbers has been strongly advocating to Government the benefits a program like this can bring and we would be proud to do our part in supporting this initiative through our industry-leading not for profit group training scheme, Plumbing Apprentices Victoria.”

The Victorian Treasurer said that nobody does construction like Victoria and rightly pointed out that the industry needs to do more to benefit from the contribution made by women in a male-dominated field.

Mr Daly said that Master Plumbers has been at the forefront of initiatives to create employment opportunities for women in construction, amongst our own members running plumbing businesses and as an active participant in the Victorian Government’s Women in Construction Strategy, developed through the Building Industry Consultative Committee.

“The Budget provides a very welcome $5 million commitment to deliver the actions outlined in this critically important strategy, which was conceived by industry, developed by industry and will ultimately be delivered by industry.  It also funds a number of services and initiatives which will assist women to actively participate in the industry,” Mr Daly said.

Schools, hospitals and community assets ($2.9b), energy efficient homes and businesses ($188m) and planning reform ($111m) all receive a major boost over the coming four years.