Interview with Matthew Pantelis, FiveAA

Event: Interview with Matthew Pantelis, FiveAA

Date: 8 July 2026, 9.45am AEST
Speakers: Denita Wawn, Master Builders Australia CEO

Topics: Skilled migration, domestic apprenticeships.

E&OE

Matthew Pantelis, FiveAA host: Let’s talk about skilled workers in Australia, and we have a skilled migration program. We know we need tradies in this country, and we don’t have enough. There’s apprenticeship programs and all sort, but when it comes to skilled trades people coming into the country, seems there’s no urgency in getting them through with visas, etc. Denita Wawn, Master Builders Australia CEO, and Denita on the line. Good morning.

Denita Wawn, Master Builders Australia CEO: Good morning.

Host: So, this is an issue, isn’t it? We’ve got people who can come into the country with the right trades experience and skills, yet we don’t seem to be in a rush to get them in.

Denita: No, unfortunately, we’re just not prioritising the skills that we desperately need in this country, when it comes to building the homes we need, or the schools, or the hospitals, or roads, and so forth. We know we’ve got a housing crisis in this country, but we’re not elevating the skilled migration needs. Of course, we need to employ more Australians, but we simply don’t have enough coming through that apprentice pipeline so skilled migration has got to be part of the solution.

Host: Yeah, absolutely. Now we’ve got a four-tier system, apparently, you know, for different levels, different occupations, in terms of skills and tradies, sort of struggled through, along with actors, dancers, entertainers, animal trainers, media, and music professionals. So, you know, it doesn’t seem to be a priority.

Denita: No, we’ve been calling for quite some time for a fast track, specialized tradie visa, it’s something that exists in Canada and New Zealand and the UK. We’re competing on an international market, and we’re simply saying you’ve still got to make sure that the right people with the right skills come to this country, particularly if it’s licensed trades. But why aren’t we prioritising it over, as you say, whether it’s media or dancers or industry association lobbyists, as the case may be. So, we desperately need more people building, that’s a simple fact and we need the Government to step up and prioritise this important pathway.

Host: Okay, all right and no argument with that. The Government would know this, wouldn’t they. I mean this is basic common sense, they would know this, what haven’t they acted on this?

Denita: Yeah, look, it’s been really odd, we’ve been pushing this for quite some time, it’s an anomaly that’s existed for at least five, six years, and we know that workforce shortages are really slowing things down. I mean a classic situation is that a detached home pre-COVID used to take about eight or nine months on average. It now takes about 12-13, months to build, and part of that problem is, of course, we simply don’t have enough skilled tradies in the system. We’re trying to build around the country, so you know we continually press the Government for change, and workforce issues are a major priority for us at the moment,

Host: And that would be for everyone, wouldn’t it? In terms of building skills, carpenters, construction, tilers, electricians, plumbers, the whole box I imagine.

Denita: It’s everyone, it’s right from those structural trades right through to the finishing trade, and hey, if any of your listeners are thinking about a career change or looking at what they’re going to do next year, if they’re on their way to school, well, have a bit of a think about doing a trade. AI is not going to be taking it over anytime soon, so there’s a job guaranteed from my perspective.

Host: What about things like jobs like surveying, for instance, which perhaps isn’t really thought about in that sort of skill set, but it’s a skill of its own, obviously. Do we have enough surveyors?

Denita: No, we don’t and part of the problem that we have at the moment is that those professional occupations in building and construction, particularly things like surveyors, who are critical in terms of ensuring that we have development and approvals, building approvals, all of those sorts of things, so surveyors, planners, those sorts of things, also in shortage as well, and local government finds it particularly hard to get those people with the right qualifications, and that in turn also slows the process down as well.

Host: Because yeah, that’s right, I mean, you need the surveyor to start the whole business, don’t you, to map out the block and everything that goes along with it.

Denita: That’s right, we need those surveyors and all of those professions, engineers, and so forth, so it is certainly there is a shortage across all the spectrum of building construction careers. It is something that we think is a critical, important issue for all levels of government to address, but when it comes to skilled migration, and when it comes to apprentices, the buck stops with the Federal Government, they’re the ones that need to be focusing on those things, working with state government to understand. I’ll give credit to the South Australian Government. They have been working really hard in trying to elevate building and construction trades, helping our Master Builders South Australia in that regard. So, there’s some good examples of what’s going on in South Australia at the moment, but more needs to be done across the country.

Host: Yeah, how’s the retention rate for apprentices going these days? Denita, I’ve spoken with you, and I’m sure Will Frogley too, and Housing Industry Association about the numbers that sort of start off but don’t make it through.

Denita: Yes, unfortunately, it’s still really low. It’s lower than we anticipated. It sort of averages at about 50 per cent. We know if you go through an industry association, not for profit, Group Training Organisation, the retention rates are much higher, but certainly what we’re seeing is that people find it really difficult once they get to about second, third year, where you know the TAFE requirements get a little bit harder, and so what we need to ensure that people are work ready when they start an apprenticeship in the first place. We really see a potential for greater uptick of school-based apprentices, that’s when you’re working a couple of days a week while still staying at school to get those fundamentals right, your Maths, your English, and also mature a little bit as well. So, we’re pushing hard for additional funding in the areas where we know we get really good retention rates, and they include things like supporting industry Group Training Organisations, as well as school-based apprenticeships.

Host: We’re talking vet training, VET courses here aren’t we?

Denita: Yeah, we are. I mean, that’s the real focus at the moment. That’s where the acute skill shortages are in the trade qualified areas, and we need to support people through that trade qualification journey, so we don’t see the dropout rates that we’re experiencing at the moment.

Host: All right, appreciate your time this morning, and thank you for the clarification on this topic.

Denita: Thank you. Great to talk.

Media contact: Dylan Hafey, Adviser, Media & Government Relations

0497 330 064 |  dylan.hafey@masterbuilders.com.au