Statement on the Opposition’s Budget Reply Speech from Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn

15 May 2026

Master Builders Australia acknowledges the Coalition’s plans announced in the Budget in Reply speech and welcomes the commitments to:

• repeal the Government’s housing tax increases
• restore the National Construction Code to a practical size
• invest $5 billion in enabling infrastructure like roads, water, power, and sewerage
• increase the Instant Asset Write Off to $50,000 on a permanent basis.

The Government’s own modelling shows its Negative Gearing and Capital Gains Tax changes will reduce housing supply by 35,000 homes over the next decade.

Its tax increase on trusts, commonly used by small businesses like builders and tradies, is also concerning.

The National Construction Code has become overly complex, increasing costs, lowering productivity and delivering poorer outcomes. Efforts to simplify it are welcome.

The $5 billion Housing Infrastructure Fund, aimed at unlocking up to 400,000 homes, is critical to boosting supply and sustaining construction.

While any increase to the Instant Asset Write Off is positive, it should be lifted to $150,000 to better support small business investment. When builders invest, they take on more work, hire apprentices and grow, as mentioned in the speech.

Today, Master Builders Australia has reiterated the need for a reformed skilled migration pathway.

The Parliament has failed to meaningfully address the crippling workforce shortages across the building and construction industry.

The current skilled migration system is fragmented, costly and suffers from slow skills recognition. Trades remain significantly under-represented, and Australia is failing to utilise skilled migrants already in the country.

Domestic uplift is essential but cannot fill the acute and severe worker shortage alone.

Skilled migration is essential to any immigration policy.

Our budget roadmap contains the measures needed including expanding the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme, adding tradies to the priority 1 skilled migration visa pathway, improving skills recognition and reducing costs.

Australia needs a turbocharge in housing supply to ease cost-of-living pressures. What renters, aspiring homeowners and builders can’t afford is to go further backwards.

Media contact: Dylan Hafey, Media Advisor

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