SA Builder Autumn 2018

THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE MASTER BUILDERS ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA

BUILDER

Election 2018:

South Australia Decides MARSHALL LAW YEARS OF

LABOR

OR THE

FACTOR?

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CONTENTS

AUTUMN 2018

6 President: Peter Salveson Deputy President: Andrew Marshall Vice Presidents: Christopher Leopold, Enzo Zito Past President: Richard Bryant Treasurer: Mark Beatton Councillors: Troy Klemm, Jock Merrigan, Helen Papas, Nick Abley, Morry Canala, Jan Goetze, Tom Emmett, Neil Mossop, Fred Pascale, Will Chapman, Patrick Innes, Jeffrey Piotto.

Master Builders South Australia: PO Box 10014 Gouger St. 47 South Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia Phone: (08) 8211 7466 Fax: (08) 8231 5240 Email: buildsa@mbasa.com.au Executive Editor: Will Frogley

Published by: ark:media Phone: 1800 222 757

20 Years of Labor, Marshall Law or the X Factor? This election will have a massive influence on the building and construction industry.

Regulars

Features

FOREWORDS CEO’s Report

2

President’s Report

4

UPDATES Improvements made to Building Excellence Awards

30

Workplace Relations Update

30

Managing Editor: Susan Guilfoyle Sales: Rose Delosreyes and Paul Baird

6

Building a Stronger South Australia: The Master Builders SA Policy Platform

8

South Australian jobs are Labor’s number one priority

19

Only Labor will stand up for South Australia

20

Economic and Industry Forecast: Transport and energy projects to support better building activity

31

Introducing the HiViZ Women Building SA Committee

We’ll make South Australia strong again

21

34

Time South Australia backed first home buyers

Getting our training system back on track

22

36

Interview with Nick Xenophon

23

Interview with Dennis Hood

24

Liberal Democrats - The Real Liberals

25

PROJECT FEATURE Defining moment in South Australian history: The new Royal Adelaide Hospital

38

BuildIT DIRECTORY

47

SOCIAL EVENTS Past Presidents Lunch and recent events

36

MEMBER PROFILE 30 Years in Master Builders SA: South Coast Constructions

37

WHAT’S NEW

51

Email: marketing@arkmedia.net.au Web: www.arkmedia.net.au

ELECTION OVERVIEW 20 Years of Labor, Marshall Law or the X Factor?

Design Team: Andrew Crabb, Arlen Chidzey Advertising Coordinator: Yvonne Okseniuk

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1

CEO’S REPORT

The South Australian Election Ian Markos

The South Australian Election, to be held on Saturday 17 March 2018, is shaping up to be a genuine three-way contest.

The Weatherill Government, the Liberal Opposition and Nick Xenophon’s SA Best are all polling at similar levels. The final result is anybody’s guess - if you’re a betting man or woman, Sportbet had Labor at $2.10, the Liberals at $2.65 and SA Best at $3.00 at time of publication - but one thing is for sure, the result has the potential to significantly impact on the building and construction industry.

Master Builders SA is committed to building a strong and productive building and construction industry and South Australian economy. We pride ourselves on being apolitical, calling issues as we see them and backing policies, not parties. In the lead-up to the election we have significantly ramped up our lobbying efforts and have had the ears of all sides of politics.

This special election edition of SA Builder focuses on the issues that matter to you like the cost of doing business, stimulating the housing sector, population growth, planning reforms, WHS laws and the looming skills shortage.

You’ll hear Jay Weatherill, Steven Marshall and Nick Xenophon (to name just a few!) tell us in their own words why they deserve your vote.

There’s a detailed analysis of our election policy platform, ‘Building A Stronger South Australia’. Focusing on three key themes will improve the South Australian economy: supporting current businesses in their desire to grow, offering support for new industries that will create new jobs and export opportunities, and reversing the steady decline of South Australia’s attractiveness for housing affordability.

Master Builders SA has based this submission on input from its members, leading industry figures and specialist staff, and I thank those parties for their contribution.

I would also like to congratulate Andrew Marshall for being elected Deputy President. Andrew’s energy and passion for our industry are truly infectious, and he is never afraid to think outside the box.

Chris Leopold, Enzo Zito, Mark Beatton and Past President Richard Bryant complete our Executive Committee. We are truly fortunate to have such high calibre people on board. Your association is in good hands!

Thank you Richard for being the 53rd President of Master Builders SA. It has certainly been a challenging period for the Association, but I am confident we are moving in the right direction and I have appreciated your insights and continued support.

Remember, this is YOUR association. Our various committees – Housing, Commercial Contractors, Industrial Relations, Subcontractors, Builders & Architects Liaison and Contracts - meet bi-monthly and are the ‘engine room’ for policy development as well as terrific sources of industry intelligence. I highly encourage anyone who is passionate about our industry and getting the most out of your business to consider getting involved.

Finally, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Sam Condon to provide expert employment relations advice to members. Sam, recognised last year as a ‘rising star’ in employment law by the independent publication Doyle’s Guide, was most recently employed as a Senior Associate at EMA Legal, South Australia’s only ‘First Tier’ employment law firm.

Sam’s appointment represents a significant addition of expertise to Master Builders SA and he looks forward to establishing strong relationships with members and assisting them achieve positive commercial outcomes.

Happy New Year to all – let’s make it a good one!

Ian Markos CEO, Master Builders SA

2018 will be year of delivery for Master Builders SA. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate and welcome incoming President Peter Salveson. Peter is a true industry ‘heavyweight’ and I look forwarding to working with him and the Executive Committee to achieve our goal of being recognised as South Australia’s premier industry association.

2

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PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Your 54 President th

Peter Salveson

It is an honour and a privilege to be the 54th President of Master Builders SA. Your Association was established in 1884 as the peak body representing South Australia’s building and construction industry. The inaugural members of the Association were practical tradesmen astute enough to set themselves up in their own businesses, including the first President William Bundey, who used his rich yields from the Victorian goldfields to establish himself as a builder.

Born in 1826 at Beaulieu in New Forest, Hampshire, England, Bundey was an apprentice carpenter and builder in London and upon completing his apprenticeship sailed for South Australia arriving on 19 November, 1848.

Bundey started his own business as a builder and constructed some of Adelaide’s finest buildings. He was also elected to the City Council in 1861.

Serving as President from 1884-89, Bundey was also Mayor of Adelaide from 1883-1886 and one of his duties was to lay the foundation stone of the Adelaide Arcade.

Initially called the South Australian Contractors’ and Builders’ Association, its role was “to protect the interests of the building and contracting trade”.

In his first annual report, Bundey noted that trade was sluggish and the depression was having a negative impact on subscription numbers.

However, he assuredly and correctly forecast that the Association would become “the backbone of the whole building trade”.

134 years after its inception, Master Builders SA remains committed to building a productive industry and a prosperous South Australian community and economy. The health of our industry is more often than not a microcosm of the wider economy. There’s no doubt many members have done it tough over the last few years. Our state has faced some wellpublicised challenges with high costs of living, power blackouts, closing industries and the nation’s highest unemployment rate all contributing to a lack of business confidence.

However, in the second half of last year, there were encouraging signs things are starting to turn around. A $9.5 billion infrastructure spend over the next four years, including a record $2.2 billion in this year alone was announced in the State Budget and was quickly followed up by the announcement of the Weatherill Government’s $690 million ‘Building Better Schools’ program. The Opposition’s public support for the program was a real confidence booster because the works will go ahead regardless 4

of the result of next month’s election. With 91 schools right across the state set to benefit from refurbishments and expanding capacity, the work will be spread far and wide amongst our membership base.

We should all be proud of our industry, the jobs it creates, the 11,000 homes it built and extended for families last year and the offices it has built for South Australian businesses. The South Australian building and construction industry directly employs more than 65,000 South Australians across all sectors, including residential, commercial, civil engineering, land development and building completion services.

This represents about eight percent of the South Australian workforce.

Indirectly, the industry supports tens of thousands more South Australian jobs.

The industry undertakes about $16 billion of work every year, contributing more than $1 for every $7 of economic activity within the State. Indirectly, more than one-quarter of South Australia’s wealth is produced by the building and construction industry.

Master Builders SA is a not-for-profit association that has a long-term vision for the industry. People working in the construction industry are most likely to be employed as technicians and trades workers so the sharp decline in apprentices, which have more than halved since 2013, is a serious concern. Our industry requires significant investment in skills development that will lead to real job outcomes. The next Government must provide sufficient resources to reverse the decline in apprentice numbers and back the fine work done by the Master Builders SA Group Training Organisation to ensure we train more South Australians for jobs that our industry needs filled now and in the future.

Stimulating the housing sector, continued investment in planning reforms, increasing population growth, stopping the ‘brain drain’ of our best and brightest interstate and a WHS system that focuses on preventing incidents in the first place are all important priorities too. Next month’s election is a great opportunity to shine the spotlight on these issues and many others.

Peter Salveson President, Master Builders SA

SA BUILDER AUTUMN 2018

ELECTION 2018: SOUTH AUSTRALIA DECIDES

20 Years of Labor, Marshall Law or the X Factor?

The result of this election is incredibly difficult to predict due to Nick Xenophon’s shock decision to quit the Senate, run for SA Best and recruit a swag of candidates – 36 as this column went to print. If polls and bookie odds are to be believed, the most likely outcome is a ‘hung parliament’.

This means that no party has more than half the MPs in the House of Assembly, which means no party can pass laws without gaining support from other parties or independent members of the House. That support could come in the form of a formal coalition, or the governing party may have to negotiate with the other parties to get laws passed. This raises obvious speculation about who SA Best would support to form Government. According to Xenophon, “Any decision we make will depend on a range of factors, including the view of elected members and their electorates, which party receives the most votes and seats and above all which party can best deliver the SA Best agenda.” So really, it is about as clear as mud!

courage to drive badly needed planning reforms. Adelaide Oval and the Royal Adelaide Hospital in particular have dramatically changed the city landscape for the better, and planning reforms aimed at delivering certainty and clearer and faster assessment pathways will unlock investment potential. The CBD has been rejuvenated, and predictions of a double digit unemployment rate in the wake of Holden’s closure have failed to materialise.

Further complicating the picture is the likelihood that in the vast majority of seats, the final result will be determined by preferences. With the major parties expected to shed a significant number of votes to SA Best, there will not be many cases where a candidate receives at least 50 per cent of the primary vote. Many seats that were previously regarded as ‘safe’ could well be lost.

This is Liberal Leader Steven Marshall’s second crack at the Premiership after his narrow defeat in 2014. A valid criticism of the Liberals in the past has been their lack of policies, but to his credit, Marshall has raised the bar this time around. To name a few, he has promised not to introduce any new taxes, pledged to eliminate payroll tax for business with a total wage bill of $1.5 million or less, and committed $100 million to create 20,800 new apprentice and trainee positions. These are all positive policies for our industry, but it must be said the Liberals have shown far less commitment to infrastructure investment than Labor.

In my position as Policy and Communications Manager, I work closely with all sides of politics to fulfil Master Builders SA’s vision of a strong and productive building and construction industry and South Australian economy.

There are some notable differences in the style and policy priorities of the three parties, which each have their own strengths and weaknesses.

Labor is aiming for 20 consecutive years in office, by far the longest period out of any state in Australia. The Weatherill Government deserves credit for heavily investing in infrastructure and having the political 6

However, power prices in South Australia are arguably the highest in the world, and it remains to be seen how effective the flashy renewable energy policies upon which Labor has heavily staked its re-election will be. The size of our economy continues to shrink relative to the national growth rate, and almost 6,400 more people moved interstate than arrived in South Australia in 2015-16. The Government has also collected quite a lot of baggage, as all long-term governments inevitably do.

Despite Xenophon’s high personal profile, SA Best remains somewhat of an unknown commodity. Master Builders SA appreciates Xenophon’s support for the re-establishment of the Australian Building and Construction Commission, private training providers such as our Group Training Organisation and his keen interest in boosting population growth and addressing the steady flow of young South Australians interstate. However, his support for industrial

manslaughter laws with penalties of up to 20 years’ jail and his alignment with community groups hostile to the Weatherill Government’s planning reforms are issues of genuine concern for members.

Whilst it is certainly not inconceivable SA Best could win enough votes to govern in its own right, Xenophon has stated that his goal is to hold the balance of power. He says he would refuse a Cabinet position in any Government, but curiously he hasn’t ruled out being Premier. SA Best’s policies are lacking compared with the major parties – to be fair, they do have but a small fraction of their resources – but if they are to hold the power for the next four years that the polls indicate they will, a high level of scrutiny is warranted. There is a very strong possibility SA Best will also hold the balance of power in the Legislative Council (Upper House), further consolidating their influence and meaning there could be less flexibility for key stakeholders to try and amend or block flawed legislation. Xenophon dismisses these concerns, saying SA Best will use its power responsibly and “ensure accountable, transparent and responsible government.”

The newly-formed Australian Conservatives, led by Dennis Hood, have just two MPs in the Parliament – both in the Upper House – but deserve a look given their consistent strong support for our industry. Current sitting MP Robert Brokenshire is up for re-election, and they are hopeful he will be joined by Riverland businesswoman Nicole Jachmann.

Author

Will Frogley, Policy and Communications Manager SA BUILDER AUTUMN 2018

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7

ELECTION 2018: SOUTH AUSTRALIA DECIDES

Building a Stronger South Australia:

The Master Builders SA Policy Platform

8

SA BUILDER AUTUMN 2018

A

thriving building and construction industry is essential for a strong economy.

Our industry is connected to every South Australian as it creates jobs, trains

apprentices, drives wider economic growth and builds better communities. However, South Australia cannot have a strong building industry if the basic economic settings are not right. We need economic policies that drive sustained business growth by creating a stable and business-friendly environment.

There are three clear legs to improving the prospects for the South Australian economy: supporting current businesses in their desire to grown, offering support for new industries that will offset expected job losses and create new jobs and export opportunities, and improving housing affordability.

A place to invest in businesses and jobs Over the past quarter of a century, South Australia has lost a considerable share of the Australian economy. Since 1990, Australia’s average economic growth rate was 3.1 per cent p.a., according to data provided by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. However, South Australia’s economy grew at just 2.2 per cent p.a. Out of all states and territories, only Tasmania (1.9 per cent) recorded a slower average increase in Gross State Product.

Queensland has grown at 4.0 per cent p.a., whilst Western Australia (4.7 per cent p.a.) has grown at more than double South Australia’s annual rate. The gap is also widening. Over the past five years, South Australia’s growth rate has been about half the growth rate of the national economy.

Three key factors that will help address this imbalance are population growth, a skilled workforce, and the ‘right’ macro environment for businesses to prosper and employ more people. South Australia needs to create the jobs needed to keep and attract workers. The South Australian building and construction industry directly employs more than 65,000 people with five times that amount estimated to indirectly rely on the sector. However, changes within the sector are creating an environment that some analysts believe will result in a 20 per cent fall in South Australian jobs within the next decade. For example, a report by BIS Oxford Economics released late last year forecasts a 14 per cent drop in the value of construction work and the loss of 10,000 construction jobs by 2020.

South Australia must seize the opportunity to change the narrative. This means business, governments, academia and the community working together to drive the state’s future. This means not dwelling on the past, but rather looking forward with optimism and innovation.

This means encouraging entrepreneurship, high levels of affordability and a great lifestyle.

The next State Government must focus on jobs and the cost of living and doing business as top priorities. Business investment is driven by confidence and an environment that welcomes investment. For example, business needs the lowest costs in the country and sustainable productive infrastructure. In recent years, South Australia regularly recorded the second-lowest level of business confidence of all states and territories. This was due to factors such as the closure of auto manufacturing, a fall in mining exploration and investment, and softer population figures when compared with national trends. However, during the second half of 2017 there have been signs confidence is picking up, particularly in the commercial sector. Increased confidence has flowed from encouraging data. For example, ABS state accounts figures published in November showed SA’s gross state product growing by 2.2 per cent in the previous

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financial year, the highest of any state in per capita terms. The following measures will ensure this positive trend gathers momentum.

Economic management Paying down state debt and responsible budget management must be important priorities for the next South Australian Government. That means delivering sustainable budgets. Although it was pleasing that surpluses were delivered for 2015-16 and 2016-17, Master Builders SA notes that this was possible largely because of the sale of the Motor Accident Commission.

Reduced public expenditure, as opposed to increased taxation, is the long-term solution.

It is also vital that the next government fights very hard against any proposed changes to the GST that cut money for South Australia.

Master Builders SA believes that supporting the following policy principles will improve the economy and enable the industry to focus on what it does best – building the homes, hospitals, schools, offices, ports, shopping centres and other infrastructure that make South Australian communities more liveable: • Reducing or eliminating business taxes (payroll tax, land tax etc) • Investing in more houses, offices, sporting facilities and vital community infrastructure such as hospitals, schools, roads, rail and ports • Incentivising start-up businesses by eliminating all but essential regulation (eg WHS) and provide tax breaks • Releasing more land • Incentivising small business to embrace and utilise digital technology • A WHS system that rejects red tape and ideology • Reducing regulation (red and green tape) in general, such as the requirement new dwellings have an additional water supply to supplement mains water • Deregulating the labour market to encourage employment • Reducing the size of government bureaucracy and improving its efficiency, particularly in the areas of health and education • Subsidising training (particularly for small business) that will result in employment • Focusing less on ideology in the education system and more on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects Master Builders SA recommends a return and ongoing commitment to the issues raised as part of the State Government’s State Tax Review. Many areas remain untouched yet provide real potential for a healthier economy moving forward, much in the same way that national economic reform of the 1980s presaged significant economic benefits for all Australians. Reform and an ongoing commitment to reform would provide a clear signal to South Australian and external businesses: invest in the State that is investing in a contemporary business environment.

9

Power prices and reliability In early 2017, concerns about South Australia’s power security were cited as the cause of a 30-year low in consumer confidence. The link between power security and business viability and the state’s reputation has also been well-aired.

Renewable energy solutions and innovation are generating continued discussion and putting South Australia on the international stage. However, Master Builders SA believes the most important thing is that South Australia has cheap, reliable power.

Whilst Master Builders SA acknowledges the enormous amount of time and effort that has been put into policies on combined purchasing power, investment in gas-fired power and battery technology in renewable energy, there remain concerns as to whether the cost of this mix will increase energy prices for businesses and consumers.

The construction industry is a very high user of power, and South Australia’s power costs are outrageously high. Master Builders SA believes we should use whatever means we have available to provide the cheapest possible power for South Australia. We need the cheapest possible power because every business pays for energy and every time they do it is a cost for their business, it means they can employ less people and invest less.

That is how the economy will grow. All options should be on the table, even nuclear. We commend the Labor Government for having the courage to raise the idea of a nuclear storage referendum and strongly support this proposal. The Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission found that South Australia could benefit from projected revenue of $257 billion. If the government invested this money into a State Wealth Fund, this could accumulate to $445 billion - $260,000 for every South Australian.

Towards a more efficient and productive South Australia Master Builders SA recommends the Economic Development Board be repurposed and refocused to create a new statutory body, ‘Productivity and Infrastructure South Australia’.

This body should have a similarly wide ambit to investigate economic blockages that might be holding back the State, and to provide the State Government with an independent review of the State’s infrastructure needs.

This body would provide valuable information for reviews to be undertaken by the newly-established Planning Commission. In addition, it could undertake long-term investigations of significance to the productivity of South Australian industry, including the identification of costs of South Australian housing and the long-term cost of focusing on tender price at the expense of ignoring the impact of variations and contract disputes on long-term taxpayer value.

It should be apolitical and have close connections with industry and Infrastructure Australia to allow a true focus on productivity and future business growth, which would therefore lead to growth in state taxation revenues. Its independent nature would also provide the State Government with political distance from issues it might not otherwise raise – but might be needed for the betterment of the State. Master Builders SA is willing to work with the next Government to help establish this body.

Sensible investment in productive infrastructure backed by consultation and partnerships with the private sector Strong infrastructure investment is vital for South Australian jobs and the economy.

Building Better Schools, Adelaide Oval and the River Bank precinct are excellent examples. It was terrific to see infrastructure made a focus of last year’s State Budget, and the announcement in January 2018 that works on the Gawler Rail Electrification Project would commence in the following weeks.

There also needs to be a strong commitment to consultation and effective investment in the maintenance of existing productive infrastructure, such as the Riverbank precinct, hospitals, courts and other public buildings.

The regions are vital for the success of the South Australian economy. Investing in productive infrastructure such as the multi-billion dollar deep-sea port development at Cape Hardy unlocks economic opportunities, but people are just as important as 10

materials and products. For example, the Fleurieu Peninsula is a hugely popular area for tourism. Extending a train line would increase access in both directions, creating a mass of opportunities. There is existing infrastructure in place on the Cockle Train line that starts in the Hills and ends at Victor Harbor. This could be extended past Victor Harbor and connected to the Seaford Line, which would take people all the way in to central Adelaide. Benefits to the Fleurieu would be endless, and there would also be more people spending money in the city.

A focus on a WHS system that rejects red tape and ideology Safe and productive workplaces are essential elements of the building and construction industry. The building and construction industry is one of the most intensely regulated industries in South Australia with legislation, regulation and codes of practice imposed at all three levels of Government. Master Builders SA believes the focus should be on practical workplace safety outcomes based on a safety-orientated workplace culture and individual responsibility, rather than paper-based regulatory compliance. All building industry participants have rights and obligations that are crucial to ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of each other and those over whom they have control. These elements are central to our goal of improving industry safety outcomes and driving best practice practices in an ever-evolving sector of the economy.

Master Builders SA has been a strong supporter of WHS reforms that positioned SafeWork SA as an industry-focused educator with the powers to enforce the law.

However, the strength of the state-based safety regulator is being diluted by lack of focus on enforcing the principles of hazard management on sites.

Despite an unsuccessful push last year, Industrial manslaughter laws are once again being proposed. Employers face up to 20 years in jail and companies fines of up to $10 million.

Master Builders SA believes workplace health and safety is crucial for any employer.

However, this proposal is unnecessary because 2012 amendments to the Work Health and Safety Act addressed the issue of workplace deaths and substantially increased penalties. The solution is to focus on preventing incidents in the first place. The presence of inspectors on site operating in a coordinated approach will have a far greater impact than just increasing penalties that apply after an incident has occurred.

Reduce the size of the public service An area that requires immediate reduced spending is the public sector, which continues to stifle investment by being an unacceptable handbrake on the private sector. Since the Global Financial Crisis in 2008, the private sector has gone through a lot of pain, whilst the public sector has largely been quarantined from the challenging economic environment, creating a ‘protected species’ class of worker that is out of touch with the ‘real world’. For example, between November 2014 and November 2015, public sector jobs increased by 13.8 per cent compared to 1.8 per cent nationally. At the same time, private sector jobs increased by 3.2 per cent in Australia, but fell by 0.5 per cent – 4,000 jobs – in South Australia.

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Merging SafeWork SA and ReturnToWorkSA There is a compelling argument for the merger of these institutions to offer South Australians an expert safety regulator that is able to advise on workplace safety to industry, government and the public.

Both organisations are closely aligned from the perspective of their underlying purpose. Both are seeking to minimise workplace incidents and improve return to work outcomes. There is a strong educational component to the functions of both organisations. Both share a duty to those impacted by workplace incidents to ensure a swift recovery and a full and prompt investigation into the incident. This is best supported by a subsequent education campaign to ensure that the mistakes uncovered in each investigation are fully communicated to both employers and workers in a consistent fashion to minimise a repeat of the underlying incident. This alone serves as a compelling argument for merger.

Master Builders SA is not anti-public sector. However, our members and our own organisation have had to make some extremely tough decisions in recent years and we believe there is no reason why the public sector should be immune. The areas that need to be reduced are in the bureaucratic processes that typify the public sector.

South Australia has the highest rate of public servants per capita in the nation. The Government now has the “option” to make workers forcibly redundant 12 months after they were deemed surplus to requirements. In reality, many public servants have jobs for life. Master Builders SA believes the next Government’s policy should focus more strongly on making it easier to force underperforming people out of the public service.

The Government must also have the will to follow through on this policy. There continues to be widespread criticism of the productivity and customer service levels of public servants. Master Builders SA believes that in many instances taxpayers’ money would be better spent on South Australian businesses.

Although there are some contrasting functions between the organisations, the potential synergy is relatively clear. Data can be shared on return to work outcomes – and tailored to current employers with the benefit of practical advice. This body of data is also likely to assist inspectors as both investigators and educators, able to communicate specific risks and outcomes to employers who are more likely to respect officers for their knowledge and capacity to improve safety outcomes before they become incidents.

There also exists a compelling argument for such a merger from a financial perspective.

The size of these entities with an aligned purpose provides a clear opportunity for merger to facilitate shared administration and clearer sharing of information. Combining the two bodies is likely to result in Budget savings, allowing for the tailoring of employer premiums to industry results – but also reflecting their willingness to cooperate with a proactive and consultative inspectorate. This policy has been successful in Victoria and New South Wales.

Improved relationship between governments Earlier last year, state-based surveys were showing declining levels of business confidence with the construction industry among the most pessimistic about improvements to business performance over the next 12 months.

According to Budget papers, employee expenses (payroll and related costs) for 2017/18 will be a staggering $8.3 billion. Tens of millions of dollars in redundancy payments have been made, yet the actual number of public servants has not been reduced. The general government sector increased from 95,360 to 99,385 from 2010 to 2016.

However, since then a ‘record infrastructure spend’ of $2.2 billion announced in the State Budget and a $690 million dollar commitment to refurbishing 91 schools across the state (publicly supported by the Opposition) were announced, giving the industry reason for optimism.

In addition, the average salary for public servants of $80,148 is well above the state average. There were a staggering 1,300 Executives in the SA Public Sector as at June 2017.

The total infrastructure spend announced in the Budget - $9.5 billion over four years - is expected to support 5,700 jobs on average per year. Industry welcomed the promised spending on social and productive infrastructure, with the community benefiting from the much-needed investment in new hospitals, schools, and courts, and businesses excited about the benefits of the extension of the North-South corridor.

As at 30 June 2016, public sector employees comprised 15.7 per cent of all full-time employment in South Australia. If South Australia was in line with the national average of 12.4 per cent, the State Government would save about $1.2 billion per annum. This represents an opportunity to reduce taxes on businesses. For example, payroll tax, the infamous ‘tax on jobs’ that is forecast to collect $1.16 billion this year could be abolished.

Alternatively, that money could be redirected to infrastructure spending.

If an employee resigns, retires or is terminated, there should be an independent analysis of whether that person needs to be replaced. This would help to gradually reduce the size of the public sector. The next Government should also undertake a comprehensive review of employment in all departments to ensure only positions that are necessary are retained.

Master Builders SA also believes the number of Ministers and ministerial staff should be reduced to put South Australia in line with other states. Again, if a ministerial staffer resigns, retires or is terminated, there should be an independent analysis of whether that person needs to be replaced. If a Minister resigns or retires, rather than appointing a new Minister, the portfolios could be taken up by an existing Minister. There does not need to be more than 12 Ministers in a state the size of South Australia.

Whilst Master Builders SA accepts that there is a place for government advertising, this is an area where millions of dollars in savings could easily be achieved.

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However, the big ticket items of the Budget, the $415 million Regency Road-Pym Street extension and the electrification of the Gawler line, were dependent on Commonwealth funding. We saw both tiers disagree over whether projects are shovel-ready, and until the shovels dig into soil, the rubber doesn’t hit the road. Master Builders SA urges politicians of all sides to put the interests of South Australians before politics and work collaboratively to get key projects up and running as soon as possible.

A place to create new businesses and jobs Industry needs a supportive environment to take risks to support future growth. Master Builders SA believes new businesses can be created by South Australian business owners if given the right impetus and environment. These businesses are likely to be more loyal to the State and also more likely to look for reasons to stay, rather than reasons to leave.

Advanced Construction 5 x 5 x 5 The rise of new technology is fast affecting the building and construction industry.

Modularisation has moved beyond its ‘portable shed’ days and prefabricated technologies are taking manufacturing skills to building. Other materials technologies are still in their infancy but are likely to have a great impact in coming decades.

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Victoria’s industry and Government have developed a pathway that embraces this change, describing it as “an important enabler in the Victorian economy and a significant sector in its own right” that is expected to take a 10 per cent share of a $150 billion national market by 2025 and create 20,000 new jobs.

South Australia risks losing thousands of jobs over that period. Businesses will look to Victorian products, which have the advantage of Eastern Coast critical mass to present cost-savings. Meanwhile, the creation of integrated electronic models of buildings that allow the design, programming and maintenance of building structures among specialist teams (‘Building Information Modelling’ or BIM) is still nascent in South Australia while it attracts research funding and practical applications in other states.

Yet South Australia can help local businesses create new opportunities. Master Builders SA proposes a ‘5x5x5’ plan, where five proposals are identified over the next five years, with each to be eligible to receive $5 million in State Government seed funding. This will lower the cost of entry and show a commitment to the jobs to be created. The jobs themselves will be high-end manufacturing jobs.

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Over the long-term Master Builders SA envisages that the high-end design work undertaken by these ventures will rival the defence industry, creating a natural competitive tension for STEM-focused students. Additionally, those students that move into the sector will likely look for new opportunities in time. Many will look to other industries, or will create their own ventures –a new wave of industry.

Master Builders SA is confident this will provide a positive environment for transforming today’s building and construction sector into tomorrow’s advanced construction sector. It will provide a way of creating new businesses that look to the State’s brightest students – and a way of creating new wealth without reliance on interstate income.

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It is recommended the next State Government create the new portfolio of Advanced Construction (taken up by an existing Minister) to champion this initiative – and to consolidate the industry’s connection to Government.

Continuing investment in planning reform The State Government’s suite of planning reforms is supported by Master Builders SA for its commitment to sparking economic investment. The next State Government must continue this positive direction. Investments such as that made in the e-Planning system must be continued if it is to deliver the best outcome for industry, its clients and the State.

The State Government has previously committed to working toward South Australia having a population of two million people by 2027. This should remain the target, but requires being bold. Master Builders SA’s housing affordability policies will slow the drain of South Australians moving interstate and assist in reaching this objective.

Housing affordability For too many younger Australians, home ownership has become an unattainable dream.

A key policy objective for the next State Government must be ensuring affordability for South Australians across a diverse range of housing options.

A place for future SouthAustralians South Australia must be bold and position itself globally as a great place to do business, delivering the jobs, prosperity and lifestyle within a global economy of the future.

Building homes drives the state economy, creates jobs, stimulates other industries and helps create better communities. Affordable housing also gives South Australians reasons to stay, and others a reason to come.

Why population growth matters South Australia has long been regarded as a great place to live and work, reinforced by claims of low cost of living, housing affordability and a growing city vibrancy. However, these factors are quickly being eroded, with the result that South Australia can no longer rely upon being “a great place to bring up a family” as a way of retaining a strong population base.

Housing affordability is a key factor in attracting people to South Australia and keeping them here. However, South Australia is rapidly losing its competitive advantage of affordable housing, and is now ranked equal third in terms of the cost of housing compared to average incomes. This does not include the burden of high utility costs in South Australia (electricity, water and so on). We must regain our reputation for affordability – or at the absolute minimum commit to avoiding slipping further down the ranks.

Current trends are unsustainable. Sluggish population growth is a barrier to increased spending, employment and economic growth, and recently cut our level of political representation in the Federal Parliament. With the reduction from 11 to 10, South Australia will have the lowest number of seats in the House of Representatives since 1954. These trends risk creating a decline in South Australia’s national influence and living standards.

South Australia’s net migration figures tell a deeply alarming story. In 2016, the state suffered a net loss of almost 6,000 people. Often these people are our best and brightest, and the most likely to invest in South Australia and buy a home. South Australia has the highest median age in mainland Australia, and our ageing population will put increased strain on the budget, especially in health. A decline in our economy and lifestyle compared to other states is inevitable unless we give South Australians reasons to stay, and others to come.

Jobs growth in South Australia continues to lag well behind the national average.

Population growth will help address this imbalance because it increases demand, allowing our State to attract and retain professionals willing to invest in their careers and businesses. The end result will be a stronger and healthier economy with growing export opportunities for a new generation of young entrepreneurs proud to call South Australia home. Therefore, Master Builders SA recommends South Australia seek special regional immigration status to obtain the advantages relating to boosting population growth.

Other policies detailed in this submission such as stamp duty relief and reduced taxation will also assist with this objective.

A number of factors have led to a worsening of housing affordability. These include inefficient land release strategies, excessive development levies, taxes and charges, and excessive planning and building requirements. It is estimated that these factors drive up house prices by about 40 per cent. We need to remove impediments to the building of more new housing options if we are to enjoy the benefits of a strong building industry and a strong economy.

For example, South Australian building rules require that new dwellings and some extensions or alterations have an additional water supply to supplement mains water.

The most common way to meet this requirement is to install plumbed minimum-sized rainwater tanks. The additional water supply must be installed before a house or extension is occupied. When Queensland abolished this requirement in 2013, it was estimated the average home owner saved $7,000. Master Builder SA recommends a review of all taxes and charges related to land and property development.

Increasing demand There are levers the next Government can pull to increase demand. A range of Statebased policies is required that promotes confidence in the housing industry and supports the aspirations of young South Australians’ dream of home ownership.

New entrants into the housing market need to be subsidised to ensure there is intergenerational equity for young people to achieve home ownership.

Master Builders SA has welcomed the Weatherill Government’s efforts at taxation reforms aimed at creating investment opportunities and triggering new economic activity. A commitment to lowering stamp duty for non-residential property transactions and the opening of stamp duty concessions for off-the-plan projects has contributed to a sustained high level of inner-city development applications. Following this year’s State Budget purchasers who entered into an eligible off-the-plan apartment contract between 22 June 2017 and 30 September 2017 may have been eligible to receive a $10,000 pre-construction grant. The off-the-plan apartment concession, which has been in place in various forms for a number of years now, provides a partial stamp duty concession on a transfer of a new apartment or substantially refurbished apartment until 30 June 2018. Master Builders was pleased the Government took up our suggestion last year to see the concession extended beyond inner city limits to anywhere in South Australia.

However, consumers want choice and more needs to be done for South Australians looking for a house or a unit with a backyard. Stamp duty remains a key area for reform.

First homebuyers must borrow to pay for stamp duty, meaning their $18,000 tax on a media home becomes a $60,000 noose with interest over the duration of their mortgage.

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Master Builders SA recommends the introduction of a stamp duty exemption for first homebuyers on new builds up to the value of the median Adelaide house price, which is $450,000 according to the 2017 September Quarter Valuer-General Report.

Similar incentives currently available in New South Wales and Victoria have proven to be a terrific stimulus for their housing markets. For example, since July, Victorian first homebuyers have been given a leg-up through the abolition of stamp duty on properties up to $600,000 and stamp duty reductions on properties less than $750,000. According to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the trend estimate for total number of dwelling units approved in South Australia rose just 0.1 per cent in November compared to 5.6 per cent in Victoria.

South Australia must match this relief to encourage first homebuyers to remain and invest in the State. Master Builders SA rejects the argument that housing prices will rise given the lack of East Coast heat in the property market and the likely distinct markets attracting first homebuyers and investors.

This position is supported by other bodies. It is an essential piece policy for the future of our State.

Extension of Pre-Construction Grant ABS stats show there was a solid spike in the value of work commenced for apartments and units during 2017, from $113.3 million during the March 2017 Quarter to $350.3 million during the June 2017 Quarter. Even though there was a decrease to $284.9 million during the September 2017 Quarter, this still represents a significant increase from earlier in the year.

The challenge now is to maintain this heightened level of activity. Master Builders SA recommends that the $10,000 Pre-Construction Grant for purchasers who entered into an eligible off-the-plan apartment contract between 22 June and 30 September is brought back. The full benefits will become clearer over the coming months, but our members reported a significant uptick of buyer interest during the eligibility period.

First Home Owner Grant boost for the regions Currently, a First Home Owner Grant of up to $15,000 applies to the purchase of construction of a new residential property, including a house, flat, unit, townhouse or apartment that meets local planning standards.

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Master Builders SA recommends that the existing First Home Owner Grant be increased to $20,000 in regional South Australia. The eligible transaction can be a contract for the purchase of a new residential premises or a comprehensive home building contract, and would be available until 30 June 2021. This policy is based on the very successful model for regional Victoria.

Master Builders SA believes these policies will help first homebuyers and stimulate the generally flat housing sector. The value of work commenced for new houses was $472.5 million for the September 2017 Quarter, down from $525.6 million during the June 2017 Quarter.

Training A strong apprenticeship system is crucial to ensure a prosperous industry in the future.

Unfortunately, the number of apprentices has seriously declined in an environment where consumers and many of our members are already grappling with a skills shortage.

With South Australia’s population ageing, long-term policy solutions are required that focus on quality training so the next generation of builders can meet demand in the decades ahead.

Many young people feel pressured to go to university because it is seen as more prestigious. There is a belief that university degrees give you more and better employment outcomes, but often this doesn’t reflect the reality on the ground. University is a sound choice if you have a very clear idea of your career path and that path requires a degree. Otherwise, you just risk wasting time and money.

With more than 30 per cent of graduates finishing university with no immediate job prospects, young people should be encouraged to go where the work is. The building and construction industry alone directly employs more than 65,000 South Australians, eight per cent of the workforce.

Tradies earn great money these days because demand for their services if outstripping supply. The push to go to university has created a nation-wide shortage of tradespersons.

Since 2010, apprentice and trainee commencements have decreased by 1,530 (55.2 per cent). During the same period, enrolments in VET courses related to the construction industry have decreased by 3,320 (25.2 per cent). This rate of decline within South Australia easily outpaces the national average. At the same time, demand for trades has been as strong as ever. With South Australia’s ageing population, skills will be in demand well into the future.

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Support for “adult apprentices” Master Builders SA strongly welcomed last year’s announcement that payments would be boosted by up to $5,000 for businesses taking on apprentices and trainees as part of the Weatherill Government’s job accelerator grants. We would like to see this $8.1 million program extended Another way to improve participation rates in apprenticeships and Tradies are also less likely to suffer from underemployment. In the year to February 2017, improve unemployment figures is to introduce funding for persons aged 21 and over.

83 per cent of the construction industry was employed full-time, compared to 64.6 per Most businesses cannot employ ‘young adult’ apprentices as they cost too much, yet this cent of the South Australian workforce. demographic have vital problem solving, awareness and communication skills that many younger apprentices lack. ‘Adult apprentices’ are more attractive to an employer but not at Master Builders SA has long undertaken a successful apprenticeship program that aims the rate of pay that is required under current funding arrangements. not only at providing participants with life-long skills, but also at connecting them with a network of passionate industry advocates looking to develop the next generation We see this policy as a sensible investment in South Australia’s future. Our industry is of builders. pivotal to the growth of this state with infrastructure development one of the key driving factors required to reinvigorate the economy. Without a healthy apprenticeships model Apprenticeships are focused on the development and transfer of practical skills into a and uptake, our workforce is ageing and we risk not having the succession pipeline to life-long career. Feeder programs allow young people to get on site and see if a trade is support the growth that is needed in this state. for them. Once they start their apprenticeship, they are paid while they learn, and unlike university graduates, they won’t finish their course with a five-figure debt. There is solid Support for Registered Training Organisations potential to be their own boss, and they won’t spend years confined to an office desk.

In 2015, the funding model that split public subsidies equally between TAFE and the private sector was changed. This policy has resulted in the collapse of industry Master Builders SA believes being a tradesperson is an excellent career choice and this providers that offered training courses for a lower cost for both trainees and taxpayers. needs to be promoted to young people in our schools. We seek funding for the ‘Master Unfortunately, this policy decision forced Master Builders SA to close its long-running Builders SA Born to Build’ program we have developed. The program would be delivered and industry respected Registered Training Organisation. Master Builders SA would by an Education Officer who would go out to schools and communities and spruik the like to see the next State Government again commit to the doctrine of competitive benefits of doing an apprenticeship. A high-quality VET Coordinator with the experience neutrality and have the original funding arrangements restored for not-for-profit to talk to young people would be the best person for this job. This program could be tied industry association RTOs. We would like to be in a position to re-open our RTO, but in with the $690 million Building Better Schools Program that was announced by the no matter what parity between TAFE SA and the private provider funding would allow Weatherill Government in October and supported by the Opposition. Young people who for greater contestability and student choice in the VET sector. were interested in the initial presentation would have the opportunity to speak to tradies, construction managers and other workers, view the building sites and witness first-hand An even playing field would allow private RTOs to deliver the industry-focused its development. education they do so well and allow TAFE to focus on its community service obligations of delivering training to disadvantaged and regional students so they can This program does not require a huge amount of money but will provide huge ‘bang for develop skills that allow them to enter into industry specific training (through private the buck’. We believe it can help address the plummeting number of apprentices and the providers) to gain meaningful employment and upskill to higher paying positions. worsening skills shortage whilst providing South Australia’s young people with a pathway to a career that would allow them to escape generational unemployment.

Master Builders SA strongly believes that no other organisation can match us for training in the building and construction industry. We have industry-based trainers, Master Builders SA proposes a grant of $200,000 for the first year of the program to give currency, mentoring, understanding of the latest technology, and most importantly, it the opportunity to demonstrate value. Provided KPIs were met in an independent through our industry connections young people that train with us have excellent review, funding could be extended. employment outcomes.

It is ridiculous that there is still a stigma attached to being a tradie. However, there are great opportunities for those that ignore this negativity. For example, a recent report found that a bricklaying apprenticeship will put a young person financially ahead of a three-year Bachelor’s Degree by about $110,000 by their third year.

18

SA BUILDER AUTUMN 2018

ELECTION 2018: SOUTH AUSTRALIA DECIDES

“South Australian jobs are Labor’s number one priority” – Jay Weatherill, Premier

South Australian jobs are Labor’s number one priority, and government investment in infrastructure is critical to creating jobs and delivering growth and prosperity for South Australians and the building industry.

In this area, there is a clear difference between Labor on the one hand, and the Liberals and SA Best on the other.

At a time when our economy needs extra activity to make up for the drop-off in investment associated with mining, we need to invest in infrastructure to drive productivity growth and create jobs for South Australians.

In response to this imperative and in the most recent State Budget, the State Government committed to a $9.5 billion, four-year major capital investment program focused on modernising and improving our health, education, housing and transport systems.

This investment is expected to support 5,700 jobs, on average, a year.

And the $2.2 billion spend specifically in 2017-18 is the highest on record – far exceeding the State Government’s annual commitment of $1.5 billion.

The largest single social infrastructure project in Australia – the new Royal Adelaide Hospital – had not reached even the halfway mark of construction.

And the Adelaide Convention Centre was in its early stages of redevelopment.

We have since seen these massive projects – and many others – delivered across our State.

But there is more still to do and there is no shortage of projects.

For example, the Government released the State’s first Integrated Transport and Land Use Plan – a $36 billion, 30-year strategy.

It is, without doubt, the most sophisticated and detailed transport plan ever undertaken in South Australia.

It lays a foundation for building a stronger South Australia, and it outlines future priorities for trams, buses, rail, roads, ports and cycling infrastructure.

In regard to many of the aforementioned projects, Labor has been opposed by the Liberals and SA Best.

Labor has a strong record of building South Australia, and we have a clear and compelling plan for the future.

Through Government-funded infrastructure projects, we are securing jobs for South Australians – now and into the future.

We are also strengthening the productive arteries of our economy and driving private sector investment.

It is vital that we keep going with this commitment to investment, and our plan will deliver a stronger, better South Australia – for both the citizens of today and for generations to come.

The State Labor Government is also delivering the biggest upgrade to our ageing public housing in the State’s history, along with major urban renewal projects.

A lot has happened in the past four years.

In the lead-up to the 2014 State election, the Adelaide Oval redevelopment had yet to be completed.

A KPMG report shows that the Government’s program of public housing and urban renewal is generating We had not secured any funding for the Northern approximately 2,600 jobs and more than $700 million of Connector, despite a business case having been submitted investment each year. in 2008.

That report shows the huge benefit to the State's economy Construction on the duplication of the Southern flowing from the Government’s housing and urban Expressway was yet to be completed. redevelopment projects.

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These projects both increase the supply of affordable and social housing, and provide a jobs-and-investment boost to the construction and community housing sectors in South Australia.

Author

The Honourable Jay Weatherill MP Premier of South Australia

19

ELECTION 2018: SOUTH AUSTRALIA DECIDES

Only Labor will stand up for South Australia Every good builder knows all the elements have to be right – the plan, the materials, the logistics, the skilled workforce and the price.

There’s infinitely more to it than simply a sales pitch.

Just like a builder, a government needs all the parts to work together.

It starts with the vision of a state which builds on our proud record of innovation and sets a bold course to deliver prosperity now and for generations to come. It pegs out that course with specific, costed, measurable goals and policies.

Saying South Australia needs a strong economy, lower taxes, more affordable energy and better opportunities for our young people is obvious and easy. The hard part is making it happen.

Labor knows how to deliver the hard ask We faced the unprecedented shock of having a mainstay of our economy – automotive manufacturing – forced by the Commonwealth Government into leaving town. Doomsayers predicted unemployment would spiral into double digits.

We have cut payroll tax seven times. If we had left payroll tax where it was when the Liberals were last in government, businesses would be paying $230 million more this year.

We have cut land tax seven times by lifting the tax-free threshold from $50,000 to $353,000. Less than 2 per cent of owners of investment or commercial property are in the top tax bracket for land holdings valued above $1.176 million.

We have abolished transactional taxes such as stamp duty on non-real property transfers (plant, equipment, licences, IP, etc) and stamp duty on corporate reconstruction.

We have an array of initiatives on energy. Having seized back control, prices are already trending down. For example, on 19 January when temperatures soared above 40 degrees in SA and Victoria, customers in SA were charged $90,000 for reserve services while Victorians were charged $24 million.

We have delivered major reforms and projects – and are eager to do more.

Labor has a proven record of standing up for South Australia.

On 1 July, we will complete the abolition of stamp duty on sale of non-residential, non-primary production real estate That means standing up for business to make this an ever (shops, offices, warehouses, workshops, holding yards, better place to invest, work and live. etc). SA will be the only state which is stamp duty-free.

We have reformed workplace insurance by creating ReturnToWorkSA. This has saved employers $220 million a year and improved recovery rates for workers.

These substantial tax cuts have been coupled with targeted measures: But we made jobs our number one priority and reversed • Job Accelerator Grants of up to $15,000 for recruiting the tide, creating more jobs than were being lost. new workers.

• A $200 million Future Jobs Fund program that is In December 2013, when GM-Holden announced its closure, supporting more than 70 projects and will create more SA’s unemployment rate was 6.7 per cent. As the industry than 4,000 jobs. wound down, unemployment nudged 8 per cent in mid-2015. • Investment Attraction SA which is bringing companies like Boeing to SA. Today, SA’s unemployment rate is 6 per cent and there has been a net increase of 33,300 jobs since December 2013.

We introduced: There are 5,000 fewer unemployed people looking for • Stamp duty concessions of up to $15,500 on off-thework now than then. plan apartment purchases.

• First Owner Grants of up to $15,000 for any new At Tonsley, there are now more people working on site dwelling anywhere in the state. than there were under Mitsubishi. We saved thousands of jobs reliant on Whyalla’s steelworks and Port Pirie’s metals’ These building grants are the most cost-effective way of processing plant. using taxpayers’ money because they deliver multiple benefits. They assist the home buyer, increase housing Jobs are our number one priority and measures we have stock and stimulate the construction industry. put in place have facilitated that jobs growth.

We have a dedicated unit to identify and cut red tape and are Our measures involved: reviewing all interfaces between government and business to • Creating competitive tax settings make things simpler, including going digital by default.

• Targeted support for companies • Ensuring business conditions enhance business confidence If re-elected we will deliver new programs to strengthen • Reducing red tape the economy and create jobs.

20

These include a $2 billion infrastructure program to fix rail crossings, extend the tram network and build a new port.

Author

Tom Koutsantonis, Treasurer SA BUILDER AUTUMN 2018

ELECTION 2018: SOUTH AUSTRALIA DECIDES

We’ll make South Australia strong again – Steven Marshall, State Liberal Leader We all know how busy things get in ‘Mad March’. Throw in a state election on 17 March and all of a sudden the month of March is looking a whole lot busier. But amongst the hype, South Australians will have a very important decision to make - one that will determine the future of our State.

South Australia used to lead the way in so many sectors, but after 16 years of Labor we have fallen behind the other States on key economic indicators. Labor has had more than enough time to fix the mess it’s created, yet it continues to fail South Australians in even the most basic of areas.

And that’s why we need change.

It’s a similar story with our construction workforce. In 2002 our share of the national construction workforce was 6.6 per cent. Now, it’s 5.6 per cent. If we had retained our existing share today, the sector would be employing about 11,500 more people.

These trends are unacceptable and highlight the need for change. If we can ensure people have more money in their pockets and a greater sense of job certainty, chances are they will engage more in the housing and construction sector.

An important step the State Liberals took was blocking Labor’s Bank Tax – a tax that would have been paid for by every South Australian. It would have cost jobs and it would have hurt investment. If elected in March, we will restore a general remission on the ESL removed by Labor.

These two measures alone will leave about $180 million a year with households and businesses.

My Liberal Team is very clear in what it will achieve.

We are committed to fixing the economy, providing job certainty and ensuring people keep more of what they earn. Importantly, our plan will create positive spin offs for the building and construction sector.

Furthermore, the State Liberals will re-establish affordable, reliable and secure electricity supply. Our You are our fourth largest industry sector, with a wellEnergy Solution will save the average household more deserved reputation for maintaining the highest standards than $300 a year on their power bills, easing the burden in the work you do. But you have been let down by a tired on households and businesses. and unambitious Labor Government. Over the past 12 months, total dwelling approvals have fallen 7 per cent We will also focus on increasing our population to create compared with the previous year. If we look back over a greater demand for housing and construction. Under longer period, if South Australia had retained its share of Labor, our population growth has declined to less than national dwelling approvals that it had in 2002, we would half the national rate and the lowest of the mainland be building an extra 705 houses a year. states. The home buyers of tomorrow are our youth, yet WWW.MBASA.COM.AU

under Labor we have the lowest proportion of children under 15 of any state or territory.

Infrastructure projects play an important role in stimulating the economy and lifting productivity, and that’s why we will establish Infrastructure South Australia as an independent body to develop a long term State Infrastructure Strategy. This will help us become more competitive as a State and will create the types of jobs we want in an increasingly competitive world.

My approach to government will be simple – set the overarching policy and then get out of the way. We want to enable South Australians to do their best without telling people what’s best for them. A Liberal Government will work with you and for you – not against you. We will make South Australia strong again.

Author

Steven Marshall, State Liberal Leader 21

ELECTION 2018: SOUTH AUSTRALIA DECIDES

Getting our training system back on track – John Gardner, Shadow Minister for Education The TAFE scandal has rocked South Australia in recent months. Quality and compliance issues saw all sixteen of the randomly selected courses fail their audits – with only two able to be reinstated after months of remedial action. As we enter the new year, possible suspension hangs over the other qualifications. The national regulator has announced it will audit further courses in the coming months.

TAFE has become a monopoly training provider for many industries. A number of the TAFE courses that failed their ASQA audit are no longer offered anywhere else in South Australia, as non-government providers have reduced their offering or closed their doors all together.

The State Labor government has delivered a policy outcome that is the worst of both worlds. They have South Australians are furious about the government’s starved the private sector while failing to ensure quality mishandling of the TAFE scandal – with good reason. One in the public system. The TAFE Board Chair and the CEO thousand students, apprentices and trainees have just gone may have moved on but the Government responsible is through Christmas with an uncertain future, as a result of still there – for the moment... the casual failures of TAFE’s leadership.

It is well past time for us to take corrective action to get It is bad enough that our public provider has failed to our training system back on track. deliver the quality we expect: we now have an enormous challenge to recover from the reputational damage done to There are two key stakeholders who government needs to the whole training sector. be supporting when it comes to the training system: South

Australian businesses, who need a skilled workforce, and the students and apprentices who want to gain skills to get a good job.

The key words are quality, and job outcomes. Our state’s training budget must be prioritised towards delivering quality training that achieves real job outcomes. Industry led not-for-profit RTOs and Group Training Organisations need to get a fair go – they need the chance to offer training opportunities on a fair basis with TAFE. Whether we’re talking about a high school student contemplating what career to choose, or a mature aged Holden worker seeking retraining in a new industry, their concerns are first and foremost going to be about whether the training that they’re doing is going to give them the skills they need to get them a job. At the moment the system is geared more around the needs of TAFE’s management than the needs of the people doing the training – or the businesses who will employ them.

This will be a key reform priority for a Marshall Liberal Government.

We will ensure our training budget is focused on meeting the skills needs of our industry and business sectors.

We will work with schools to ensure that more high school students and their families are thinking about apprenticeships as a first choice option for their futures – because they lead to so many good jobs. And we will ensure that the opportunities are there for mature age workers to re-skill in areas that will lead to new careers.

Fortunately there is an election on 17 March and we have the opportunity to put this right.

Author

John Gardner, Shadow Minister for Education 22

SA BUILDER AUTUMN 2018

ELECTION 2018: SOUTH AUSTRALIA DECIDES

Interview:

Nick Xenophon Why did you decide to enter the South Australian election race?

Today there are fewer young people living in South Australia than there were 35 years ago when the population was 300,000 less than it is now. Young people leaving our state for opportunities elsewhere are a symbol of the failure of the major parties. Also in the last 15 years, Labor has failed on a number of fronts. Our Gross State Product has lagged behind the rest of the nation, population growth is tragically too low - less than half the national average. We have the highest electricity prices in the Commonwealth, arguably the world. They are failures.

One of the reasons why the Labor Government has gotten away with making shocking decisions in terms of the health system and child protection is because we’ve had a weak Opposition. I want the parliament to be a workhorse for growth rather than a rocking horse for complacency.

Improving housing affordability is a top priority for Master Builders SA. Do you support our policy to introduce a stamp duty exemption for first homebuyers on new builds up to the median house price?

I want to stimulate the housing sector by a number of measures including appropriate stamp duty concessions.

We don’t have the ability to cost them the way the Government does, but we want to stimulate home building – that involves both a Federal and State approach in terms of population growth – giving us regional population growth status, making it easier and cheaper to do business in South Australia. We also need to reduce land tax. It is so high in this state and an impediment for commercial developers of shopping centres, commercial builders who may choose to go to the eastern states where land tax is lower, particularly Queensland. We need to look at why South Australia is copy-catting the foreign investment surcharge of other states when we don’t have the same problems, particularly for growing demand for inner city apartments. We also need to look at the issue of land being released so that the Government doesn’t have ‘land banks’ that artificially keep the price of land up, but also the huge costs involved in building. Something like 40 per cent of the cost of a new housing dwelling is taxes and charges and red tape - that’s extraordinary.

Most South Australians are pretty familiar with Nick Xenophon, however your candidates are far less known. Is that something to fear?

Put the candidates under scrutiny. They come from varied opinions, varied professions and that’s part of our democracy. How much do people know of the candidates from major parties? SA Best candidates have to work harder to get our messages across because we don’t have the huge resources of the major parties. We will be outspent by Labor and Liberal by four to one I expect. On top of that you will have the unions backing Labor and big business backing the Liberals. It’s going to be a nasty negative campaign but at the end of the day what we want is what I believe most South Australians want – good government from the political centre, and with some get up and go. We must drive population growth and investment, we must do things better. We can’t afford to have massive blowouts and incompetence in SA Health.

We can’t have the incompetence we’ve seen in terms of cost blowouts of infrastructure works. These are the things that we need to drive. Part of that is a parliament that keeps the government on its toes.

Another area we are concerned about is the high youth unemployment rate and the plummeting number of apprentices. How should this be addressed?

The high youth unemployment rate drives all sorts of social problems. If you want a healthy society, you keep people employed in good well paid jobs. What we’ve seen with the TAFE debacle is complete incompetence from the Government and the Board. The Government were asleep at the wheel. The Government took money away from private training providers who can do the work efficiently and have effectively gutted private training. We need to see a return of industry Skills Boards, which the South Australian Government defunded several years ago.

We’re the only state that doesn’t have them, and that is fundamentally wrong.

That has to be dealt with as an absolute priority. I also want there to be an urgent inquiry with judicial powers on TAFE and training within 100 days of the new Parliament so we can get answers before the end of the financial year.

Nick Xenophon supported the re-establishment of the Australian Building and Construction Commission and is a passionate advocate for population growth and increasing apprenticeship numbers. However, many see him and his fledgling SA Best party as a risk. Somewhat of an enigma, Master Builders SA sat down with Nick to find out where he stands on key issues.

WWW.MBASA.COM.AU

When you were last in the South Australian parliament, you moved a Bill to introduce industrial manslaughter laws. Is this something you are going to pursue again?

We will. There has to be a chain of responsibility. Anyone who goes to work ought to be able to have the expectation that they’ll be able to go back to their home and their loved ones at the end of each day. Industrial manslaughter is a last resort. Better occupational health and safety laws that include drug testing in the workplace are also needed. I know that businesses may be nervous but if this is done properly only those businesses that have a reckless disregard for the safety of their workers should be concerned. Having industrial manslaughter laws I think will change the culture in those companies that have ignored their responsibilities under OHS laws.

In those cases of “reckless disregard” for safety what do you think would be adequate penalties?

The ultimate sanction is to have jail terms but again the first thing we need to do is to ensure a culture of safety in workplaces and to work cooperatively with industry in relation to that. But for those rogue employers that don’t do the right thing, those that have a contemptuous disregard for safety, then the spectre of a jail term as a last resort is something that ought to be on the agenda. But again the aim should be not to have accidents in the first place, to make them as avoidable as possible through a whole range of risk prevention measures, training, drug testing, all those factors that will lead to safer workplaces.

Master Builders SA is a big supporter of the Weatherill Government’s planning reforms. Do you think they are on the right track?

I want the industry to grow and it can grow through population growth and removing impediments so that investment can come into the state. The feedback I’ve got about some of the planning reforms is that there are some developments going up in the suburbs in residential neighbourhoods which really impact on the amenities of those residents. The City of Adelaide itself, bound by the four terraces ought to grow significantly given that its population is about half of what it was one hundred years ago. Having 17,000 residents in the square mile of Adelaide is anaemic and that should be boosted.

We need to go all out to grow the city with appropriate developments. There are areas that can grow that don’t impact on the amenities of residents. But when you have multiple-storey developments where you cram in a dozen units where there used to be only one or two houses on there previously, you have issues such as parking, lighting, visual and noise being affected. I think we need to be smart about where we target growth and I think the CBD could flourish with an appropriate urban transport strategy that will drive that population growth in the CBD. I have a particular affinity for the building industry given that my father was a homebuilder and I was involved in a couple of developments in the city in the latter part of his career. My holidays were spent in my dad’s ‘Yank Tank’ going from one building site to another. My dear old dad who I’m very close to… I used to joke to people that when he came from southern Europe in the early 1950s, he borrowed from Julius Caesar: he came, he saw, he concreted!

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ELECTION 2018: SOUTH AUSTRALIA DECIDES

Interview:

Dennis Hood Dennis Hood is the South Australian Leader of Australian Conservatives, a political party formed and led by Cory Bernardi as a breakaway from the Liberal Party of Australia. Elected to Parliament in 2006, Hood was formerly a member of the Family First Party, which merged with Australian Conservatives in April 2017.

So what does Australian Conservatives stand for?

Our real goal is to bring ‘real world values’ back into the political system and what affects everyone’s lives. We want smaller government – government has become out of control, it controls every part of your life. We don’t want the government to control your life. People make their best decisions in their own interests and government policy should support that, not oppose that. We’re also about lower taxation. Governments want to tax businesses out of existence which is in nobody’s interest because high taxation costs jobs and people their way of life. For example payroll tax is probably the worst tax ever – it’s literally a tax on jobs. The higher the payroll tax, the lower the level of employment, so why would we have something like that? We also believe in a civil society. Society has changed a lot. Once upon a time you could walk around any Australian city and feel relatively safe, day or night.

Those times have changed because of the massive perversion of the drug culture in our society and the breakdown in social values. So we say we should be tough on crime. We also believe strongly in freedom of speech.

These days the politically correct police have stopped people from saying anything, it is ridiculous people feel restrained in what they can and can’t say. It’s in no one’s interest. Unfortunately our country has changed for the worse. We need to fix it!

You mentioned payroll tax, do you think that should be abolished in SA and how could this be paid for?

Our policy is to abolish payroll tax - it’s bad for business, particularly small business, and employment.

Employment gives people the opportunity to flourish and make their own decisions. The most obvious way to pay for this is for the Government to cut government spending - cut the waste. In many cases governments spend millions of dollars on things that are complete waste of money. If the Government just cut out the number of consultants they have for one single year we could just about fund payroll tax elimination in this state.

The housing market has been flat for quite a long time. One policy Master Builders SA has is to abolish stamp duty for first homebuyers on new builds up to the median house price. We believe this will stimulate the housing sector and give young South Australians an incentive to stay here. Do you support this policy?

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One hundred per cent! In fact, I would go further. I can’t see why we should have stamp duty on homes at all. I know you have to pay for that, but would we support? Of course we would. I’m constantly disappointed with the way governments structure their taxation regimen. Basically, what do we want? More jobs and more houses built, so what do we do? We tax both of them. It’s insane. We should have a situation where we have a smaller government that costs a lot less to run and therefore we don’t need stupid taxes like payroll tax and also stamp duty on houses. It costs the government nothing for you to buy a house but they want to tax you for the privilege. And what’s more, as the price of houses has increased substantially over the past 15-20 years, what we’ve seen is the weight of stamp duty hasn’t come down at all, so the amount of stamp duty is enormous now.

On the median price home ($450,000) you are talking about $22-23,000. What’s that for? So the Government can keep wasting your money!

The number of apprentices in South Australia has more than halved since 2013. At the same time youth unemployment is regularly amongst the highest in the nation, and many young people are leaving the state.

What can be done to turn this around?

We have a massive undersupply of apprentices at the moment. Anyone that owns a home knows it is difficult to get someone out to do something at their home and becoming increasingly expensive to do so because there are less tradies. We should be encouraging young men and women to go into a trade to do that. Not everyone is suited to university. There’s no point putting people through the university factory to churn out Bachelors of Finger Painting when they could actually be the best plumber in their suburb. We’d like to see Governments change their policy settings so apprenticeships are encouraged. We need to go back to what was in place not that long ago where people were trained on the job, apprenticeship costs were low, it was affordable to take on an apprentice, and four years later turned out a highly qualified individual who can make their own way in life.

What are your expectations for the election?

Our main candidate is Robert Brokenshire who is recontesting the election to hold his seat in the Legislative Council. Our expectation is he will be returned but nothing is certain. To be realistic we probably won’t achieve a seat anywhere else. We have an outside chance of getting a second person in the Legislative Council.

We will be running lower house candidates too and are determining how many, and where. Robert is an outstanding member of parliament and he has fought for ‘the little guy’ for a long time and has fought against government waste and on law and order issues. He’s a guy

that owns a farm and he’s a very hands on sort of guy, and he’s done many good things in his career.

Your focus is on the Upper House. Why is it important that Australian Conservatives has strong representation there?

When a Government is elected is has the numbers in the lower house, so they can pass whatever they want there.

But some of those bills to be honest are absolute rubbish.

No government has had a majority in the Upper House since the 1970s, so that’s where parties like Australian Conservatives are very important because 11 votes are required to get legislation through the Upper House.

After the election the Government will probably have six or seven members. Our votes are very important in passing legislation if it is sensible and blocking it if it’s not. We’ve blocked many of their attempts to pass things in the Upper House and we’ll continue to do so.

If they aren’t working in the interests of small business, reducing taxation and making lives easier for people, then we’re going to stop them.

What would you say is the main difference between you and the Liberal Party?

I would say the Greens are to Labor what Australian Conservatives are to the Liberals. We are on the conservative side of the Liberal Party and we’re not constrained by the need to get 50 per cent of the vote. If we appeal to 30 per cent of the population, that’s enough. Therefore we don’t need to hold back on what we say, we can say it like it is.

We don’t like PC, high taxation, government waste and lazy governments more interested in winning elections than doing things to make the State better.

One of the main challenges our members face is the cost of power. Where does Australian Conservatives stand on this issue?

We’ll have some major announcements to make, but bottom line is South Australian power costs are outrageous. It’s mainly so because the whole western world has got obsessed with renewable energy, the climate change scare. We’re not convinced it’s true. We believe strongly we should use whatever means we have available to provide the cheapest possible power for South Australia. That’s how we’ll get our economy to grow. Yes, that includes coal – black or brown I don’t care. We need the cheapest possible power because ultimately every business pays for energy and every time they do it’s a cost to their business, it means they can employ less people, it makes everything more difficult. We wouldn’t even rule out nuclear energy. All options should be on the table.

Forget all this ideological bowing down to the green energy climate change altar, we are much more interested in getting cheap power that works and is the most reliable.

SA BUILDER AUTUMN 2018

ELECTION 2018: SOUTH AUSTRALIA DECIDES

Liberal Democrats – The Real Liberals Taxes and Spending Our Senator in parliament said, “Politicians are addicted to O.P.M. Other People’s Money”.

SA’s nuclear power plants. Opponents say nuclear would damage our clean reputation and so affect our wine and food industry. Does anyone drink beautiful French champagne and think nuclear waste? Of course not.

Reason, not emotion is what we need.

This addiction in SA has left us as one of the highest taxed and regulated states in Australia. Hurting employers and employees income, and driving up their expenses.

You can’t cut taxes unless you’re serious about cutting spending, which is why Federally, we have released our one-year plan to balance the federal budget every year in the Australian Financial Review. Each year we suggest a different way the government could balance the budget.

The Liberal Party talks about lowering taxes, but their plan only increases the threshold. Politicians love tinkering with thresholds because over time inflation pushes everyone back into higher thresholds, effectively giving them automatic tax increases for free. Real solutions involve cutting rates. Our plan increases the threshold to $1.5 million AND drops the rate by a whole percent (to 3.95 per cent). We want a rate that says, “SA is open for business”. We want the lowest rates, and we want to keep making them lower.

Senator David Leyonhjelm and WA MLC Aaron Stonehouse

The Liberal Democrats are currently represented by Senator David Leyonhjelm and WA MP Aaron Stonehouse.

We also have high profile members Mark Latham, Sam Kennard and more. Our eyes are now focused on expanding into SA’s upper house.

You’ll be able to vote for us statewide in the Upper House (white ballot paper).

If you’re after a real liberal party, vote for the Liberal Democrats in March.

Senator David Leyonhjelm and Mark Latham at a Liberal Democrats Branch Meeting

The MBA’s election platform indeed states you could abolish payroll tax by simply reducing the size of the public sector employees to the national average, a fairly modest proposal, that only the Liberal Democrats support.

Electricity Prices This is an issue critical to builders as highlighted in the MBA election platform. SA is the most expensive state for electricity (47c/kWh), but even being the cheapest state is unacceptable.

We should be aiming to halve our electricity prices to put as just lower than competitors like France (25c/kWh).

How did we get in this mess? The state and federal governments have required through Renewable Energy Targets and other schemes electricity companies to stop using the most affordable and reliable, and instead use energy sources that that government requires. That is a recipe for high prices and low reliability.

And whilst long-term, we can’t shy away from nuclear. We can assure people whose only association with nuclear is Homer Simpson that we have a “No Homers” policy for

FURTHER INFORMATION:

Email: sa@ldp.org.au Facebook: fb.com/LibDemSA

Author

Michael Noack Liberal Democrats candidate

All political parties in this section were offered the opportunity for either an opinion piece or an interview to appear in this magazine – their choice.

Labor and Liberal were both invited to submit columns from their Leader and key Ministers and Shadow Ministers.

WWW.MBASA.COM.AU

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ADVERTORIAL

IS YOUR STEEL FIT FOR USE?

Cladding and steel failures, and the senate nonconforming products enquiry have shone new light on materials compliance obligations in Australia.

Product choice and compliance challenges Around 20 years ago, imported steels began arriving offering new and often financially attractive alternatives.

But increased choice also brings challenges. Not all these steels meet AS/NZS Standards, and supply chains have become much more complex, making verification of product conformity much more difficult for any purchaser, builder or building surveyor. Steel is often purchased on the assumption that it must ‘meet the standard’. After all it comes with a test certificate!

The facts however are increasingly different.

As Executive Director of the Australasian Certification Authority for Reinforcing and Structural Steels (ACRS), Philip Sanders, points out, construction steels available in Australia today fall into three categories: those that meet AS/NZS Standards; those that meet other national Standards, but not necessarily AS/NZS Standards; and those that meet no standards at all.

The last two categories mean products might not be fit for the purpose for which they are intended and, in extreme cases, using them can be dangerous. How do you know what you are getting?

The ACRS Scheme ACRS was formed as an independent, not for profit steel verification body with the assistance of major professional bodies, including Austroads, Engineers Australia, the Australian Institute of Building Surveyors, the Master Builders Association, and the Steel Reinforcement Institute of Australia.

In 2005, ACRS certified three steel companies, at 23 manufacturing and processing sites, in three countries, to just one standard, AS/NZS 4671. Today, ACRS certifies steels from 66 manufacturing and processing companies, operating 160 facilities in 17 countries, to more than a dozen steel standards, responding to the demands from end-users for independent validation of compliance. ACRS certification currently covers over 65 per cent of construction steels supplied in Australia. Philip explains why.

“If you can’t be sure it’s right for the job, you’d be right to be concerned,” Philip said.

“The major difference between ACRS and the normally understood type of product certification system is that ACRS is a steel specialist on the EU model widely recognised as world best practice. As such, all ACRS certification personnel are metallurgists and engineers with direct experience in manufacture, processing, or design and construction of the steel materials we certify to AS/NZS standards, as well as qualified auditors. So, we know exactly what to look for.”

Product Conformity and your responsibilities Recent well-reported cases of materials failures, including flammable cladding, shattering glass, and failing steel mesh and hollow sections, clearly show there is a need for testing and certifying organisations which give designers, certifiers, and builders peace of mind that the materials used meet the standards and regulations. After all, regulations require building materials to be fit for purpose.

Independent verification to international best practice ACRS also operates a strictly verification-based system. “Where some certification systems accept the suppliers’ own quality management systems certification and test reporting without further checking, ACRS doesn’t,” Philip reported. “ACRS assessors independently select the samples for testing during the audit to prevent any chance of

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‘cherry picking’ by the supplier. We then manage the subsequent verification process though independent qualified laboratories selected by ACRS, not the supplier. Then, we do conformity checking on the suppliers’ raw production data every threemonths. This provides a further level of confidence to the purchaser that matches the verification levels demanded in the EU and North America.”

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“ACRS’s reputation rests on the quality of its auditors and ACRS’s clear independence from both the steel suppliers we audit and end-users who rely on our certification. We are independent, expert, entirely neutral, and operated solely for the benefit of endusers and safety of the public,” he said.

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Rubbish in, rubbish out “Of course, the provision of materials is just one part of the complex process of building construction. But if you don’t have the right materials, every other decision made after that is based on a flawed assumption.

This is where ACRS verification-based system comes into its own as a confidence-building measure for the building industry and for the public,” Philip explained.

“As ACRS has found from more than 2500 audits at steel suppliers around the world, what you don’t actively check, at some point, you just won’t get. And it’s too late when it’s built.

“It’s simple, really. We do the detailed checking now so you don’t have to worry later.”

SA BUILDER AUTUMN 2018

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ACRS - The Australasian Certification Authority for Reinforcing and Structural Steels Ltd

Delivering confidence in compliance of steel connectors.

Building on the success of its product certification scheme for structural and reinforcing steels, ACRS is now offering Certification for connecting elements such as structural steel bolts and reinforcing couplers, fixings, anchorages and inserts.

This ACRS Certification Scheme provides a standardised approvals mechanism and a national framework for testing and assessment of these critical construction products.

www.steelcertification.com Ph: (02) 9965 7216 | E: info@steelcertification.com ABN: 40 096 692 545 ACRS - Independent, Expert Third Party Certification & Verification of Reinforcing, Prestressing and Structural Steels for Compliance with Australian and New Zealand Standards

ADVERTORIAL

Is F7 or MGP10 graded timber better for outdoor structures?

The correct selection of outdoor treated structural pine is extremely important when building a balcony, pergola or other outdoor project.

Any pine used outdoors must be treated to ensure protection against termites and fungal decay.

While colour has traditionally been used to indicate treatment (green indicating outdoor treatment), new technologies mean that colour alone can no longer be relied on to determine treatment type.

Today the preferred termite and fungal treatment for outdoor structural pine is Light Organic Solvent Preservative (LOSP), which also comes in new treatment low-odour options.

For outdoor projects, the first consideration is what H-class (hazard class) the structure and/or elements of the project needs to conform to. The most common categories for domestic building projects are H4 for in-ground (less than 150mm above ground) or H3 for above ground (more than 150mm above ground). The required hazard level will have a bearing on the available treatment options. Most outdoor building projects, excluding posts in the ground that require H4 treatment, would typically require H3 treatment.

Treatment and hazard classes are shown on individual sticks of timber, either in the form of a stamp or a stapled tag. For structural projects, the stress grade of the timber is also important. Timber is stress graded so that it can be classified into groups that will achieve the same basic structural design properties. These properties include, for example, bending stiffness and strength, tension strength and compression strength.

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Timber sold in Australia is stress graded as either MGP (Machine Graded Pine) or F (either visually or machine graded). While most treated pine sold in Australia is either MGP10 or F7, other grades such as MGP12, MGP15 and F5 are also available.

Grade is also shown on individual sticks of timber along with treatment and hazard class.

The industry is often asked why it offers pine products in both MGP10 and F7 grades when they appear to be similar products. It’s a great question!

In terms of product performance, both MGP10 and F7 grades meet Australian standards. Stiffness and strength are the two main properties to consider when deciding which grade is better suited to a project. MGP10 has a higher stiffness grade, while F7 has a slightly higher strength grade. If plans have been provided, it is important to purchase the exact grade of timber specified to ensure that structural integrity is maintained. If not, you can confidently choose either grade.

Bending strength is largely determined by the number and location of defects, with any large knots at the end of boards reducing overall bending strength. MGP10 measures 17MPa (megapascal) and F7 measure 18MPa. Timberlink manufactures MGP10 to achieve the higher 18MPa, so Timberlink MGP10 can be substituted if F7 has been specified.

For outdoor projects containing exposed structural members, appearance is also important. This is why Timberlink visually overrides every piece of structural timber produced, be it MGP or F graded.

For premium projects, Timberlink Green from New Zealand comes in an Outdoor Select grade.

When grading timber, most mills test firstly for stiffness, which is generally the basis on which most structural members are designed. Stiffness measures how much a beam will deflect for any given load and is related to density, fibre quality, moisture content and pine defects. MGP10 measures 10.0GPa (gigapaschals), while F7 measures lower, at 7.9GPa.

The nature of the trees, the regions in which the plantations are grown and the local mill operations are all factors that determine which structural grade is manufactured. New Zealand pine for outdoors, much of which is sold in Australia, is predominantly graded as F7. This is because the New Zealand resource has a lower stiffness measure than the Australian one and its high quality pruned material with few or no defects gives it a higher bending strength. Furthermore, New Zealand pine is better suited to producing mid to wide sizes – highly complementary to the Australian resource that tends to produce narrow to mid wide sizes. Grading Australian pine as F7 enables the industry to offer a very wide range of sizes across the one grade.

Equally important is bending strength, which refers to how much load a beam can take before it breaks.

So while offering both MGP10 and F7 is good for the industry and consumers. Rest assured that both grades will do the same great job.

SA BUILDER AUTUMN 2018

AWARDS

It's that time again!

2018 Building Excellence Awards The Master Builders SA Building Excellence Awards is the most anticipated industry event of the year.

Its vision is to showcase and reward excellence in South Australia's building and construction industry.

Your involvement demonstrates a commitment to quality workmanship and winning an award provides endless marketing opportunities and recognition as an industry leader.

Entry to the 2018 Building Excellence Awards will open online via the MBA SA website on Monday February 26 and closes at 6.00pm, Friday April 20.

Further improvements have been made to the online system this year and entrants should find the process easy to navigate. Other improvements implemented include: • Minor alterations to the Commercial categories including a cost breakdown for Commercial Refurbishment categories. To see the 2018 categories visit: www.vision6.com.au/ch/41211/3v6kk/2493650/ b9cc3187nq.pdf • The introduction of two new categories including Steel Frame / Lightweight Housing and HiViZ WBSA Outstanding Woman in Construction.

• Complete revision of the Specialist Contractor categories, now falling under four (4) main categories but incorporating a larger number of trades.

• The introduction of the 'Nominate a Subbie' campaign that calls for residential and commercial members to nominate subcontractors for outstanding industry work. Members can nominate up to three subcontractors for a particular project they have worked with the subcontractor on. Nominations opened 29 January and close Friday 17 March 2018. To learn more visit: www.vision6.com.au/ch/41211/3v6kk/2493651/ b9cc3y77g.html • A new condition limiting crossover of projects between categories unless a separate contract is in place. For terms and conditions visit: www.vision6.com.au/ ch/41211/3v6kk/2494126/b9cc31210q.pdf

If you are considering entering this year, we encourage you to familiarise yourself with the award categories, criteria and conditions of entry. You can access this information via the 2018 Awards Entry Guide available at: www. vision6.com.au/ch/41211/3v6kk/2493652/b9cc3scs0-1. pdf or on our website: mbasa.com.au/about-us/buildingexcellence-awards-1/2018-building-excellence-awards.

Please note that in order to qualify for an Award, all outstanding membership fees must be paid in full. No awards will be issued for non-financial members of the Association.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

Contact Renee Ancell or Ilona Tamm on 08 8211 7466 or at awards@mbasa.com.au.

Key dates: Entries open online Monday, 26 February 2018 Entries close online Friday, 20 April 2018 Judging commences Monday, 21 May 2018 Judging concludes Wednesday, 11 July 2018 Awards Ceremony Friday, 17 August 2018

UPDATES

Workplace Relations I am pleased and excited to have commenced at Master Builders SA as the Lawyer and Manager, Workplace Relations.

I have worked exclusively in workplace relations law for approximately 10 years, and am looking forward to the new challenge of assisting employers in the building and construction industry.

With the reported changes to the management of the South Australian branch of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU), Master Builders SA is expecting an increase in union activity on construction sites. In particular, right of entry and enterprise bargaining are likely to be prominent issues in the industry in 2018. Master Builders SA can assist members in these areas, including providing on site assistance and taking an active role in enterprise agreement negotiations. To help members understand their obligations in respect of right of entry, we are holding a FREE Right of Entry seminar at Master Builders House on 8 March 2018.

The Master Builders SA IR Team can also assist members in respect of a full range of workplace relations issues, including: rates of pay; compliance with the Building and Construction General On-Site Award 2010; enterprise agreements and Building Code compliance; employment contracts and policies; termination of employment, and much more. We can also represent members in conciliation conferences and disputes in industrial tribunals.

30

Workplace laws are complex and continually changing. Employers and individual directors face significant penalties for non-compliance, as well as the risk of employee claims. To assist members to understand their obligations and minimise risk, the Master Builders SA IR Team can undertake a comprehensive evaluation of your business’ employment practices, and provide you with recommendations. I encourage employers to utilise this service, which is free for members.

I look forward to meeting and working with members of Master Builders SA. I encourage all members to contact the Industrial Relations Team on 8122 4990 for any employment and IR related issues.

Author

Sam Condon Lawyer and Manager, Workplace Relations

SA BUILDER AUTUMN 2018

ECONOMIC AND INDUSTRY FORECAST

Transport and energy projects to support better building activity The headlines for South Australia have been dominated by the challenges that moving to renewable energy generation poses for energy security. It takes guts to be the canary down the coal mine, so some kudos is granted for leading an ambitious renewable energy agenda.

On the other hand, energy security is paramount if the SA economy is going to move forward, keep the lights on and provide support for businesses to innovate and grow.

It hasn’t all been bad news for the building and construction industry, with the value of work in the utilities sector, support almost exclusively by renewable energy projects, and is expected to grow by 69.3 per cent in 2017-18.

On an equally positive note, a number of the underlying economic indicators for South Australia are solid. The value of building approvals continues to trend up higher, outpacing most other parts of the country. Retail sales have also been growing faster than the national average for more than a year now, continuing to support an outlook for better retail related non-residential building activity.

the resources states, engineering construction in SA has been plodding along for the last few years. But the outlook is much more positive, with utilities and transport projects slated to lead the agenda.

A number of new gas, renewables and battery storage projects have been added to the pipeline in recent months and should support work for a few years. Maintenance work going forward will be another big source of activity and jobs.

Engineering construction activity is dominated by a number of these utilities investment, led by the $1.5 billion Ceres wind farm on the Yorke Peninsula and $1 billion Riverland solar farm near Roxby Downs. Aurora Solar Energy Project worth of $650 million has been added recently to the pipeline.

There are a number of large transport projects underway and in planning. The construction is led by $1 billion Northern Connector which is expected to continue into 2020, and the $900 million South Road Upgrade.

A number of large non-residential construction projects worth a combined $1 billion have been either wrapped up, or are moving towards completion in the next few months, including the Adelaide Convention Centre expansion. However, the fundamentals mentioned above, together with the State Budget’s $400 million for hospitals, schools, and early learning centres should be sufficient to support a more positive outlook in the near term. In fact, the sector is expected to grow strongly in 2017-18, by 33 per cent, before gradually moderating in the years ahead.

Total building construction activity was firmly in the black last year and is expected to be followed by and even bigger spike in growth of 29.6 per cent in 2017-18.

2017-18

2018-19

2019-20

2020-21

2021-22

Residential Building

10,741

10,160

10,388

10,424

9,718

%ch

-1.0%

-5.4%

2.2%

0.3%

-6.8%

Number Commenced

Value of Work Done ($M, chain volume measures, constant 2014/15 prices)

However, the pace of residential building is expected to slow alongside state population growth, with our forecasts for the next 12 months revised slightly down as a result. That said, as the table across shows, new residential construction work is still expected to be 7.7 per cent higher in 2017-18 than in the previous year.

Total Building & Construction

12,400

12,989

11,822

10,869

10,112

%ch

29.6%

4.8%

-9.0%

-8.1%

-7.0%

Residential Building

3,181

3,011

3,071

3,142

3,041

%ch

7.7%

-5.4%

2.0%

2.3%

-3.2%

One positive of not reaching the lofty heights of Queensland and WA during the mining boom is that there is less of a downside when the investment dollars dry up. As a result the cleanout of mining related construction in SA ran its course a few years ago. Unlike

Non-Residential Building

2,573

2,815

2,338

1,987

1,867

%ch

33.3%

9.4%

-16.9%

-15.0%

-6.0%

Engineering Construction

6,645

7,163

6,413

5,739

5,204

%ch

41.9%

7.8%

-10.5%

-10.5%

-9.3%

South Australia – Residential building work done by sector $M, chain volume measures, constant 2014/15 prices – Year Ended June

2010-11

2011-12

2012-13

2013-14

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

2017-18

2018-19

2019-20

2020-21

2021-22

Residential Building

3,022

2,691

2,279

2,640

2,969

2,873

2,952

3,181

3,011

3,071

3,142

3,041

%ch

3.0%

-11.0%

-15.3%

15.8%

12.4%

-3.2%

2.8%

7.7%

-5.4%

2.0%

2.3%

-3.2%

Houses

2,018

1,699

1,529

1,720

1,949

1,833

1,898

1,915

1,893

1,992

2,059

1,991

%ch

3.0%

-15.8%

-10.0%

12.5%

13.3%

-5.9%

3.5%

0.9%

-1.2%

5.2%

3.4%

-3.3%

Other Dwellings

557

539

353

490

581

611

630

833

672

615

606

582

%ch

2.4%

-3.1%

-34.6%

38.8%

18.6%

5.2%

3.1%

32.2%

-19.3%

-8.5%

-1.5%

-3.9%

Alterations & Additions

449

454

398

430

439

429

424

433

445

463

477

468

%ch

3.6%

1.2%

-12.4%

8.2%

1.9%

-2.3%

-1.1%

2.0%

3.0%

4.0%

3.0%

-2.0%

South Australia – Number of dwelling commencements by sector Year Ended June

2010-11

2011-12

2012-13

2013-14

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

2017-18

2018-19

2019-20

2020-21

2021-22

Residential Building

10,967

9,148

8,992

11,181

10,657

11,279

10,851

10,741

10,160

10,388

10,424

9,718

%ch

-10.9%

-16.6%

-1.7%

24.3%

-4.7%

5.8%

-3.8%

-1.0%

-5.4%

2.2%

0.3%

-6.8%

Houses

8,258

6,939

6,529

8,307

7,780

7,687

7,551

7,461

7,356

7,681

7,736

7,212

%ch

-14.7%

-16.0%

-5.9%

27.2%

-6.3%

-1.2%

-1.8%

-1.2%

-1.4%

4.4%

0.7%

-6.8%

Other Dwellings

2,709

2,209

2,463

2,874

2,877

3,592

3,300

3,280

2,804

2,707

2,688

2,505

%ch

2.9%

-18.5%

11.5%

16.7%

0.1%

24.9%

-8.1%

-0.6%

-14.5%

-3.5%

-0.7%

-6.8%

Source: Master Builders Australia, Macromonitor, ABS data.

WWW.MBASA.COM.AU

31

ECONOMIC AND INDUSTRY FORECAST South Australia – Non-residential building work done by sector $M, chain volume measures, constant 2014/15 prices – Year Ended June

2010-11

2011-12

2012-13

2013-14

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

2017-18

2018-19

2019-20

2020-21

2021-22

Non-Residential Building

2,554

2,365

2,297

2,371

2,292

1,992

1,930

2,573

2,815

2,338

1,987

1,867

%ch

0.4%

-7.4%

-2.9%

3.2%

-3.3%

-13.1%

-3.1%

33.3%

9.4%

-16.9%

-15.0%

-6.0%

Retail & wholesale trade

220

327

294

305

262

308

244

249

341

401

318

284

%ch

2.2%

48.2%

-9.9%

3.5%

-13.9%

17.5%

-20.7%

1.8%

36.9%

17.8%

-20.7%

-10.7%

Transport buildings

31

100

84

32

7

14

38

56

70

58

42

33

%ch

-33.8%

225.9%

-16.2%

-61.7%

-79.3%

116.1%

164.7%

48.0%

23.4%

-17.1%

-27.3%

-22.2%

Offices

239

380

250

221

207

140

103

340

542

289

232

152

%ch

31.0%

58.6%

-34.1%

-11.9%

-6.2%

-32.1%

-26.6%

230.0%

59.3%

-46.7%

-19.7%

-34.4%

Other commercial

49

29

6

24

46

21

31

47

39

29

30

44

%ch

115.8%

-41.2%

-79.6%

302.7%

95.2%

-53.5%

44.7%

52.0%

-18.3%

-23.8%

0.6%

49.5%

Factories

142

62

43

55

28

43

46

153

168

34

36

33

%ch

-9.9%

-56.7%

-29.8%

26.2%

-49.5%

57.1%

5.6%

234.7%

9.7%

-79.6%

5.3%

-9.4%

Warehouses

131

89

95

136

129

91

55

98

98

109

104

95

%ch

7.7%

-32.4%

7.4%

42.9%

-4.9%

-29.5%

-39.4%

76.8%

0.1%

11.8%

-4.8%

-8.3%

Agriculture and aquaculture

49

50

28

23

111

111

106

96

72

60

46

34

%ch

183.9%

0.8%

-43.4%

-19.5%

390.1%

-0.5%

-4.4%

-8.8%

-25.4%

-16.3%

-23.8%

-25.3%

Other industrial

14

18

50

14

22

20

28

25

26

27

25

25

%ch

-24.1%

26.8%

170.4%

-71.3%

52.8%

-5.9%

35.6%

-9.9%

3.6%

4.3%

-7.0%

0.1%

Education

858

385

435

492

287

419

420

402

435

473

463

421

%ch

-2.6%

-55.2%

13.0%

13.2%

-41.7%

46.1%

0.4%

-4.4%

8.3%

8.8%

-2.2%

-9.0%

Religion

15

18

6

6

17

17

12

28

12

12

12

10

%ch

90.9%

25.1%

-66.6%

-6.8%

203.3%

-3.0%

-28.7%

134.0%

-57.8%

5.6%

-6.7%

-14.3%

Aged care facilities

74

113

53

85

125

141

158

225

157

125

135

138

%ch

-21.5%

53.6%

-53.4%

61.1%

47.7%

12.0%

12.3%

42.3%

-30.2%

-20.2%

7.8%

2.3%

Health (non-aged care)

217

377

466

549

768

418

373

268

304

307

258

314

%ch

30.7%

73.4%

23.8%

17.8%

39.9%

-45.6%

-10.8%

-28.1%

13.1%

1.0%

-15.8%

21.5%

Entertainment & Recreation

203

159

285

272

129

136

121

144

211

173

82

98

%ch

-13.9%

-21.8%

79.7%

-4.6%

-52.5%

5.5%

-11.2%

19.1%

46.3%

-18.1%

-52.7%

20.3%

Accommodation

47

15

47

70

36

35

61

118

145

110

70

53

%ch

-19.7%

-67.8%

215.9%

47.8%

-48.0%

-3.3%

73.7%

92.6%

23.3%

-24.2%

-36.1%

-24.9%

Other non-residential

264

245

155

89

117

76

134

324

197

129

135

133

%ch

-16.7%

-7.1%

-36.9%

-42.4%

31.5%

-34.8%

75.5%

141.5%

-39.1%

-34.4%

4.4%

-1.8%

Source: Master Builders Australia, Macromonitor, ABS data.

South Australia – Engineering construction work done by sector $M, chain volume measures, constant 2014/15 prices – Year Ended June

2010-11

2011-12

2012-13

2013-14

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

2017-18

2018-19

2019-20

2020-21

2021-22

Engineering Construction

4,984

5,125

5,852

5,496

4,398

4,670

4,684

6,645

7,163

6,413

5,739

5,204

%ch

-2.9%

2.8%

14.2%

-6.1%

-20.0%

6.2%

0.3%

41.9%

7.8%

-10.5%

-10.5%

-9.3%

Transport

1,604

1,760

2,086

1,484

1,074

987

1,381

1,880

1,961

1,662

1,453

1,444

%ch

0.7%

9.7%

18.5%

-28.8%

-27.6%

-8.1%

39.9%

36.1%

4.3%

-15.2%

-12.6%

-0.6%

Utilities

2,210

2,164

2,160

2,007

1,669

2,199

2,062

3,490

3,652

3,039

2,563

2,067

%ch

-17.6%

-2.1%

-0.2%

-7.1%

-16.9%

31.8%

-6.2%

69.3%

4.7%

-16.8%

-15.7%

-19.4%

Resources

784

901

937

1,312

1,231

1,114

835

871

1,190

1,382

1,396

1,356

%ch

53.5%

14.9%

4.0%

40.0%

-6.1%

-9.5%

-25.1%

4.4%

36.5%

16.2%

1.0%

-2.8%

Other

386

301

669

693

424

369

407

404

360

330

327

336

%ch

10.0%

-22.2%

122.6%

3.5%

-38.7%

-13.0%

10.1%

-0.5%

-11.0%

-8.5%

-0.7%

2.7%

Source: Master Builders Australia, Macromonitor, ABS data.

32

SA BUILDER AUTUMN 2018

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Visit COLORBOND.COM/MATT or call 1800 702 764

COLORBOND and the BlueScope brand mark are registered trade marks of BlueScope Steel Limited.

2017 BlueScope Steel Limited ABN 16 000 011 058. All rights reserved.

L to R: Martha Coro, Business Superannuation Consultant – SA/NT, Cbus. Marissa Hankinson, Membership & Business Development Manager, Master Builders SA Augusta Soteriou, Design & Engineering Manager, Schiavello Construction. Terry Tsapaliaris, Construction Manager, Sarah Construction. Theadora Karidis, Executive, Karadis Corporation Limited. Lisa D’Andrea, HR Manager, Hansen Yuncken Pty Ltd. Sue Wundenberg, Regional General Manager SA/NT, CSR Bradford & HiViZ Chair. Monica Clark, Strategic Accounts Manager, BlueScope Australia & New Zealand. Rebecca Pickering, Director of Operations, Master Builders SA. Scott Brumfield, Construction Manager, Hansen Yuncken Pty Ltd.

BACKING WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE

Introducing the HiViZ Women Building SA Committee We are delighted to announce the inaugural committee members for Master Builders SA’s HiViZ initiative. Our committee members have a range of backgrounds in the building and construction industry ranging from both onsite and operational experience.

HiViZ gets behind mentorship program to help increase female participation in the building industry HiViZ Women Building SA is supporting a new national mentoring program to boost the number of women in the building industry. Building and construction is Australia’s most male-dominated industry with women making up only 11 per cent of the industry’s 1.1 million workers.

To help address this imbalance, the Women Building Australia Mentoring Program will encourage and support women currently working in the industry and those who are on training pathways to careers in the industry.

By recruiting mentors from thousands of builders and building businesses across Australia, Women Building Australia will also help ensure more women are accepted in the industry.

34

SA BUILDER AUTUMN 2018

We look forward to the opportunity to meet and networking with the six finalists at an exclusive HiViZ networking event at the David Roche Museum on 18 May 2018.

Join us at the HiViZ Women Building SA Luncheon with the inspirational Turia Pitt as our guest speaker Without a doubt, Turia Pitt is one of Australia’s most admired and widely recognised motivational speakers.

She’s engaging, refreshingly candid and her story will astonish you, inspire you and leave you in stitches. Her enthralling message of overcoming adversity and the need to never EVER give up will motivate you … out of your chair, and into life.

Turia has a double degree in Mining Engineering and Science. She worked as a model before landing her dream job with Rio Tinto at their prestigious Argyle Diamond Mine and moving to Kununurra with her partner, Michael. Their lives were turned upside-down when she was trapped by a grassfire in a 100 kilometre ultra-marathon in September 2011, and suffered burns to 65 per cent of her body.

Turia lives in her hometown of Ulladulla. She is studying for her Masters and travels the world giving inspirational speeches. She is a well-recognised humanitarian, dedicating her time to causes she is passionate about. Turia was named the NSW Premier’s Woman of the Year and was a finalist for Young Australian of the Year. She also graced the cover of the Australian Women’s Weekly and is a judge for the Australian Woman of the Future Fund.

The event is open to all members, so join us at the Adelaide Convention Centre on Wednesday 21 March, 12.00pm to 2.30pm for more information visit www.mbasa.com. au/membership/member-events - tickets on sale now!

Turia Pitt

Hansen Yuncken: changing the mindset for diversity At Hansen Yuncken, diversity is core to their ongoing business strategy. “Our aspiration is to build an inclusive culture which embraces differences – where we live by our values every day and our people can be themselves,” says Chief Executive Officer Peter Salveson.

“We understand that people from different backgrounds can offer different points of Master Builders SA Chief Executive Ian Markos said there was plenty of opportunity right view. Working together we can create the highest value for our people, our business, our now for women to build careers in building and construction and that encouragement clients and our industry. and support were important in training and retaining them.

“Construction is now the third largest employing industry, capturing 8.8 per cent of the “Unfortunately the number of women in building trades, para-professional and Australian workforce, or 1,016,000 people. Over the past five years, Hansen Yuncken has professional jobs remains woefully low. Too many women drop out of training or choose seen a progressive increase in gender diversity nationally. Currently reporting 17.5 per not to start jobs when they finish their training, so this is a hugely important initiative for cent, Hansen Yuncken is trending on par with the industry average with representation the industry’s future.” across senior management, construction, operational and support roles.

Mr Markos said mentees would be selected from the Master Builders SA HiViZ membership, a program committed to inspiring leadership, providing unique experiences and quality events for women across all segments of the industry.

“In supporting the Master Builders Association HiViZ Program, Hansen Yuncken aims to engage in proactive initiatives to educate, mentor and raise awareness of diversity and inclusion across the industry.

Sue Wundenberg, CSR Regional General Manager SA/NT and HiViZ Chair, threw her support behind the program.

“We recognise that talent has no gender, age, nationality, ability or sexual orientation and believe that diversity is a source of talent in its own right. For Hansen Yuncken we are encouraging open minds and creating an inclusive culture where people of all walks of life can build a rewarding career with us. Most importantly, we want to work with those people to help them achieve their full potential.”

“It’s important that women interested in a career in the industry have the confidence and resilience to fulfil their full potential, Women Building Australia will empower women to bring new skills and approaches to businesses that boost productivity. All builders should get behind it.” she said.

Recognising women in the building and construction industry Master Builders SA will soon be launching the Building Excellence Awards for 2018 and will be announcing several new categories. The HiViz Women Building SA Award, sponsored by Hansen Yuncken, will recognise women who are making outstanding contributions to the building and construction industry.

Check out the Master Builders SA website, www.mbasa.com.au and download the Entry Guidelines for further information on award criteria and deadlines.

WWW.MBASA.COM.AU

FURTHER INFORMATION:

For HiViZ membership opportunities contact Master Builders SA Membership on: 08 8211 7466 or membership@mbasa.com.au.

HiViZ online membership forms are available at: https://form.jotformpro.com/71068581702961

35

UPDATES

Time South Australia backed first home buyers Data released by the ABS in February once again demonstrates the need for policies to help more young South Australians into their own homes and stimulate the struggling housing sector.

An analysis of the figures shows that the number of first home buyer dwellings financed during the second half of 2017 compared to the first half of the year increased by 47.24 per cent in Victoria and 80.95 per cent in New South Wales. By comparison, South Australia increased by just 12.67 per cent.

We can get more young South Australians into their own home and stop the bleed to the eastern states, all we need is the political will.

2017: First home buyers – Dwellings financed Victoria

New South Wales

South Australia

Jan-2017

1851

1028

344

Feb-2017

1889

1105

376

Mar-2017

2296

1463

486

Apr-2017

1850

1169

350

May-2017

2431

1600

491

Jun-2017

2366

1526

517

In Victoria, stamp duty for first-home buyers with a dutiable value of not more than $600,000 was abolished for contracts entered into from 1 July 2017. In New South Wales, stamp duty was abolished on new and existing homes worth up to $650,000 from 1 July 2017.

Jul-2017

2619

1950

439

Aug-2018

3162

2427

491

Sept-2017

3002

2395

456

It’s common sense to base policy on what has been proven to work. Since Victoria and New South Wales introduced their incentives last July, their first home buyers’ markets have been going gangbusters. The rate of first home buyer dwellings financed during the second half of last year compared to the first half of last year was about four times higher in Victoria and nearly seven times higher in New South Wales than in South Australia.

Oct-2017

3250

2397

459

Nov-2017

3526

2700

574

Dec-2017

3116

2410

470

Total: Jan-Jun

12 683

7891

2564

Total: Jul-Dec

18 675

14 279

2889

Everyone knows young South Australians are leaving the state in droves. If we are serious about stopping the flow of South Australians interstate, we need to give them reasons to stay. A good job and an affordable home is a great start.

Total: 2017

31 358

22 170

5453

Percentage increase in second half of 2017

47.24%

80.95%

12.67%

The ABS said that “the strong growth in recent months…has been driven mainly by changes to first home buyer incentives made in July by the New South Wales and Victorian governments.”

SOCIAL EVENTS

PAST PRESIDENTS’ LUNCH The Annual Past Presidents’ Lunch was held at Rigoni’s on Friday 15 December 2017.

It was great tohave so much knowledge and experience in the one place and many thoughts were exchanged on the state of the industry, future innovation and technology and the direction of Master Builders SA. We look forward to your continuing involvement with the Association in the year ahead.

36

Left to Right: Ian Markos, Peter Salveson, Don Sarah, John Chappell, Jim Whiting, Peter Kennedy, John Marshall, Neil Sarah, John Kennett, Mike Rundell, Phil Tregenza, Absent in photo – Richard Bryant

SA BUILDER AUTUMN 2018

MEMBER PROFILE

30 Years in Master Builders SA My wife, Kathy, and I started South Coast Constructions in March 1988 and have been continuous Master Builders Members since then, coming up 30 years in 2018!

We started solely on South Australian Housing Trust (SAHT) contracts of four to 12 house projects. Once we proved ourselves to have a good product and projects completed on time, we were permitted to tender on 30 plus house contracts.

I was always of the opinion that SAHT was a developer who had to maintain their homes for 40 years. Their specifications were good and over the many years of maintaining their homes they recognised faults in certain products and designs, so changes would be made.

Around the time of Mr Keating’s “recession we had to have,” we started to do more private custom work on the Fleurieu Peninsula.

It’s hard to believe that we would hand-write the trade’s and supplier’s cheques and envelopes every week and keep records on hand-written spread sheets of what was paid out on what job.

Allan Davis & Jamie

I remember our 007 Motorola ‘brief case’ phone and fax that enabled us to do orders to suppliers late in the evenings from our spare room, come office, at our Inman Valley home.

Jamie’s enthusiasm and energy has been very positive for South Coast Constructions. As a team we continue to improve our products and our service to the customers, confident in the industry knowledge and abilities of our How things have progressed, to our present day two-storey tradesmen and suppliers. office on Victoria St Victor Harbor.

Our website www.southcoastconstructions.com.au has We also currently have an award winning, sustainable our impressive list of Awards and our extensive gallery of Display Home in the Beyond Estate at Hayborough, SA. completed projects.

We feel our success stems from the loyalty of our past and present staff, trades and suppliers, some of whom we have been associated with for nearly 30 years.

The industry and products are always evolving and the greatest change is toward Sustainability and Solar Passive design and construction techniques.

Jamie Knott, who started with us as one of our carpenters, then a Supervisor after gaining his licence through the MBA Training Program, came on board as a Director in 2011. He is managing South Coast Constructions with us still in the background.

What a wonderful journey! Thank you to the MBA.

Hon Paul Fletcher MP, Minister for Urban Infrastructure and Cities and Will Frogley in Adelaide

WWW.MBASA.COM.AU

FURTHER INFORMATION:

www.southcoastconstructions.com.au

Member for Mayo Rebecca Sharkie MP, Richard Bryant and Ian Markos in Canberra

37

FEATURE PROJECT

Defining moment in South Australian history The 5th September 2017 marked the end of an era for the SA construction industry as the vision of South Australia’s $2.3 billion new Royal Adelaide Hospital came to fruition.

38

SA BUILDER AUTUMN 2018

Engineering & Construction Surveys Detail & Topographic Surveys Civil & Roadworks Surveys Boundary Surveys Land Development 3D Laser Scanning Pipeline & Tunnel Surveys Hydrographic Surveys 12dÂŽ Modelling AutoCAD Services CALL

WWW.ENGSURVEYS.COM.AU

08 8340 4469 0411 744 095 EMAIL admin@engsurveys.com.au

Passion for life Together we can save more lives

Getinge is a global provider of innovative solutions for operating rooms, intensive care units, sterilization and endoscopic reprocessing departments, endovascular procedures and for life science companies and institutions. Based on our first-hand experience and close partnerships with clinical experts, healthcare professionals and medical-technology specialists, we are improving the everyday life for people – today and tomorrow. www.getinge.com

WWW.MBASA.COM.AU

39

FEATURE PROJECT

A

s the largest and undoubtedly, most complex hospital in the Southern Hemisphere, the new RAH project has brought together construction experts from around the globe, setting a benchmark for construction projects now, and into the future.

Leading the Design and Construction was HYLC, a 50/50 joint venture including Hansen Yuncken, one of Australia’s leading privately owned construction companies. Under a Public Private Partnership, HYLC formed part of the project consortium led by Celsus (previously SA Health Partnership), Spotless and DXC Technologies.

Now operational, the new RAH is Australia’s largest, most technologically advanced hospital, employing close to 6,000 people and accommodating 85,000 inpatients per year.

Largest Build in South Australia In 2009, HYLC embarked on a journey to design a ground-breaking health facility. The design was to be functional for health care delivery but also present an aesthetically pleasing presence within the surrounding landscape.

With an experienced management, design and bid delivery team, the design, construction and operational methodology was formed into what you see today.

Taking occupation of the site in June 2011, the first site amenities were established and the team cleared the remnants of the existing rail yard. By the end of 2012, ground works were advanced, drilling of 2,000 piles was underway, the first ground slab had been poured and HYLC had erected the first of eight tower cranes. By 2013, the site had become a sea of structure, formwork, tower cranes and concrete. In the basement, the first services milestone was met with the delivery and installation of the hospital’s Cogeneration Plant.

40

Activity on site in 2014 saw close to 2,000 people on site each day. Work within the lower levels had advanced with the commencement of wall partitions, electrical, plumbing and services now clearly formed. It was during 2014 that the project reached its biggest structural milestone, the final Level 10 concrete pour and topping out of the building’s structure.

Progression through 2015 saw the removal of the last tower crane and the completion of the first internal area. Planting of 85,000 plants commenced, the installation of 10,000 facade panels concluded and the first electrical link up to the outside world was complete.

Reengineered Healthcare Design The new hospital includes 800 beds, patient rooms designed to improve ease of access and quality of care. Architects Silver Thomas Hanley and Design Inc re-engineered the whole concept of how a hospital works right down to the patient rooms.

The 10-level hospital on a sloping 10-hectare site has its main entrance on Level 3. The narrow piece of land was once home to the city’s railyards. The design for the hospital was managed within the height restrictions posed by the flight path for the nearby Adelaide Airport.

The clinical and public components of the building are orientated towards the North Terrace or CBD side of the building while the residential and inpatient components overlook the River Torrens and parklands from six triangular accommodation towers.

The landscaped gardens and courtyards are located within two minutes of all overnight patient rooms, which also feature views of the surrounding parklands and windows that open.

SA BUILDER AUTUMN 2018

WWW.MBASA.COM.AU

41

FEATURE PROJECT

The hospital’s long and narrow shape has allowed it to be laid out vertically rather than laterally, in a series of vertical clinical villages, which are accessed by three strategically located banks of lifts across the spine of the building.

Similarly, at the western end of the hospital, the trauma modalities include the Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit and operating theatres all stacked below the helipad and connected by a series of “hot lifts”.

The hospital’s technology includes a fleet of 25 Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) to transport food, linen, waste and stores; advanced tele-health facilities enabling staff to consult with colleagues and patients across the state, and; the biggest pneumatic tube system in an Australian hospital, designed to speed up diagnosis and treatment by rapidly delivering critical supplies like blood samples and medicine.

The hospital has also been built to withstand an earthquake, and has an independent water and electricity supply allowing it to operate in “island mode” for at least 48 hours in the event that these public utilities fail.

Home to the largest BIM project in the Southern Hemisphere It’s not just South Australia is embracing the lessons learnt from the new RAH Project. BIM professionals across the globe are capitalising off one of the largest BIM case studies in the Southern Hemisphere.

When construction commenced in 2011, the project team adopted a strategy to become South Australia’s first ever project to be delivered using 3D and 4D BIM technology. Bringing in skilled professionals, the project team drove the adoption of BIM and quickly expanded the knowledge throughout the whole industry.

Its scale meant that over 200 people were working on the design proposals simultaneously from a variety of organisations across the supply chain. Such a collaboration served to introduce a number of Australian firms to BIM for the very first time.

42

During the early construction phase, the 176,000sqm building was sub-divided into sectors, each acting as a stand-alone project in its own right. This enabled design consultants and contractors to progress and resolve design development issues at a local level. Using BIM, they could then form a holistic overview where larger issues or trends could be identified and addressed. BIM enabled the design proposals to be tested virtually beforehand to minimise the number of clashes on site and improve the installation programme.

The process of design development and approval was illustrated by end users being able to see and experience their new environment in three-dimensional form, rather than having to envisage it from plans or obscure equipment codes.

In all, some 450 user group meetings were held with hospital staff.

The project team used 4D construction sequencing to plan the works and monitor their progress once underway. They also tested some initial 5D BIM work, checking quantities from the information models against the more traditional take-off and costing exercises to evaluate the future opportunities.

Contractors on site were able to access all the appropriate 2D installation drawings via real-time links with the 3D models on tablets.

In total, 80GB of model data has been collated from the generation of 450 Revit models, which has 11,107 Room Spaces, has over 4,000,000 3D objects, provides 128 Sector Models which hosts 3,500 Navisworks models.

The Industry “Firsts” It’s no surprise that SA’s biggest build would also play host to several construction and manufacturing innovations, and boy has the industry benefited.

To name a few, a vision to modularise and prefabricate the complex and sophisticated services design was a steep learning curve for the industry however a strong vision, collaboration and a team of skilled design consultants and contractors made that goal achievable.

SA BUILDER AUTUMN 2018

Lucas TCS are very proud to have been involved in both Stage 1 & 2 of the construction of the New Royal Adelaide Hospital.

CIVIL + CONTRACT MINING

kbr.com WWW.MBASA.COM.AU

// QUARRYING

// CRUSHING

During our involvement with this iconic project, Lucas TCS had over 50 employees at any one time working on site, to ensure that our component of the project was delivered to the highest standard.

// CIVIL ENGINEERING

KBR and WGA are proud to have been a part of the project team for the new Royal Adelaide Hospital, providing structural and civil engineering design services for this state-of-the-art facility.

wga.com.au 43

FEATURE PROJECT

The western riser was fabricated offsite and brought to the construction site in modules, the heaviest of which were 6,500Kg. It consisted of a primary steel support frame with multiple engineering services hanging inside the frame.

The riser was designed for structural adequacy including thermal and seismic, engineering services compliance including fire rating and accessibility for future maintenance.

All design disciplines worked together seamlessly with use of BIM—Building Information Modelling, a shared knowledge resource for information about a facility forming a reliable basis for decisions during its lifecycle. Having a virtual understanding of the riser at design phase made agreeing on the size and the design of the modulations easy. When the modules were delivered, the pieces fit together perfectly.

This was just one example of the numerous prefabrication techniques used to streamline delivery and minimise impact on the surrounding works.

Construction Innovation: The Helipad South Australia’s only dual helipad contains some genius innovation. Since the new RAH is categorised under the Building Code of Australia as an Importance Level 4 Facility, which is a building that is essential to post disaster recovery, a helipad was a necessity.

The helipad decking features the most advanced deck integrated firefighting system available, which allows for the rapid extinguishing of deck fires. The perforated aluminium deck landing surface incorporates a patented, passive fire-retarding system that works by allowing burning fuel draining through the holes to atomize as

44

it passes through an aluminium mesh screen. Burning fuel is starved of oxygen and rapid heat dissipation occurs in the mesh. The fire is retarded immediately. Spilt fuel is quickly and safely drained away unburned, and any remaining vapour burn-off can be extinguished in seconds by deck mounted water sprays. Up to 97 percent of spilt fuel is recovered unburned. A full-perimeter drainage system ensures that liquids are channelled from the helipad decking to drain to an interception tank, in fuel spill mode, or to the stormwater system in normal mode.

Construction Innovation: The Hyperbaric Chamber The hyperbaric chamber is a triple-lock chamber that was fabricated by Fink Engineering in Queensland. The chamber, air receivers and deluge tanks were delivered via road to the project site.

Due to the size of the unit, the chamber had to be loaded in while the hospital was under construction and then the hyperbaric area was built around it. And because of its weight (approximately 50 tonnes), size of the chamber and the requirement to navigate through the building to its final destination, a special trolley was built.

Touted as the most advanced hospital in the modern world, the new RAH really is a spectacle of creativity. Whether you’re a patient, visitor or staff member, the new RAH offers a tranquil and well thought out environment to suit.

The complexities, challenges, planning and coordination of this marvel can’t be underestimated. What is clear, is that the new RAH is not just a hospital, but part of South Australian history and a symbol to those across our industry who devoted so much passion to its creation.

SA BUILDER AUTUMN 2018

THE START OF A SEISMIC SHIFT IN WALL AND CEILING SYSTEMS.

new ROYAL ADELAIDE HOSPITAL

With the addition of a few new components, Rondo’s KEY-LOCK® and Stud & Track Systems now form a complete seismic package, with every element designed to work together and tailored to suit your project’s seismic requirements. Our Engineering team has designed Rondo Seismic Wall and Ceiling Systems for major projects across Australia and New Zealand, including the new Royal Adelaide Hospital.

Not only are our Seismic Systems backed by our team of expert Engineers, we also give you access to Seismic Design Wizards on our website, 24 hours a day. Simply by inputting your project-specific information, you can calculate seismic ceiling designs, check that the vertical capacity is ok, and determine whether bracing is necessary or not. On completion, you can print out your results, email them to yourself, or send to us for further assistance.

For more information, visit www.rondo.com.au/seismic today.

D

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we’re behind the best buildings new Royal Adelaide Hospital image by HYLC Joint Venture.

RONDO and KEY-LOCK® are registered trademarks of Rondo Building Services Pty Ltd. ABN 69 000 289 207.

FEATURE PROJECT

The facts: MATERIALS

BIM

FACILITIES

ICT

•

12,960 tonnes of concrete

•

•

22,000 network devices

2,500 tonnes of structural steel

700 large single overnight rooms and 100 same day rooms

•

•

200 people working on design proposal simultaneously

•

•

40 kilometres of partitioning

40 technical suites (include operating theatres, interventional and procedural rooms)

•

•

176,000m2 building divided into sectors (all acting as standalone projects)

30,000 physical network connections

•

3,000 wireless access points

•

4,200 fixed phones

•

550 portable phones

•

200 slabs

•

450 Revit models

•

150 lift and stair core pours

•

11,107 room spaces

•

4,200 columns

•

4,000,000+ 3D objects

•

547,000 lifts completed by all tower cranes

•

450 user group meetings viewing design in 3D

•

•

18,000 tonnes of reinforcement

•

•

10,000 facade panels

80GB model data handed to facilities manager Spotless on completion

Outpatient area with 132 individual consulting and treatment rooms.

•

2,300 car parking spaces

•

300 bicycle parking bays

•

46

85,000 plants

•

3.8 hectares of landscaped space

•

100 outdoor spaces including 70 internal courtyards, terraces and sky gardens

KEY PARTNERS •

Celsus (previously SA Health Partnership)

•

Spotless

•

DXC Technology

•

HYLC JV including Hansen Yuncken

SA BUILDER AUTUMN 2018

2018

RESOURCE GUIDE FOR BUILDERS AND TRADE CONTRACTORS

BUILDING PRODUCTS

DRAINAGE PRODUCTS

Grate Drainage Stormtech linear drainage systems combine smart design with easy installation.

• Linear Drains • Tile Insert Drains

• Square floor wastes • Threshold drains

Visit our website for full product and distributor details.

1300 653 403 | www.stormtech.com.au

Stormtech linear drains for award winning designs Stormtech has been providing inspiring architectural drainage solutions for residential and commercial building industries for over a quarter of a century. Used in bathrooms, showers, thresholds, paved areas, driveways, pools and pool surrounds, Stormtech grates and drains are known for sleek design, innovation and practicality.

Linear drain systems play a vital role in ensuring adequate drainage in internal and external locations. The use of linear drains is very popular in shower recesses, especially in designs using frameless screens and no step downs or hob designs.

For interior applications in the bathroom and other wet rooms linear stainless steel grates create an aesthetically pleasing solution to the traditional grated drain as they are narrow profile and high efficiency drainage systems.

They are available as a modular system with stainless steel or PVC channel or as a made to length system that will be manufactured to specific lengths. All grates are manufactured from 316 marine grade stainless steel and available in seven different designs.

The company works with regulators, legislators, end users, trades and distributors to develop problem solving products and welcomes any questions about product selection and compliance.

All Stormtech products are Australian Made and WaterMarked certified.

With a proud commitment to eco-friendly design, Stormtech offers the only linear drainage product in the world with Global GreenTag certification.

For more information contact: Phone: 1300 653 403 Email: info@stormtech.com.au Website: www.stormtech.com.au 48

2020 is the Perfect Tank

1

Cost-effective

Slim

Tuff

Complete

Easy

Free To Site

A quick & easy install 10 6.0 2020 is the Perfect Tank with our 2020 L tank

Cleane mosqu

Fits through tight doorways MIN HOOKUP

1

5

5

Cost-effective

Slim

Tuff

Complete

Easy

Free To Site

Install faster with our NEW 2020 tank Fits through doorways with built-in pumptight to reduce connection time to less 1 than 10 mins.

2 1

Unique Reduc Cleane plumb mosqu

5

2 3

Quick To Install

5 6

4

BUILDING PRODUCTS

WATER TANKS / WATER PRESERVATIONS

2

Built-in Pump

3

6

Unique Door to Reduc integra plumb neater-

Save On Connection Reliable

I B U LT

Built Tuff

TU F F

Shown from behind with built-in pump 2

6 Dimensions - 2010mm(H) x 2105mm(L) x 735mm(W)

3 4

4

3

6

2 pump options: FREE DELIVERY to site

2 pump options: in Melbourne Metro area BSLT2020H4 - single storey 4 BSLT2020H4 - single storey - multi storey FREE BSLT2020H5 - multi BSLT2020H5 storey

DELIVERY

22 Colorbond Colours to suit any home

Door to Two ou integra so it do neateryour dr

4 5

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through 22 Colorbond Colours Shown from behind withFits built-in pumptight doorways 2010mm(H) to suit any home Dimensions - 2010mm(H) x 2105mm(L)xx2105mm(L) 735mm(W) x 735mm(W) FREE DELIVERY to site FREE DELIVERY to site

Stacks of features!

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2 pump options: IN STOCK NOW in Melbourne Metro area Got a complex build?

No worries! in Melbourne Metro area Melbourne warehouse full & BSLT2020H4 - single storey ready toteam dispatchcan top 4congure colours FREE Our any tank combination.

BSLT2020H5 - multi storey DELIVERY FREE Large range of tanks to suit your building site: DELIVERY Port Phillip

Two Largeou9 so it do ends s your wall &dr

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5 6

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22 Colorbond Colours 6,000L to 50,000L tanks • Underground tanks • Septic tanks Port Phillip Bay to suit any home Contact us to discuss your building projects

www.allpoly.com.au Got a complex build? No worries!

1300 255can 765congure any tank combination.

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All Poly is a division of the Polymaster Group.

Large range of tanks to suit your building site: 6,000L to 50,000L tanks • Underground tanks • Septic tanks

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6

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Contact us to discuss your building projects

49

Easy g

BUILDING PRODUCTS

FINISHES

Perfection in Timber Flooring Adhesive Systems & Finishes

Whether Your Next Solid Timber, Parquetry or Engineered Timber Flooring Project needs a Beautiful & Enduring LOBA Timber Coating or A Bullet Proof Moisture Vapor Barrier & Acoustic Rated Adhesive

Since 1922

Waterbased Polyurethanes Invisible Protection Natural Oils & Hardwaxes Timber Stains & Special Effects On Site UV Finishes

R10 –P4 Anti Slip Finishes for Stairs and Critical Surfaces

“Loba & Wakol Make the Perfect Team” Loba Australasia

5-7 Strong Avenue, Thomastown Vic 3074

PH: 03 9460 3444 M: 0419326976 E: sales@loba.com.au DRAINAGE PRODUCTS Stormtech Pty Ltd

Architectural grates and drains for award winning designs

1300 653 403

See our feature on page 48

WATER TANKS / WATER PRESERVATIONS All Poly (A division of the Polymaster Group) A quick & easy install with our 2020L Tank & Pump Package

1300 255 765

See our feature on page 49

Upcoming Events

20 March

Roadshow, Murray Bridge Town Hall

21 March

HiViz Women Building SA Lunch, Convention Centre

11 April

Chinese Networking Seminar, MBA

14 April

Wine and Dine Luncheon, Beaumont House

4 May

Quarterly Information Seminar, MBA SA

18 May

HiViz Award Nominees Lunch, David Roche Museum

24 May

New Member Connect, Bianco Sourcecorp

6 June

Chinese Networking Seminar, Duke of Brunswick

6-8 July

Building & Home Improvement Show, Wayville

FURTHER INFORMATION: For information regarding attendance or sponsorship, contact Renee Ancell or Ilona Tamm on 08 8211 7466 or at events@mbasa.com.au

50

WHAT’S NEW

WHAT’S NEW

FUEL CARD No monthly card fee for the first 3 months*

COLORBOND® steel, a popular choice for Australian residential and commercial buildings for over 50 years, introduces an elegant matt finish to complement the latest building design trends.

Harnessing new paint technology to deliver a naturally inspired finish that diffuses light for a soft, textured, designer look, COLORBOND® steel Matt is available in Surfmist® Matt, Shale Grey™ Matt, Dune® Matt, Basalt® Matt and Monument® Matt.

Tested for over a decade, COLORBOND® steel Matt has been designed to withstand our harsh Australian environment. The result is a product which maintains its matt finish, looking even better for longer.

For more information visit: www.colorbond.com/matt

Don’t waste your time and money searching for a single branded fuel station. With WEX Motorpass you’re not locked in, so you have the freedom to choose from almost 6,000 petrol stations across the country.

Until the end of May 2018, apply for a WEX Motorpass fuel card and receive 3 months with no monthly card fee.* *The offer ends 5.00pm AEST 31/05/2018 and is available when you apply online at motorpass.com.au and use the promo code BUILD. The offer is available to new customers only and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. The offer applies to each card issued under your WEX Motorpass account. The 3 month no monthly card fee offer applies for the first 3 months from the account establishment date. The standard card fees will apply from the beginning of the 4th month from the account establishment date. For full terms and conditions please visit motorpass.com.au/ terms-and-conditions Contact Jay Whitmore Business Development Manager M: 0403 348 513 E: jay.whitmore@wexaustralia.com Corporate rates available for large fleets

COLORBOND®, BlueScope, the BlueScope brand mark and ® colour names are registered trade marks of BlueScope Steel Limited. TM colour names are trade marks of BlueScope Steel Limited. © 2017 BlueScope Steel Limited ABN 16 000 011 058. All rights reserved.

WWW.MBASA.COM.AU

51

WHAT’S NEW ADVERTISER’S INDEX SA Builder Autumn 2018 ACRS 26-27 Australian Brick & Blocklaying Training Foundation Ltd Bayer Crop Science Pty Ltd Beams Software

5 52 7

BlueScope Steel Limited

33, 51

CITB 7 Databuild 15 Engineering Surveys Pty Ltd

39

Getinge 39 IJF Australia

41

KBR

43

Lucas Total Contract Solutions MBA Insurance Services

The most comprehensive termite warranty in Australia If your home has a Kordon® Termite Barrier installed* (*full installation), you can choose to activate and be covered by the Bayer Protection Program.

You will be protected by an exclusive $1 million warranty!

It’s easy! The Bayer Protection Warranty starts with an inspection of the home by a Bayer Accredited Timber Pest Inspector. If the home is termite-free, and possible conditions which may be conducive to termite attack are addressed, your Bayer Protection Warranty can be renewed. The same inspection takes place each year to give the homeowner total termite protection. This warranty can be renewed annually (fee applies) for the life of the structure.

The Bayer Protection Warranty covers homeowners for up to $1 million worth of termite damage due to product failure or any other means of termite entry.

Activate your Bayer Protection Warranty by visiting www.kordonwarrantycentre.com.au For further information on the Kordon Termite Barrier, Bayer Protection Warranty and Frequently Asked Questions visit www.kordonwarrantycentre.com.au or contact the Bayer Protection team on 1800 552 802.

43 OBC

Oldfields Scaffolding

13

​Rawlinsons

11

Real Flame

11

Renault IFC Rondo Building Services Pty Ltd Timberlink Australia

28-29

Toyota Motor Corporation Australia Limited Volkswagen Group Australia Wallbridge Gilbert Aztec Wex Australia

45

17 3 43 15, 51

SA BuildIT 2018 All Poly Loba Australasia Stormtech Pty Ltd

49, 50 50 48, 50

Bayer CropScience Pty. Ltd., Level 1, 8 Redfern Road, Hawthorn East, Vic. 3123 Technical Enquiries: 1800 804 479 environmentalscience.bayer.com.au © 2018 Kordon® is a Registered Trademark of Bayer 52

SA BUILDER AUTUMN 2018

APPR ENTICE OF THE MONTH

Blake Zobel January 2018

Apprentice Comments My name is Blake Zobel and I am a mature-age first year apprentice with Master Builders SA. Why did you become an apprentice?

I have had careers in various industries and was looking for a new and sustainable path.

Having a Trade qualification that will be useful for the rest of my career was also important to me.

What do you enjoy the most about being an apprentice?

I enjoy being in an industry where something is built from the ground up, or restored inside and out by professionals who I can learn from.

What is your goal once you complete your apprenticeship?

When qualified I would like to have my own small business and continue to expand on the skills that I’m currently learning.

Who would you like to thank?

I would like to thank my host employers Geoff Fairweather and James Davies for giving me this opportunity, along with my family for supporting me, and Master Builders for employing me.

What does safety mean to you?

To me, safety is keeping myself and my workmates safe at work.

Field Coordinator Comments Blake is a hardworking mature-aged carpentry apprentice. Blake consistently does his daily “Take-5” form with great detail and attention to site safety hazards. He performs well on site and demonstrates a practical skill level beyond the expectation of a first year apprentice.

Blake is a great communicator and follows all of MBA SA’s policies and procedures and in doing so has been awarded Apprentice of the Month for January.

Commencement of Apprenticeship 27 July 2017 Current Host Employer Fairweather Davies Pty Ltd

MBA HOST OF THE MONTH

Kemp Carpenters January 2018

Kemp Carpenters is a commercial company based at Salisbury Plains and operating for almost 20 years. We carry out a variety of work from full refurbishments through to small maintenance jobs on Government and Council sites.

The company has hosted MBA apprentices for the best part of these 20 years, with half of our current workforce former MBA apprentices. We place a big emphasis on apprentice development, and with the diversity of work it provides the apprentices with a solid skill set to take with them throughout their career. WHS is another key area in their training to ensure apprentices are carrying out all their work in a safe manner.

The aim of Kemp Carpenters is to employ suitable apprentices after they have completed their training. Director Kirk Burfoot, a former MBA apprentice himself says, “A lot of time and effort by all concerned goes into training apprentices, and we take pride in seeing them turn into valued tradesman.”

WWW.MBASA.COM.AU

Lachlan Kemp (left) and Kirk Burfoot (right)

53

APPR ENTICE OF THE MONTH

Angus Bell Febuary 2018

Apprentice Comments Hi I’m Angus Bell and I’m a third year apprentice carpenter currently working for Richard Hayden Carpentry Why did you become an apprentice?

I became an apprentice because I tried university for a while and realised it wasn’t for me. I began to work with some family members who are tradesman and I really enjoyed the work.

What do you enjoy the most about being an apprentice?

I enjoy being outside every day and working in different locations. I also like learning new techniques and problem solving tasks What is your goal once you complete your apprenticeship?

I would like to continue to do second fix and eaves for a while, eventually starting my own business and employing apprentices Who would you like to thank?

I would like to thank my Field Coordinator, Gareth, for the nomination and Richard Hayden for employing me for the past two years, training me well and trusting me to work independently on site.

What does safety mean to you?

Safety means to me that I get to home every night uninjured, and my future health is not at risk

54

Field Coordinator Comments Angus has shown that he is an extremely competent carpenter over the past year. He is very reliable and follows instruction well. No doubt Angus will become an exceptionally good tradesman by the time he completes his apprenticeship and have a very bright future in the building trade.

Commencement of Apprenticeship 9 November 2015 Current Host Employer Richard Hayden Carpentry

SA BUILDER AUTUMN 2018

Master Builders SA Suppliers There are over 100 suppliers offering discounts to you, our members that help save you in your business and we all know that saving money means more on your bottom line.

Have you visited our Supplier Directory on our Members Portal? Visit mbasa.com.au today and click login.

There are a wide range of suppliers offering products and services, here is a list of just some of the suppliers, they include: Access Hardware Pty Ltd Accodex Adelaide Conflict Management AGI Group of Companies Alexander Symonds Pty Ltd APT Management Services Pty Ltd Austand Edunburgh Elevators Pty Ltd Australian Timbers Pty Ltd Banner 10 Pty Ltd Beaumont Tiles Best Bar Reinforcements Bettacrete Precast Pty Ltd Brickworks Building Products C&R Complete Building Services CBS Pest Holdings Pty Ltd Contract Carpets Pty Ltd Dial Before You Dig SA/NT Inc. Hip Pocketwear Express Business Australia Fielders Manufacturing Pty Ltd Flow Business Consulting FMG Koukourou Engineers Focal Point Architectural Pty Ltd G.O. Shelving Gripset Industries Pty Ltd Hanson Construction Materials Hanuman Holcim (Australia) Pty Ltd Hume Doors

Hurst Plumbing Pty Ltd Jolong Australia (SA) Pty Ltd LBW Consultants Lifestyle Tradie Littlehampton Brick Co Lock Supplies Pty Ltd Manwarea Enterprises Pty Ltd Maxispan MC Labour Services Pty Ltd Mister Doors Officeworks One Stop Building & Hardware Pty Ltd Onesteel Reinforcing Pty Limited OpenBook Howden Rapid Metal Developments (Aust) Pty Ltd RE Spence & Co Pty Ltd Revroof Pty Ltd Ri-Industries Developments Pty Ltd Roof Seal (SA) Routleys Bathroom Kitchen Laundry Pty Ltd SA Appliances Schindlers Lifts Australia Pty Ltd Stewart Trading Pty Ltd Stratco (SA) Pty Ltd Taste Furniture TMK Consulting Engineers Tyrone Electrical Services Pty Ltd Unitex Render Warehouse (SA) Pty Ltd Wood 'N' Logs Pty Ltd

You are also entitled as a member to receive exclusive deals for your Telstra phone, Caltex fuel purchases, health insurance, and Toyota vehicles with Gold Fleet level savings.

As well as save money through the Master Builders SA Frequent Values Program which offers members great discounts on dining, travelling and lots more. The Frequent Values Program is available on the Master Builders SA App, have you downloaded it?