New CEO of Master Builders

IntroducIng Master BuIlders australIa’s new ceo, denIta wawn

I am extremely honoured to have been appointed CEO of Master Builders Australia.

Tasmanian born and educated, I’m especially proud to be standing up for your interests at the national level.

For more than 20 years I have been a passionate advocate for business and the contribution strong and profitable enterprises make in our community.

That’s why supporting your business success is our main priority. Whether it’s being your lobbyist in the Federal Parliament, speaking on your behalf on 125 Standards Australia Committees and the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) Consultative Groups, providing economic resources and insights or pushing back on union claims in the Fair Work Commission, the National Office is fighting your fight.

Master Builders ACT’s President, Board and Executive Director have been outstanding in their support for this approach and their directness in making clear the issues that matter to you as members.

A recent example of how Master Builders Australia supports the success of your business is in the area of company tax. Building and construction is the nation’s second largest industry and one of the most heavily taxed. We have consistently called for a cut in company tax rates and strongly support the Turnbull Government’s enterprise tax plan. Master Builders has lobbied particularly hard for company tax relief for small and medium businesses turning over less than $50 million.

This is a big win for 121,000 small and medium building businesses and will support the creation of more than 8,000 new jobs per year. Overall it will reduce the tax burden by more than $700 million for thousands of small and medium family building firms when fully implemented.

Nevertheless the level of company tax remains too high for many companies and Master Builders will continue to call for its reduction. Housing policy is a high profile issue and continues to be a major focus for Master Builders Australia. Our fundamental position is that only by building more new homes can we keep home ownership within reach of all Australians and we will continue to lobby for reforms to pare back the impediments to increasing the housing supply.

But as Master Builders in the ACT have told us, there must also be recognition that a whole range of cost and regulatory factors are driving up house prices. Just one example is that, according to the Reserve Bank, the raw cost of building a new home has remained stable for nearly sixty years while house prices have more than quadrupled. This is in large part due to the costs of urban infrastructure being embedded in the price of land by state and local governments and Master Builders will be raising the awareness of our politicians of this and similar issues.

The National Office has also been standing up for your interests in the industrial relations space. We convened an Expert Panel on the implementation of the ABCC and the building code and workplace safety which was chaired by our National Director of Industrial Relations Shaun Schmitke. We have also been active in the Fair Work Commission on the so called ‘modernisation’ of our industrial awards where our focus is on ensuring our industry is not hit by significant cost increases and on flexibility for employers.

The Government’s review of security of payment laws in the building and construction industry has also been an important priority. Engagement with the head of the review John Murray AM was facilitated at Master Builders National Board.

Ensuring the success of the industry and your business also means encouraging more people with the right attitudes and motivations into the industry and making sure there are the resources to equip them with the skills the industry needs. This too is a priority of the National Office.

Finally, it’s important that you should not need to ask how the National Office is working on your behalf. Better communication will also be an important priority including telling the story of our industry – the nation’s second largest industry, employing one in ten Australians and that is crucial for the nation’s future.