Australia’s housing construction sector is short of tradies across every skilled trade category, and the gap isn’t closing. The Housing Industry Association’s June quarter HIA Trades Report, released this week, puts the national HIA Trade Index at -0.59, barely moved from -0.62 in the March quarter. Any reading below zero signals a shortage.

Bricklaying is the tightest trade at -1.02, followed by ceramic tiling (-0.96), roofing (-0.83) and carpentry (-0.80). Shortages turned up in every capital city and regional area across the five biggest states. Regional Western Australia recorded the most acute reading at -1.54, with regional Queensland (-1.15) and Perth and Adelaide (-0.79 each) not far behind. Melbourne (-0.45) and regional Victoria (-0.12) were the closest to balance.

Trade prices jumped 5.1 per cent in the first half of this year, the fastest six-month rise since the post-pandemic crunch of 2022. HIA Senior Economist Tom Devitt said part of that reflects tradies passing on higher fuel costs, but pricing power is itself a signal of scarcity. “Were this not the case, tradespeople would not have the power to bid up their prices in response to the fuel price shock,” he said.

Devitt pushed back on the idea that a softer sales market would fix the workforce problem. Builders are still working through a large pipeline of homes sold months ago, keeping on-site demand high even as new sales slow. Competing demand from renovations, transport infrastructure, energy projects, data centres and Brisbane Olympics preparation adds long-run pressure to the same pool of workers.

The shortfall sits uncomfortably alongside the federal government’s 1.2 million homes target for the five years to June 2029. Hitting it requires about 60,000 completions per quarter. Only 43,816 homes were finished in the March quarter on a seasonally adjusted basis, well short of the pace needed. The HIA estimates Australia needs 83,000 more skilled tradies to meet national demand.

Devitt called for faster processing of skilled construction visas as a short-term measure. The lasting fix, he said, is getting more apprentices through to completion and giving builders enough confidence to invest in training the next generation. For anyone already weighing that path, BCN’s guide to becoming a carpenter in Australia covers entry requirements, apprenticeship length and pay rates by state.

Frequently asked questions

Which trade has the worst shortage in Australia right now?

Bricklaying is the tightest trade, with an HIA Trade Index reading of -1.02 in the June quarter. Ceramic tiling (-0.96), roofing (-0.83) and carpentry (-0.80) are close behind.

How many tradies does Australia need to meet housing targets?

The HIA estimates Australia needs 83,000 more skilled tradies. The federal government’s target of 1.2 million homes by June 2029 requires roughly 60,000 completions per quarter; only 43,816 were finished in the March quarter.

Why are trade prices rising so fast?

Trade prices rose 5.1 per cent in the first half of this year, the fastest six-month rise since 2022. HIA Senior Economist Tom Devitt attributes it partly to higher fuel costs being passed on, but says the underlying pricing power itself reflects how scarce skilled workers are.

Will slower home sales ease the tradie shortage?

Not quickly, according to Devitt. Builders are still working through a large backlog of homes sold months ago, and competing demand from renovations, infrastructure, energy projects, data centres and Brisbane Olympics preparation is adding sustained pressure to the same worker pool.

Sourced from Sourceable, Housing Industry Association. Original article.