Three days to the election.

ACT Labor: Women in construction

ACT Labor has pledged to double the try-a-trade program, expanding it to 10 public schools, encouraging more women to work in construction.

The program includes a semester-long elective, “Women in Construction”, which introduces students to diverse careers in the industry and connects them with industry professionals.

The expansion would allow 2,000 Year 8 students to participate in a curriculum-based unit, and 220 Year 9 and 10 students to gain work experience. The public schools that participate would be chosen based on need and demand.

Independents for Canberra candidate Leanne Foresti noted, however, that the ACT Government “pulled funding” from the program this year, despite 70 students graduating.

Ms Foresti, who runs a concrete remediation business, and is a long-time advocate for supporting more women into a career in construction, said: “While I commend Labor on this announcement … had it not been an election year, I suspect the original decision to stop funding would have stood.

“I believe this announcement has been made to secure votes, rather than as a genuine effort to secure the future of women in construction in the ACT.

“The questions we should be asking are: why is Labor only committing to funding it now? Why only 10 schools? And, most importantly, where is the long-term plan?”

Master Builders ACT welcomed Labor’s announcement.

CEO Anna Neelagama said: “We welcome any initiative to attract more young women to building and construction. Diversifying the workforce is essential to addressing our ongoing builder and trade shortages.

“There is a chronic skills shortage across every single trade in the ACT and nationwide. Currently, women make up just 13.6 per cent of Australia’s construction industry workforce, and only 3.7 per cent of them are ‘on the tools’. 

“We would like to see more of these kinds of initiatives from government to encourage young women into building. While Labor’s plan represents a relatively modest investment in Canberra’s future builder workforce, it is a welcome and positive step. 

“We know that the number of people joining the industry each year is not enough to keep up with demand. There are overall significantly less young people taking up apprenticeships in building and construction, and to reverse this, we need to do more to promote the value of Australian apprenticeship pathways to young people.

“We need to give young women access to unbiased careers education and information. We also need to remove the bias towards higher education so that young women have the same opportunities to pursue trade apprenticeships as their male counterparts.”

Peter Strong (Strong Independents) said: “The idea of supporting g women in construction is commendable but also has been around for decades. Obviously Labor isn’t good at doing it, but great at talking about it. Labor should also support women in the health sector and education, but the unions in those sectors seem to be treated as secondary importance. Why is that? Find out by electing Strong Independents.”

Labor says its initiative supports its plan to construct 30,000 new homes by the end of 2030, and infrastructure projects like light rail to Commonwealth Park, a new aquatic centre, northside hospital, and renovated Canberra Theatre.

Belco Party: Housing policy

The Belco Party has announced its housing policy, shaped by feedback from a community forum attended by residents, housing experts, and stakeholders.

The Belco Party says its solutions to address the supply and affordability issues Canberra faces are:

1. Increased Land Release to Meet Market Demand: The ACT Government’s restrictive land release strategy has been criticised for “drip-feeding” the market. The ACT needs a more flexible and responsive approach to land release, where the amount of land released is based on market demand rather than arbitrary government limits.

“The government currently controls the land supply, and is not releasing enough to meet demand,” Belco Party co-convenor Bill Stefaniak stated. “Our policy calls for a more dynamic, market-driven approach to land release, which will help lower land prices and make housing more accessible for more Canberrans.”

The Real Estate Institute of the ACT (REIACT) said it supports measures to make new housing more accessible through increasing the supply of affordable land. “With construction costs unlikely to significantly be reduced in the near future, this is one lever the Government can pull immediately,” CEO Maria Edwards said.

2. Capping Land Prices to Reduce Barriers to Home Ownership: The cost of land in Canberra is exorbitant. The Belco Party would cap land prices, which  would prevent runaway land costs from locking out first-time homebuyers and lower-income families, ensuring that more Canberrans can own their homes.

3. Ban on Foreign Investment in Residential Property: Foreign investors drive up property prices, exacerbating the housing affordability crisis. The Belco Party calls for a ban on foreign investment in residential properties in the ACT. This would ensure that local families and individuals are prioritised in the housing market.

REIACT, however, thought that a ban on foreign investment was unlikely to have a significant effect on house prices: latest figures indicating less than 5 per cent of all properties sold go to offshore purchasers.

4. Zoning Reform to Support Housing Flexibility: Restrictions prevent property owners from building larger second dwellings on their blocks. The Belco Party would allow homeowners with larger blocks to construct second dwellings, increasing the supply of housing and providing options for those in need, including victims of family violence.

5. Tiny Houses on Wheels (THOWs) as an Affordable Housing Option: These small, mobile homes are currently not allowed under ACT regulations, but the Belco Party is advocating for their inclusion as a legitimate housing solution. By making the ACT the first jurisdiction in Australia to fully embrace THOWs, the territory could attract new residents while providing affordable housing options for young people and downsizers.

“THOWs offer a creative and affordable housing solution that meets the needs of a variety of people, from young Canberrans entering the market to older residents looking to downsize,” Mr Stefaniak said. “It could even create a new industry for the ACT, attracting people to the unique lifestyle THOWs offer.”

6. Expansion of Modular Housing Options: With the construction industry facing supply shortages and a lack of tradespeople, modular housing offers a quicker, more efficient solution to meet the growing demand for affordable housing and alleviate housing pressure.

7. Incentives for Downsizing to Free Up Larger Homes: Older Canberrans who wish to move to smaller homes are deterred by the high associated costs, which can exceed $100,000. The Belco Party would remove these financial penalties by offering government incentives to older residents looking to downsize, thereby freeing up larger homes for families who need them.

REIACT said incentives for down-sizers were positive, but it believes the biggest barrier for older Canberrans is securing a suitable dwelling to down-size into. “There are plenty of one bedroom units for sale in the market at the moment, but this is often not a suitable housing alternative for someone with a pet or regular extended family visits,” Ms Edwards said.

8. Ongoing Community Engagement on Housing Solutions: The Belco Party remains committed to involving the community in further housing solutions.

“The only silly idea is the one that isn’t raised,” co-convenor Jason Taylor said. “We’re here to listen, and together, we can work to develop a housing market that works for everyone.

“The Belco Party’s housing policy represents a bold, comprehensive approach to addressing the ACT’s housing crisis. With a focus on increasing land supply, capping prices, introducing innovative housing solutions like Tiny Houses on Wheels, and removing barriers to downsizing, the policy aims to create a more affordable and accessible housing market for all Canberrans”.

“A range of alternatives need to be looked at, and good to see the Belco-party thinking outside the box in relation to solutions that could be implemented immediately,” Ms Edwards said. “More needs to be done also, though, from all parties on encouraging long term supply initiatives which will suit those evolving households currently left with little choice other than to sit tight.”

Peter Strong AM (Strong Independents) said: “We congratulate the Belco team for a policy that provides choices, opportunities and imagination – things that do not exist with the current government.”

Strong Independents: Fewer corflutes

The Strong Independents propose reducing the number of corflutes allowed during ACT elections to 50 per candidate, a fifth of what is currently allowed, down from the current 250. Peter Strong noted that this could mean as many as 35,000 candidates around Canberra.

The party also proposes permitting unattended A-frames or large posters with candidate or party information attached to be placed closer to the voting place, giving voters access to information without being approached by candidates or volunteers. Candidates and volunteers are not allowed to distribute pamphlets 100 metres or fewer from a voting place. Elections ACT would develop guidelines for the unattended A-frames.

Ann Bray said: “We appreciate the concerns of Canberra residents regarding the ugliness and environmental impact that these corflutes have, even if it is for a limited time. The options discussed are to ban them totally or, as we propose, to limit the number. A total ban would make it difficult for smaller parties and independents to get noticed – an advantage for the major parties – and a potential negative impact on people’s ability to choose.”