Media Release 

Matthew Pollock, Executive Director of Master Builders NSW said, “Increasing minimum wages by 6 per cent and 4.75 per cent for award wages when productivity isso weak will mean labour costs and productivity drift further apart.

“There is nothing wrong with a pay rise but there...

Perhaps the second most important number to Australian home-buyers (after interest rates) was released by the ABS this morning.

CPI for April, 2026 came in at 4.2%, down from 4.6% last month.

The biggest contributor to that fall, unsurprisingly, was fuel prices due to changes to excise arrangements...

The average cost of constructing new detached houses in NSW has risen by nearly $300,000 in the 18 years from 2007/08 to 2024/25. 

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Meanwhile the average cost per square metre of constructing an apartment project in NSW has more than doubled over the same period. 

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The building regulation update focuses on three issues relevant to NSW builders and contractors: the release and phased adoption of NCC 2025, the Commonwealth’s NCC modernisation process, and the Federal Government’s pledge to remove paywalls on legislated Australian Standards.

NCC 2025 implementation

NCC 2025 (final version) was published on 1...

The average cost of building new housing increased every year for the past 18 years between 2007/08 and 2024/25 as did the cost per square metre (SQM) while the average floor area of detached houses, apartments and townhouses have fluctuated. 

Detached houses: 

Per SQM new houses are most expensive...

Construction businesses made up a quarter of all businesses in the economy entering external administration in April 2026. 

NSW accounted for around half (148 total or 44%) of the construction firms (308 total) entering external administration nationally in April 2026. NSW had by far the highest number of construction...

As many members are aware, the Building Commission has been conducting site inspections including in regional areas. Many members have been penalised for not including address details on site signs. 

This led to questions about whether this is actually required under legislation. The Building Commission has confirmed that the...

Big changes to property taxation and trusts will impact Master Builders NSW members and the industry. 

Breaking the promise he made at the last Federal Election, the Prime Minister has given the ok for changes to Negative Gearing and Capital Gains Tax arrangements. 

From 1 July 2027, Negative...

Media Release

Changes to property taxes and trusts mean that SME construction businesses are the losers from this Budget. 

Media contact: Ben Carter | Head of Government Relations, Marketing & Corporate Affairs | 0447 775 507 | bcarter@mbansw.asn.au

The latest CPI for the March quarter shows that housing inflation continues to accelerate tracking at 6.6% in NSW over the previous 12 months to March 2026.

High housing inflation is threatening the viability of new housing projects by pushing the cost of new housing construction up even higher...