Australia has begun its three-year transition to reduce allowable lead levels in many plumbing products. This initiative aims to improve water quality and safeguard public health. To support the transition, the Lead Free WaterMark trademark has been registered, and WaterMark Notice of Direction 2021/4.2 Certification transition arrangements for lead-free...

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has raised interest rates again, surprising both borrowers and financial markets. This marks the 11th increase in the past year, lifting the cash rate target from 3.6 to 3.85 per cent. The last time official interest rates were this high or higher was in...

A 28-year-old worker was installing insulation batts on the third level of a residential construction site when he fell approximately three metres through a stair void to the concrete floor below. The worker sustained serious injuries.

Safety information

Each year SafeWork NSW responds...

The new Minister for Work Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis is urging businesses and workers across the State to follow forklift safety guidelines with 1,538 serious forklift related incidents reported in the past five years.

The NSW Government has hit the ground running with Minister Cotsis visiting safety education sessions...

NSW will transition to a pathology referral model for COVID-19 PCR testing, in line with changes already in place across all other Australian states and territories.

Minister for Health Ryan Park said it is the right time to move away from the current testing arrangements, which will end on 13...

The National Construction Code (NCC) 2022 commences from today in New South Wales, ushering in a range of changes to construction regulations. The NCC 2022, which includes the Building Code of Australia (Volumes One and Two) and the Plumbing Code of Australia (Volume Three), was made available from October 1...

Master Builders Australia has released its blueprint for future-proofing the building and construction industry's workforce in the wake of a shortage of half a million workers.

With critical shortages across industries and skill levels hindering economic recovery and productivity growth, the paper outlines what will be needed in the coming...

Amid a difficult economic climate, the building and construction industry welcomes the Reserve Bank of Australia’s decision to pause interest rates today, says Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn.

“Interest rate rises coupled with rising inflation have forced building and construction activity and new homes sales to slow sharply over...

In February, new loans for owner occupiers to build a home fell 4.8% to 2732 in seasonally adjusted terms, which is the lowest in Australian Bureau of Statistics records that go back to 2002. This has exacerbated Australia’s housing crisis at a time when builders are more vulnerable than ever...

The ABS has released February 2023 data for building approvals and lending figures.

Master Builders Australia chief economist Shane Garrett says there was a 4.0 per cent increase in the number of new homes approved during February 2023. Detached house building approvals drove the improvement with a gain of 11.3...