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Every year, the goalposts move for Australia’s tradies. New laws and regulations come in and trends, innovations and techniques are updated. While some can be a challenge, like the great silica ban of 2024 that meant a complete change to how many tradies work (for the better), others, like the way we embraced entertaining at home, meant a boon for anyone working in the residential arena.
So, what is set to shape the building and construction industry in 2025? We asked experts working with tradies in the country’s top organisations and regulatory bodies what key updates and trends you need to jump onboard with in the new year.
The horizon for growth in the residential and civil building and construction sectors going into 2025 looks promising.
“[We] should start seeing inflation under control and interest rates lowered,” Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn says. “Our forecasts expect a period of growth for the industry over 2024-25 and 2025-26 across residential and civil construction, but a slight drop-off in non-residential before picking up again.”
Of course, with a Federal Election looming – due by May 2025 – there will be updates you’ll need to be across on the building and construction front.
“We can expect a lot of policy announcements in the lead-up [to the election],” Denita says. “We will continue to lobby both sides to ensure these changes don’t negatively impact building and construction. Housing supply and labour shortages are front and centre issues, and we expect more changes in this space.”
The big takeaway?
Be prepared, things are about to get busier.
The federal government has set a target to construct 1.2 million new homes in the next five years. “This is an ambitious target given the levels of red tape, escalating costs and looming trade shortages the residential construction industry grapples with,” Housing Industry Australia (HIA) deputy executive (Victoria) Steven Wojtkiw says. “But it’s especially ambitious given that the industry has only come close to the required level of activity on two occasions (2016 and 2021), and in both those years the stretch and capacity to deliver was deeply felt.”
HIA works to help the residential building industry strive to reach this target and does so by regularly engaging with local, state and federal government about issues faced by the industry. These include employment and industrial relations, migration, contracts, planning, building codes and standards and workplace health and safety. “The aim is to make positive change that enables the industry to get on with what it’s best at – building,” Steven says.
The big takeaway?
Keep on top of changes to the industry by staying engaged with HIA.
Carpentry Australia has called out their new Member Portal as a key innovation for 2025 to help Aussie chippies and the way they go about their business.
The portal will connect carpenters with builders and the public, says Carpentry Australia’s head of development Nathan Quinn. “It’ll allow members to showcase qualifications, safety compliance and insurance; streamline hiring processes; and help carpenters grow their businesses.”
Also coming up is an expansion of the Helping Hand Day initiatives, encouraging the carpentry community to give back with working bees to help the underprivileged, as well as offering community support and education facilities. Plus, a series of national conferences “uniting the industry for growth” will be held Australia-wide. The events aim to drive collaboration, provide education and offer networking opportunities to help professionals stay ahead of industry trends.
The big takeaway?
Watch out for the portal, it’s being touted by Carpentry Australia as the next big thing to help boost your business.
One fall is one fall too many, with regulators and Safe Work Australia (SWA) focusing on this area this year.
Tragically, 200 workers were fatally injured at work in 2023 (compared to 195 in 2022), according to SWA’s Key Work Health and Safety Statistics Australia 2024 report.
Falls from a height was the second highest contributor to worker fatalities (vehicle accidents were the most common), with a concerning increase of 71 per cent since 2022, from 17 to 29 fatalities.
“The data reinforces the importance of a strong legislative framework to protect workers and others, and serves as a call to action for everyone who has work health and safety obligations and all of us in work health and safety roles,” SWA’s CEO Marie Boland says.
SWA will also be developing an interactive tool to help workers understand the risks around plant use and to minimise accidents due to unsafe ground conditions.
The big takeaway?
Follow safety rules when working at height; regulators will be enforcing it.
Tip: Always wear the appropriate safety equipment (PPE, work boots and safety shoes, workwear, safety harness and fall arrest equipment, for example) as per SWA regulations. Always follow the instructions for the product or equipment.
The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) has a specific goal in mind as 2025 unfolds. “Throughout 2025, NAWIC will campaign to make sure 30 per cent of trade roles are filled by women by the year 2030,” NAWIC’s national communications coordinator Stephanie Daemon says. “By meeting Federal and State Ministers and promoting construction pathways (including through university), the plan is to boost the engagement of the next generation of women in construction.”
Another initiative will be to make sure those young women who do take up a trade actually complete their training. Currently, 72 per cent of young women cancel their apprenticeships within the first year*. NAWIC wants to bring that down to 50 per cent, closer in line with their male counterparts.
“Our vision is to increase female representation in the construction industry,” Stephanie says.
The big takeaway?
It’s a year of helping female tradies succeed.
Education will be key for the plumbing industry, particularly given the introduction of mandatory continual professional development (CPD).
“In an industry as dynamic as plumbing, where innovations, technologies, systems, techniques and materials are constantly being developed, refined and incorporated into the built environment, keeping abreast of changes and reinforcing knowledge is not just a nice to have, it is essential to ensure currency,” says Peter Daly, CEO of Master Plumbers and Mechanical Services Association of Australia (MPMSA). Despite skills shortages, demand for qualified plumbers will only increase as we transition to a low-carbon economy. “It is vital that governments, industry and employers continue to offer pathways to apprenticeships and traineeships to ensure a pipeline of new skilled workers,” Peter says.
The big takeaway?
Know any young tradies thinking of plumbing? Now is their time.
In 2025, sparkies will need extra fire in their bellies as Australia moves to a net zero (greenhouse gas) economy. Infrastructure electrification will mean a lot of potential new work for electricians and may see a rise in workers to the field.
“For Australia to have any chance of meeting the government’s renewable energy targets, modelling shows we will require an additional 35,000 electricians by 2030,” says Tom Emeleus, General Manager for National Electrical and Communications Association (NECA) Training and Apprenticeships. “With the new Closing the Loopholes legislation, workforce planning and flexible work arrangements have become more complicated. For many contractors, hosting an apprentice is a great way to build a workforce with the most current skills training and begin to future-proof your business. NECA is able to assist here.”
The big takeaway?
Busy sparkies will be on the frontline of net zero.
A continuing trend in the landscaping space in 2025, says CEO of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) Ben Stockwin, is the move toward biodiversity in design. In backyards as well as public spaces, threatened plants can be reintroduced to urban environments with pollinators in particular making a huge difference.
He also calls out a major development for the coming year – and beyond – is encouraging landscapers to remember the often-overlooked green spaces when they’re taking on a residential project. “Research has shown up to 36 per cent of public greenland is nature strips and verges,” Ben says. “How to make the best use of that is a great thought challenge for landscapers to consider.”
The big takeaway?
Getting back to nature and the great outdoors is in.
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Asbestos, lead-based paints and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber are health hazards you need to look out for when renovating older homes. These substances can easily be disturbed when renovating and exposure to them can cause a range of life-threatening diseases and conditions including cancer. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer or visit our Health & Safety page.
When following our advice in our videos, make sure you use all equipment, including PPE, safely by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Check that the equipment is suitable for the task and that PPE fits properly. If you are unsure, hire an expert to do the job or talk to a Bunnings Team Member.
