Subcontractor viability critical to Blueprint for Change
The National Electrical and Communications Association (NECA) welcomes the commitment made by the Albanese Government at the recent National Construction Industry Forum (NCIF) to develop a Building and Construction Industry Blueprint within the next six months.
As an inaugural member of the NCIF, NECA has been actively involved in shaping this initiative, viewing it as an opportunity to strengthen the industry.
As the subcontractors' voice on the NCIF, NECA will maintain that the Blueprint must address and establish a unified framework to ensure that subcontractors can expect a reliable framework that ensures payment for the work that they perform across Australia. Additionally, we aim to identify and address unfair contractual terms imposed on subcontractors within the construction industry. We believe these must be essential elements of the Blueprint to ensure subcontractors are always paid for their work.
The NCIF’s efforts will complement existing initiatives, building on the progress made through the National Construction Strategy, the Construction Industry Culture Taskforce, and the Construction Industry Leadership Forum. These combined efforts aim to deliver tangible, measurable outcomes that will benefit the entire industry.
NECA CEO Oliver Judd said, “Subcontractors are essential to the construction sector and face unique and specific issues. We believe the Blueprint is a great starting point to develop a stronger, more sustainable future for the construction industry, and we are committed to an ongoing process of fairness and equity for all workers and businesses in our sector.”