In response to the Federal Government’s HomeBuilder scheme Suresh Manickam, CEO of the National Electrical and Communications Association (NECA) said:

“NECA welcomes the Government’s recognition of the critical role the construction industry will play in rebuilding the Australian economy as we emerge from the COVID crisis. 

“Any support for the industry is positive and this is a good taster, but what we really need is industry-wide measures that will support lower value projects, which will protect jobs while benefitting more Aussie households. We will continue to engage with the Government and we look forward to seeing a comprehensive package to support both the industry and home owners. 

“That’s why NECA will be launching its Four Point Plan to Power the Economy, which has been informed by surveying the electrical and communications industry, who along with many other Aussies are facing significant hardship and see their pipeline of work falling off a cliff.

“As well as being a litmus test for the construction industry, electrical contracting is an indicator of the broader economy. If electrical work isn’t taking place, it means we are not upgrading technology to improve productivity, it means we are not building to power growth and it means we are not embracing electrification to transition to a clean, modern economy.

“We need Government support for a broader range of projects that will power the Australian economy, protect livelihoods and ensure we realise a rapid bounce back to growth.”

ENDS