Michael McLean

The state government’s latest round of approvals reforms has been hailed by the housing construction industry as a game-changer for affordability and another step towards the ultimate goal of private certification for planning and building.

Western Australia’s housing indemnity insurance scheme has been exposed by the collapse of two Perth-based builders, with the state government facing a $12 million cost and a rise in building insurance premiums expected as a result.

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With apprenticeship completion rates below 30 per cent in some industries, the business sector is continuing to push for reforms to vocational education and training.

Probuild's redevelopment at Cloisters on Hay has been named the state’s best construction project for 2015, ahead of 68 other entries at the Master Builders-Bankwest annual awards.

Construction industry groups say a code of conduct is urgently required to avoid a repeat of the widespread cost blowouts and disruptive industrial action that has plagued major projects in recent years.

The state government has replaced Labor’s Priority Start apprenticeship scheme with a new program it says will make it easier for building and construction companies to meet training targets.

Business groups in WA are taking the lead on forming a peak infrastructure council after state government failure to support the concept.

New home buyers are set to wear the costs stemming from the collapse of three Perth-based builders, including Gage Roads Construction and Capital Works Constructions.

Challenging conditions loom for homebuilders in WA, as demand for new housing slows after record-breaking peaks of activity last year.

Alternative construction techniques are gathering momentum in Western Australia, but not all builders are convinced that double brick’s dominance is about to end.

Liquidators have been called in to recover what they can from the assets of Scho Homes, with the builder’s collapse expected to put more pressure on Western Australia’s homebuilding insurance scheme.

WA chief executives are hoping a federal election year and a new direction from Malcolm Turnbull will ignite reforms needed to get the state moving again, according to the latest CEO survey by Business News.

Local property bodies have come together to oppose federal Labor’s plans to make changes to negative gearing.

WESTERN Australian property players are ramping up the rhetoric on negative gearing, warning that investors in this state would be among the hardest hit if tax breaks for making a loss on an investment property are rolled back.

The Barnett government and the Labor opposition have put forward their competing plans to better protect subcontractors and ensure they are paid for their involvement on government contracts.

Resolving disputes between contractors and subcontractors on government jobs is looming as a key state election issue.

Slowing residential construction has claimed more scalps, with the flow-on effects likely to have negative repercussions for the affordability of new housing.

Two more builders have gone bust as the transition from all-time highs of activity continues.

Western Australians have dominated the Master Builders Association’s national awards, with the top prize of residential builder of the year going to local Adrian Zorzi, and Built Holdings and Doric winning major prizes in the commercial categories for WA projects.

Unions have been put on notice with the revival of the Australian Building and Construction Commission, as the building sector celebrates the what it says is the return of law to the industry.

Western Australia’s biggest builders are facing higher insurance costs, in some cases understood to be as high as 25 per cent more, as the Building Commission moves to reduce the reliance on taxpayers to foot the bill for failures in the sector.

Fourth-generation commercial building company W Fairweather & Son was named the winner of the Master Builders Association’s Robert Law award at an event in Perth today.

Planning Minister Rita Saffioti has recruited experienced town planner and urban designer Evan Jones to head a review that she hopes will deliver a more strategic and streamlined planning process.

It was a big weekend on the national stage for Western Australia's building sector, with several of the state's top names recognised at the Master Builders Australia National Excellence in Building and Construction awards, held in Hobart.