Double state workforce
will need to double its projected public infrastructure workforce over the next four years if it is to complete its promised $5.7bn worth of projects, according to a new national report.
Infrastructure Australia’s Infrastructure Market Capacity Report, released on Wednesday, found Tasmania, Victoria and Queensland were at the greatest risk of labour shortages between 2021 and 2025, with all three states expected at times to require approximately double the projected available workforce within their borders – or, in Tasmania’s case, more than double.
“Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia have made project commitments requiring large supply in structures and civil trades and labour … (which) underscores the magnitude of growth in these states and territories – often upward of 150 per cent through to 2022,” the report reads.
Infrastructure Australia chief executive Romilly Madew said major public infrastructure activity across the country would peak at $52bn in 2023.
“This record investment creates new opportunities for local business and employment; however, also risks constraints in the capacity of the market to meet this growth in investment,” she said.
Civil Contractors Federation
chief executive Rachael Matheson said work was being undertaken to prepare Tasmania’s civil construction sector for the infrastructure boom.
“We welcome the Tasmanian government’s record investment in infrastructure,” Ms Matheson said.
“This investment gives us the opportunity to boost the economy as we recover from Covid, and to set up our sector for the next decade.
“However, as the Infrastructure Australia report makes clear, we need to grow our workforce.”
State Development, Construction and Housing Minister Michael Ferguson explained the Tasmanian government was aware of the looming labour shortage, which is why it had committed $9m to form a “hi-vis army” so that the industry could grow its workforce by 25 per cent, or 6500 people.
The government estimates this to be the expected labour shortfall by 2025. Infrastruc TASMANIA ture Australia, meanwhile, believes that in 2023 there will be an expected shortfall of 7400 workers in Tasmania.
“Our program is keeping builders busy and we are taking action to encourage more workers to do the future projects,” Mr Ferguson said.
“We are aware of this issue, which is exactly why we took a policy to the election in order to support our ambitious infrastructure program with more promotion and training for more workers.”