Constructing a bright future
MASTER BUILDERS BOSS RON BANNAH HAS SEEN THE BOOMS AND BUSTS IN CONSTRUCTION AND FEELS THINGS ARE STARTING TO LOOK UP AGAIN IN THE FAR NORTH, WRITES HAYDEN SMITH
Businessman Ron Bannah (right) likes what he sees. With his finger on the pulse, the Master Builders Far North Queensland regional manager says there is good cause to be upbeat. Born in Cairns, Mr Bannah has watched the city evolve.
A CAIRNS construction sector stalwart likes what he sees.
With his finger on the pulse, Master Builders Far North Queensland regional manager Ron Bannah says there is good cause to be upbeat.
“Last week I went to a lunch where there was a good mix of local project home builders and tier two commercial builders,” he said.
“Going around the table everyone was busy.”
Born and raised in Cairns, Mr Bannah has spent decades watching the city evolve.
The son of a World War II veteran, he took on a boiler- maker apprenticeship after leaving Trinity Bay State High School in Year 10.
He spent nearly 30 years at Cairns company NQEA, owned by Don Fry, becoming a draftsman before progressing to executive marketing manager.
“The experience I gained over the years there was just incredible and I’d do it all again,” Mr Bannah said.
“I really looked up to Don, he was dynamic and always would find a way to get things done.
“The grassroots stuff really helped me get to where I am today.” After a stint running Cairns’ Prestige Dry Cleaners, he started at Master Builders about 11 years ago.
While primarily from an engineering background, Mr Bannah took on the role with zeal.
“I always had a liking for the construction industry,” he said.
“In my earlier days, if someone came in we’d do some sketches and look at how we could turn it into something real and functional.
“It was a great feeling to be in it from the outset right through to completion.”
While “booming” when he began at Master Builders, the local construction sector’s prosperity was yet to face its largest hurdle.
According to a report by Cummings Economics the 2008 global financial crisis led to a “sudden halt” in Far North construction.
But Mr Bannah said the cycle was “starting to turn”.
“The GFC was very hard and all the industry stakeholders certainly suffered,” he said.
“We’re starting to see a lot of interest in the region at the moment, but we need one of these major projects that have been in the wings to happen.”
In its 2016 industry outlook Master Builders described the long-planned Aquis project as a potential “game changer” for the Far North.
Plans for a casino have now been taken off the table with
THE SON OF A WORLD WAR II VETERAN, HE TOOK ON A BOILERMAKER APPRENTICESHIP AFTER LEAVING TRINITY BAY STATE HIGH SCHOOL IN YEAR 10
developer Tony Fung downsizing the project to a resort and residential apartments.
But, with shares in James Packer’s Crown Resorts plummeting this week, Mr Bannah said he could see merit in scrapping the casino.
“Be it an $8 billion or $2 billion project, it will still be enormous for the region,” he said.
“I’m still quite optimistic the project will go ahead, but I’m not quite sure on the format.”
Mr Bannah said the $550 million Nova City residential and commercial development in the Cairns CBD would be a “shot in the arm” for Far North construction.
Master Builders Far North Queensland, based in Gatton Street, has a “fluctuating membership” of 650-850.
Buoyed by a thriving tour- ism industry, Cairns’ construction sector has an edge over other regional centres.
Local company Prime Group is now overseeing a major refurbishment of Rydges Tradewinds, bought in March by GA Group Australia, amid a bumper year for hotel sales.
“Cairns has always had the capability to handle any business transactions, from a snail’s pace to one hundred miles an hour,” Mr Bannah said.
At the Regional Major Projects Forum in Cairns on Tuesday, Construction Skills Queensland’s Robert Sobyra spoke about the “forces of change” bearing down on the industry.
“There will be much more of a focus on digital literacy skills, and at the moment that is just not front and centre,” Mr Sobyra said.
Mr Bannah said the construction sector needed to “get serious” about adapting to technological change.
“There’s always going to be the need for a power saw and timber framework, but we can’t lose sight of the fact the world around us is picking up momentum,” he said.
WE’RE STARTING TO SEE A LOT OF INTEREST IN THE REGION AT THE MOMENT, BUT WE NEED ONE OF THESE MAJOR PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE WINGS TO HAPPEN RON BANNAH