Home builder grant: Long wait for builders finally over

Gold Coast home owners are finally able to receive the $25,000 home builder grant after State Government delays.

THE Gold Coast building industry has finally been able to hit go on a number of projects following a long wait for the $25,000 Home builder grant.

As of this month, home owners are able to officially apply for the federal scheme first signed off in June. It follows long waits for the State Government to sign up and then establish an administrative process for the cash.

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50 per cent of Metricon Homes customers had applied for the Home builder grant. Photo: Brett Wortman.

The State Government, which is administering the scheme, was criticised by the opposition and some members of the construction industry for the delays.

The federal funding allows $25,000 to go towards renovations or new buildings that had been approved from June, for those on a lower income.

Construction firm Metricon Homes said close to 50 per cent of all Gold Coast customers were depending on the COVID-19 recovery grant.

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Metricon director and general manager of northern states Jason Biasin said many in the industry had been waiting since June.

“Customers and builders need certainty and transparency that the Government can finalise the paperwork in order to distribute the grant.

“The introduction of the Home Builder scheme has helped fuel record visitor numbers to the Metricon website, strong return visits to display homes and a good level of inquiry on the Gold Coast.

“The scheme has provided a real confidence booster for anyone thinking of building.”

State shadow minister for housing and public works Michael Hart said the administration process should have been sorted weeks earlier.

“The government took until 3 July to sign on to the home builder process, as the last government in Australia to sign on to it, and now apparently could not organise the paperwork for another month,” he said.

“This was a moment when the economy needs all the help it can get and we are seeing delays in funding.”

Shadow Minister for Energy, Biofuels and Water Supply and member for Bureligh Michael Hart said the state government had taken too long to open the process. Pics Tara Croser.

Despite the delays, Queensland Treasurer and Minister of Infrastructure and Planning Cameron Dick said Queensland was still the first state on the eastern seaboard to open applications for home builder.

“During these challenging times our mighty construction sector has continued to employ thousands of Queenslanders, and we’re backing our tradies and suppliers to keep building our economy,” he said.

“In addition to Home Builder, first homeowners in Queensland can get the $15,000 Queensland First Home Owners’ Grant.”