Allan government unveils plan to make Victoria centre for housing manufacturing

The state government has unveiled a plan to make Victoria a new centre for housing manufacturing, as it looks to create thousands of jobs in the pre-fab housing industry.

The state government is planning to make Victoria a new centre for housing manufacturing.

The Sunday Herald Sun can reveal the Allan government is looking to create thousands of jobs in the pre-fab housing industry.

Following its recent announcement on sites for new housing the Allan government will now push for the supercharging of a new industry to make most of the components for a new home on an assembly line before being taken to a site for rapid construction.

Among the parts that would be built off site would be walls, panels, framing, roofs and floors.

Premier Allan told the Sunday Herald Sun “we are considering ways to grow our skilled workforce, using modern methods of construction to build more homes – faster.

“We know we need more quality homes – of all types, for all budgets big and small.”

The new push will be outlined in the Allan government’s new Economic Growth Statement later this year and follows the revelation in this masthead of the government’s Open for Business push.

The Allan government wants more quality homes built faster. Picture: Nadir Kinani

It is understood the Allan government will work with TAFE, higher education and industry groups to develop its housing manufacturing plan with an emphasis on mass production of houses off site that would make new homes cheaper and quicker to construct, further supporting its plans to build more homes for Victorians.

Australian Industry Group Victorian head, Tim Piper, welcomed moves to ramp up manufacturing options for the housing industry.

“There are innovative options available within manufacturing supplies to the building industry which need significant investment and can create many opportunities for businesses, employees and the housing industry in general,” he said.

“It’s a positive development to be pushing to develop and use technologies which have become available.

“We know that ramping up the housing industry can create thousands of new jobs.

“However, the biggest challenge for both industry and the state government will be to attract enough workers and to develop the skills needed.”

The government wants to make Victoria a new centre for housing manufacturing.

Mr Piper said “considerable competition” remained for the skills required to supply the housing industry.

“The government should also take heed of the considerable extra costs being imposed on building suppliers,” he said.

“The cost of energy, in particular the policies relating to gas use are an impediment to production, the increasing cost of regulation, the need to develop skilled workers quickly and a recognition that additional government fees and taxes are a problem.

“All of these things need to be taken account of in the government’s positive push to increase the level of production.

“Those businesses which currently supply to the building industry in Victoria will want to be at the forefront of supporting the governments initiative to develop more opportunities for everybody.

“Obviously it will mean more government resourcing but it will pay off in the medium to longer term.”