Collaboration in Australian Construction Industry: Unions, employers and Government working together

In an historic step forward for the Australian construction industry, members of the National Construction Industry Forum (NCIF), driven by their shared commitment to address the industry’s pressing challenges, worked together to develop an agreed draft “Blueprint for the Future” that creates opportunity for a paradigm shift across all facets of the industry.

The NCIF is a statutory body formally established in Part 6,sections S789GZC -789GZQ  of the Fair Work Act.

Dr Rod Harrison, Principal Consultant at Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors was engaged by the Australian Government in October 2024 to facilitate workshops with key stakeholders of the NCIF over five months to develop this Blueprint.

Dr Harrison, a highly experienced industrial relations practitioner and former Deputy President of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission, Fair Work Commission, and the New South Wales Industrial Relations Commission, was supported by The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations to bring members together in productive and focussed discussions that represented a tripartite collaboration to create significant lasting and tangible change in the industry.

The construction industry accounts for the highest share of employees employed in small businesses across any industry. The NCIF identified four threads of safety, culture, productivity and sustainability that underpinned the decision-making throughout the workshops.

The resulting ‘Blueprint’ represents a shared commitment and collaboration from unions, industry and government on matters that affect workers and business.  

Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Senator the Hon Murray Watt, Chair of NCIF, and Ministerial members The Hon. Catherine King MP and The Hon Ed Husic MP, issued a joint press statement with Minister Watt stating  “The draft Blueprint represents a collective effort to move forward – together.”

The Blueprint will be a living document that will inform the work of the NCIF and  be open to regular review by the Forum as change takes place.