Why building a house takes longer than it used to

A proper review of the building code. The Commission has called for an independent review of building regulation, with a focus on the National Construction Code. Rules should be judged on what they cost as well as what they deliver.

National licensing. A licensed tradesperson in one state should be able to work in another without starting from scratch.

Better pipeline planning. Governments can stagger major infrastructure projects so they don't all compete for the same workforce at once.

Support for apprentices and new methods. Keeping people in the trades through the tough early years, and backing builders willing to try prefabricated components, would lift output over time.

Why it matters

Australia's governments have committed to building 1.2 million homes in five years. That target won't be met by asking the same number of workers to work harder. It will only be met if each hour on site produces more housing than it does now.

For builders, faster and more predictable programs mean lower risk and healthier businesses. For buyers, they mean lower costs and getting the keys sooner. Productivity sounds like an economist's word, but on a building site it just means fewer delays, and everyone wants that.