FALLING construction rates and increasing uncertainty is causing alarm in the local building industry.
Building Commission data released earlier this month showed that building permits issued in Melton last year were down almost 10 per cent on 2010.
Melton MP Don Nardella said a large number of jobs had disappeared from the local building industry.
“The Master Builders Association of Victoria is especially concerned, with executive director Brian Welch claiming that banks are not green-lighting enough projects, with many projects in the commercial sector hamstrung getting financial support,” he said.
Melton construction worker Andrew, who asked that his surname not be used, said job security in the local construction industry was very uncertain.
“My employer has told me there is a guaranteed three months work ahead, but beyond that it is not so sure.”
Andrew said many people were in fear of the global financial situation.
“Banks are struggling to get the same returns on their investments offshore, therefore they are becoming stricter with their lending criteria. It is much more difficult for private individuals and businesses as well.”
Andrew said he feared most construction employees would no longer be guaranteed five to six days of work a week, such was the industry’s decline.
The ‘small area labour markets’ figures for the December quarter, released last week, show that Melton’s general jobless rate was 8per cent, up from 6.7 per cent.
The number of unemployed in Melton surged by 641 to reach almost 4000.
Melton resident Sharon Rayment has created a Facebook page for local jobseekers after noticing the increase in unemployment.
She said the ‘Melton and Surrounds’ jobseekers page aimed to bring employees and employers together. Since it was launched last month, 67 people have joined and some have uploaded their resumes.
Ms Rayment said she hoped she could help people like Peter Swan, who is looking for a part-time job while he completes a diploma of accounting at RMIT.
“I’ve tried to get a job in retail but I am limited to only working school hours
because I have a child with a disability,” Ms Rayment said.
“But every mother out there wants the same kind of hours which makes it hard.”
