Wednesday, 18 February 2026

 Wayne FARNHAM (Narracan) (19:14): (1535) My adjournment matter this evening is for the Minister for Housing and Building, and the action I seek is that the minister withdraw the grossly unfair minimum financial requirement that the government are passing through regulation at the moment. Such is the concern about these MFR regulations that once again the Housing Industry Association and Master Builders Victoria have issued a joint statement demanding that these regulations be withdrawn. They see these regulations as the death knell for many in the home building industry. Master Builders Victoria CEO Michaela Lihou has stated:

Industry feedback indicates this nightmare legislation will dramatically reduce the volume of work builders are permitted to undertake, even where demand exists at a time when Victoria urgently needs more housing. Where is the logic in that?

HIA Executive Director for Victoria Keith Ryan is quoted in the joint media release as saying:

… Victoria’s home builders have lost confidence in a government that they no longer believe will give them a fair go.

He also pointed out that the industry is:

… not looking for any favours here, just a government which might stop kicking builders in the guts and treat them with respect instead.

Those words cannot be any truer than what they are. The fact of the matter is that, particularly last year, the government has passed through so much legislation, and it is beating up builders from pillar to post. Every bit of legislation that has gone through this Parliament has stifled this industry. The government’s own figures say the government wants to build 80,000 homes a year. You failed on that figure. That failure will be exaggerated by the fact that this regulation will hamper more builders. I can tell you now that builders in the industry have had a gutful of this government. The government is either too arrogant or too stupid to listen to the industry. It is as simple as that. You cannot keep putting these demands on the industry. You will not have builders left to build homes in the middle of a housing crisis. It is that simple. The government has to stop being so arrogant and listen to the industry. They are warning the government time and time again, but the government turns a blind eye. This state will end up in a very, very poor situation when it comes to housing if the government keeps beating up the housing industry.

In closing, the MFR regulations must be withdrawn immediately, and the government must start a proper consultation process with the industry to develop workable regulations that protect consumers but also give builders a fair go. Honestly, stop beating them up. You will have no-one left.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I remind members that the use of the word ‘you’ means the Chair.