Building Equality In Construction

More women will enter Victoria’s construction industry thanks to the Andrews Labor Government’s world-leading policy to improve gender equality in the building, infrastructure and civil engineering sectors.

The Government’s Building Equality Policy (BEP) is an Australian first and will disrupt gender stereotypes in the country’s most male dominated industry.

The BEP will apply to new government projects and mandates female representation in at least three per cent of each trade role, seven per cent of each non-trade position and 35 per cent of management, supervisor and specialist labour roles.

In effect from 1 January 2022, the BEP also mandates that four per cent of labour hours for apprentices and trainees will be required to be performed by women.

The Government has invested $3.5 million to support the implementation of the policy and a further $1.5 million for the delivery of medium and long-term actions from the Women in Construction Strategy 2019-22.

Over the past 30 years, women have consistently comprised only two-to-three per cent of the construction workforce, with the coronavirus pandemic having a disproportionate impact on women’s workforce participation, employment and economic security.

The new requirements are being introduced through Victoria’s Social Procurement Framework (SPF) for works valued at $20 million or more over the life of the project.

There will be a two-year transitional implementation period and action on non-compliance will kick in from January 2024.

Victoria’s Building Industry Consultative Council (BICC) has worked collaboratively on the development of the policy and will continue to provide support and guidance to help industry understand their obligations and comply.