Bunbury Mail: WA tradies are seeing wages fall after mining boom

In this article, Bunbury Mail delved into the recent findings indicating a decline in wages for tradesmen in Western Australia (WA) following the mining boom.

Through insights from ServiceSeeking.com.au, the article uncovered the factors contributing to this trend and its implications for the local construction sector.

Key Points:

• New data from the trade services website Service Seeking reveals a significant downturn of 25% in building and construction costs in WA.
• The hourly rate for tradesmen has fallen to $59.27, marking a 7.9% decrease in the last quarter alone.
• Housing Industry Association economist Geordan Murray attributes the decline to the slowdown in the mining industry, which previously inflated construction costs during the boom.
• Master Builders Association WA housing director Jason Robertson notes minimal decreases in trade rates in the South West, citing a lack of substantial increases in recent years.
• Busselton tiler Jeffrey Casellas highlights the stagnant rates in the Southwest despite rising complexities in builds and the cost of living.
• The Tradie Price Index, derived from 52,000 quotes submitted through ServiceSeeking.com.au provides insight into the shifting landscape of trade wages in the region.

Read more: https://www.bunburymail.com.au/story/4257787/tradies-feeling-the-pinch/?cs=12