Master Builders Australia chief executive Denita Wawn says it was clear that, prior to the pandemic, "we simply would not have enough skilled people to meet the demand that is necessary for the population growth we'll see over the next 10 years".

"It's been exacerbated by the pandemic, because of the border closures, although it was positive to see the support of apprenticeships and additional funding," Ms Wawn says.

"As such, we saw a growth in numbers, but still not sufficient enough to meet the short-term and medium-to-long-term demand."

In practical terms, it means wait times for tradies are not expected to improve any time soon, even as some material shortages start to ease.

"I was speaking to a builder only yesterday, who was a medium-sized employer, who said they would pick up 30 carpenters in a heartbeat, tomorrow, just to complete existing jobs, let alone tender for new jobs," Ms Wawn says.

"They are no longer tendering at the moment for work, simply because they don't have the amount of people that they need."

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