The current and worsening Australian truck driver shortage is not the only employment shortfall that could play havoc on the nation’s road freight capacity in the future, with a new Austroads report revealing significant shortages are expected in the national’s skilled road construction and maintenance worker sector in the coming years.
The report details New South Wales, South Australia and the ACT as particularly vulnerable to localised workforce deficits and increased road maintenance demand, with road activity across the nation expected to surge.
Western Australia is attempting to stay ahead of the issue by implementing new strategies to convince workers across Australia and New Zealand to head west and bolster the state’s industry.
The state government’s $10,000 incentive offered to qualified building and construction workers across Australia to relocate to the state has recently been extended to eligible New Zealand citizens, with application set to open in January 2025.
Austroads Chief Executive Geoff Allen says national responses in Australia and New Zealand are needed to address the impending shortfall.
“The report’s findings emphasise the need for a coordinated response to ensure workforce supply keeps pace with rising demand,” Allen says.
“Investing in education, improving retention, and attracting skilled professionals will be key to meeting the rising demand.
“Collaboration across government and industry will be vital to ensure the road sector is ready to meet the challenges ahead.”
Key projects including New Zealand’s Roads of National Significance have increased the demand for skilled workers across the two nations. The program is expected to increase New Zealand’s demand for skilled workers by 28 percent by 2027.
Western Australia’s “pipeline of building and construction projects” including the new Kwinana Port project will further increase competition to engage workers to complete road projects in the region, while Queensland’s Bruce Highway north of Gympie needs a dramatic upgrade to keep pace with other roads in the nation.
The Australia and New Zealand Roads Capability Analysis 2022-2032 follows previous workforce studies undertaken in 2006, 2009, 2013 and 2017, and has been updated with new workforce data through 2024.
The October 2024 updated version of the report is available here.
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