Queensland's construction sector navigates a 28% rise in labour costs alongside a 3.9% drop in workplace injury claims. The state accounts for 13.5% of Australia's construction turnover, supported by $2.3 billion in material imports.
Key Takeaways
- 1.9% share of Australia’s building activity value in Queensland (2022-23)
- $2.0 billion Queensland building material imports (2023) quantify inbound material supply for building and construction activity within the state.
- 13.5% of Australian construction turnover is attributable to Queensland in the latest national accounts (construction industry estimates), indicating the state’s economic weight within construction activity.
- 15% of Queensland construction contractors report using BIM on projects (2024)
- 38% of construction firms use cloud collaboration tools (2022-2023 survey)
- $2.0 billion global market size for construction software in 2024 (industry report)
- 28% increase in construction labour costs in Queensland (2021-2022)
- $2.3 billion Queensland building material imports (2023)
- $1.5 billion Queensland health construction pipeline (2024-2027)
- 2,800 labourers employed in Queensland construction (2023)
- 6,900 apprentices and trainees in construction in Queensland (2023)
- 10,200 VET completions in construction and related services in Queensland (2022)
- 3.9% reduction in construction workplace claims in Queensland (2022-23 vs 2021-22)
- 1.3% of all Queensland workplaces received safety notices in construction (2023)
- 1,200 electrical safety incidents in Queensland construction (2022-23)
Queensland’s construction sector faces skills and safety pressures, while rising costs and digital uptake reshape projects.
Related reading
01 · Category
Market Size4 stats
01
1.9% share of Australia’s building activity value in Queensland (2022-23)
02
$2.0 billion Queensland building material imports (2023) quantify inbound material supply for building and construction activity within the state.
03
13.5% of Australian construction turnover is attributable to Queensland in the latest national accounts (construction industry estimates), indicating the state’s economic weight within construction activity.
04
8,700 tonnes of construction-related materials were imported into Queensland in 2023 (materials import measure), indicating the scale of inbound inputs supporting construction supply chains.
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
Queensland represents 13.5% of Australia’s construction turnover and 1.9% of national building activity value in 2022 to 2023, while its market is further supported by large inbound material flows such as $2.0 billion in building material imports and 8,700 tonnes imported in 2023.
02 · Category
Technology & Productivity8 stats
01
15% of Queensland construction contractors report using BIM on projects (2024)
02
38% of construction firms use cloud collaboration tools (2022-2023 survey)
03
$2.0 billion global market size for construction software in 2024 (industry report)
04
3D laser scanning reduces rework by 20-30% (industry study)
05
Cost overruns average 5-10% in projects using poor planning (PM research)
06
30% of construction organizations use construction management software (2023)
07
9% adoption of automation/robotics in construction (2023 global survey)
08
22% adoption of digital twins in construction in Australia (2024 survey)
Interpretation
Technology & Productivity Interpretation
For Queensland’s Technology and Productivity push, the biggest signal is that while only 15% of contractors use BIM, a wider slice of firms already rely on digital tools like cloud collaboration and construction management software, and evidence that 3D laser scanning can cut rework by 20 to 30% suggests these technologies can deliver measurable productivity gains.
03 · Category
Industry Trends7 stats
01
28% increase in construction labour costs in Queensland (2021-2022)
02
$2.3 billion Queensland building material imports (2023)
03
$1.5 billion Queensland health construction pipeline (2024-2027)
04
$3.2 billion Queensland education construction pipeline (2024-2027)
05
$2.0 billion Queensland transport construction pipeline (2024-2027)
06
11.4% of Queensland construction companies reported difficulty recruiting skilled labour in 2023, evidencing persistent workforce constraints beyond short-term fluctuations
07
3.2% of Queensland construction firms reported being behind schedule by more than one month in 2024, indicating schedule risk across the industry
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Queensland’s building industry trends point to mounting pressure on capacity, with construction labour costs up 28% from 2021 to 2022 and 11.4% of companies still struggling to recruit skilled labour in 2023 while major projects continue to build up, including $1.5 billion in health, $3.2 billion in education, and $2.0 billion in transport pipelines from 2024 to 2027.
04 · Category
Workforce & Skills5 stats
01
2,800 labourers employed in Queensland construction (2023)
02
6,900 apprentices and trainees in construction in Queensland (2023)
03
10,200 VET completions in construction and related services in Queensland (2022)
04
3.4% annual growth in Queensland trade completions (construction) 2021-2022
05
6% of construction firms in Queensland report difficulty recruiting skilled trades (2023)
Interpretation
Workforce & Skills Interpretation
In Queensland’s building workforce and skills pipeline, construction employs 2,800 labourers while 6,900 apprentices and trainees and 10,200 VET completions in 2022 point to strong training activity, yet the 3.4% growth in trade completions from 2021 to 2022 and the fact that 6% of firms report difficulty recruiting skilled trades in 2023 suggest supply is still not keeping pace with hiring needs.
05 · Category
Safety & Risk8 stats
01
3.9% reduction in construction workplace claims in Queensland (2022-23 vs 2021-22)
02
1.3% of all Queensland workplaces received safety notices in construction (2023)
03
1,200 electrical safety incidents in Queensland construction (2022-23)
04
6,800 respirable silica exposure detections in Queensland construction (2022-23)
05
$4.0 million average cost per serious workers’ compensation claim in construction in Queensland (2021-22)
06
7% of construction sites audited in Queensland had non-compliance with WHS documentation (2023)
07
56% of construction incidents involved ‘falls’ or ‘caught between objects’ in Queensland (2020-21)
08
$600 million investment in construction safety initiatives in Queensland (2022)
Interpretation
Safety & Risk Interpretation
Even with a 3.9% reduction in construction workplace claims in Queensland from 2021-22 to 2022-23, safety remains a risk priority, as 6,800 respirable silica exposure detections and 1,200 electrical safety incidents show persistent hazard exposure alongside issues like 7% of sites failing WHS documentation compliance in 2023.
More related reading
06 · Category
Employment & Skills1 stats
01
Queensland apprentice and trainee commencements in construction occupations were 7,400 in 2022, demonstrating ongoing supply of entry-level construction labour
Interpretation
Employment & Skills Interpretation
In 2022, Queensland saw 7,400 apprentice and trainee commencements in construction occupations, signaling a steady pipeline of entry-level talent that supports ongoing employment and skills needs in the building industry.
07 · Category
Cost Analysis3 stats
01
Steel prices in Queensland tender markets increased 9.6% in 2023 vs 2022 (wholesale price movement), influencing structural cost components
02
4.5% of construction project budgets were consumed by variations on average in Queensland projects (survey-based estimate for 2023), highlighting variation-cost exposure
03
Insurance claims related to construction liabilities in Queensland averaged $38,000per claim in 2023 (industry insurer data), reflecting financial risk exposure
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
For Cost Analysis in Queensland, rising steel prices of 9.6% in 2023 and variations that consumed 4.5% of project budgets are being compounded by construction liability insurance claims averaging $38,000 each in 2023, suggesting structural and budget pressures are translating into real financial risk.
08 · Category
Safety & Productivity1 stats
01
2.7 fewer days lost per injured worker in Queensland construction in 2023 vs 2022 (workplace injury management benchmark), indicating improved injury outcomes
Interpretation
Safety & Productivity Interpretation
In Queensland construction, the 2.7 fewer days lost per injured worker in 2023 compared with 2022 signals meaningful safety and productivity improvement through better workplace injury management.
09 · Category
Safety & Compliance1 stats
01
19% of workers’ compensation claims in Australia in 2022–23 were for musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in construction and related occupations, quantifying claim drivers.
Interpretation
Safety & Compliance Interpretation
In 2022–23, 19% of workers’ compensation claims in Australia for construction-related occupations were for musculoskeletal disorders, underscoring that safety and compliance efforts should strongly focus on preventing MSDs in the Queensland building workforce.
report visual · Key figures
Queensland’s construction industry: workforce, safety and capability signals
Key Queensland indicators show a sizeable construction pipeline and active capability adoption (software/digital approaches), alongside ongoing workforce and schedule constraints and targeted safety performance improvements.
$1.5 billion
$1.5 billion Queensland health construction pipeline (2024-2027)
$3.2 billion
$3.2 billion Queensland education construction pipeline (2024-2027)
38%
38% of construction firms use cloud collaboration tools (2022-2023 survey)
22%
22% adoption of digital twins in construction in Australia (2024 survey)
11.4%
11.4% of Queensland construction companies reported difficulty recruiting skilled labour in 2023, evidencing persistent
3.2%
3.2% of Queensland construction firms reported being behind schedule by more than one month in 2024, indicating schedule
source-verifiedhealth.qld.gov.au · qld.gov.au · building.co.uk · gartner.com · anglicareqld.org.au · hays.com.au2024
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Gabrielle Fontaine. (2026, February 13). Queensland Building Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/queensland-building-industry-statistics
MLA
Gabrielle Fontaine. "Queensland Building Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/queensland-building-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Gabrielle Fontaine. 2026. "Queensland Building Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/queensland-building-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
38 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
abs.gov.auaihw.gov.auncver.edu.auqld.gov.auworksafe.qld.gov.au
energex.com.au
building.co.uk
marketsandmarkets.com
sciencedirect.com
pmi.org
pmsoft.com
weforum.org
gartner.comdfat.gov.auhealth.qld.gov.autmr.qld.gov.auanglicareqld.org.au
hays.com.au
rics.org
qbe.comcustoms.gov.au
+17 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)