Behind the soaring cranes and bustling worksites, Western Australia's building industry isn't just shaping the state's skyline—it's powering its economy with record employment, wages, and a transformative $48.3 billion in engineering projects that highlight both its massive contributions and the pressing challenges of skilled labour shortages and safety.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, Western Australia's building industry employed 128,400 full-time equivalent workers, marking a 4.8% increase from 2021.
- The average weekly earnings for construction workers in WA reached $2,150 in the June 2023 quarter, up 6.2% year-on-year.
- Females accounted for 12.5% of the WA construction workforce in 2022, with 16,000 women employed in the sector.
- In 2021-22, WA's building industry contributed $32.4 billion to GDP, 8.2% of state total.
- Total building work done in WA reached $28.7 billion in 2022-23.
- Residential building approvals value in WA was $15.2 billion in 2022.
- In 2022, WA approved 18,450 new dwellings, a 15% rise from 2021.
- Detached house approvals in WA totaled 12,200 units valued at $8.9 billion in 2022.
- Multi-residential dwellings approved in Perth metro area: 4,850 units in 2022.
- In 2022, WA non-residential building approvals totalled 1,250 projects valued at $6.8 billion.
- Office building work done in WA reached $1.9 billion in 2022.
- Retail and wholesale non-residential approvals value: $2.1 billion in WA 2022.
- In 2022-23, WA road and bridge infrastructure projects totalled $7.2 billion in value.
- Rail infrastructure expenditure in WA reached $4.8 billion in 2022.
- Water supply and sewerage construction value: $2.1 billion in WA 2022.
WA's building industry is growing strongly but faces persistent skilled worker shortages.
Construction Value and Output
1In 2021-22, WA's building industry contributed $32.4 billion to GDP, 8.2% of state total.
Verified2Total building work done in WA reached $28.7 billion in 2022-23.
Verified3Residential building approvals value in WA was $15.2 billion in 2022.
Verified4Non-residential construction output grew 12.4% to $13.5 billion in WA 2022.
Directional5Engineering construction turnover in WA hit $45.6 billion in 2022-23.
Single source6WA building industry GVA increased by 7.9% to $29.1 billion in 2021-22.
Verified7Contracts awarded for building work in WA totaled $22.4 billion in 2022.
Verified8Inflation in WA construction costs rose 9.2% in 2022.
Verified9Value of work commenced in WA buildings was $26.8 billion in 2022-23.
Directional10Public sector building expenditure in WA was $4.7 billion in 2022.
Single source11Private non-residential building value added $9.3 billion to WA economy in 2022.
Verified12WA construction exports (services) valued $1.2 billion in 2022.
Verified13Building activity chain volume measures grew 6.5% in WA 2022.
Verified14Total factor productivity in WA construction improved 2.1% in 2021-22.
Directional15WA builders' margins averaged 4.8% in 2022 amid rising costs.
Single source16Capital expenditure on construction in WA was $18.9 billion in 2022-23.
Verified17Industry revenue for WA building grew 11.3% to $41.2 billion in 2022.
Verified18Profit before tax in WA construction firms averaged 5.2% in 2022.
VerifiedConstruction Value and Output Interpretation
While wrestling with a painful 9.2% cost inflation, WA's construction sector still managed to be the state's economic engine room, hammering out over $45 billion in engineering work and adding nearly $30 billion in value, all while builder's margins were squeezed to a wafer-thin 4.8%.
Employment and Labour
1In 2022, Western Australia's building industry employed 128,400 full-time equivalent workers, marking a 4.8% increase from 2021.
Verified2The average weekly earnings for construction workers in WA reached $2,150 in the June 2023 quarter, up 6.2% year-on-year.
Verified3Females accounted for 12.5% of the WA construction workforce in 2022, with 16,000 women employed in the sector.
Verified4Apprentices and trainees in WA's building industry numbered 8,200 in 2022, comprising 6.4% of the total workforce.
Directional5The construction sector in WA had a labour productivity of $248,000 per full-time worker in 2021-22.
Single source6Over 25,000 construction jobs were added in WA between 2020 and 2022 due to infrastructure booms.
Verified7In 2023, 42% of WA builders reported skilled labour shortages as their primary challenge.
Verified8WA construction unemployment rate stood at 3.8% in mid-2023, below the national average of 4.2%.
Verified9The industry trained 4,500 new entrants via TAFE programs in WA in 2022.
Directional10Indigenous employment in WA building reached 3.2% or 4,100 workers in 2022.
Single source11Migrant workers made up 28% of WA's construction workforce in 2022, totaling 35,900 individuals.
Verified12Average hours worked per week by WA construction employees was 39.2 in 2023.
Verified1315,200 construction workers in WA were aged 25-34 in 2022, the largest age cohort at 11.8%.
Verified14Wage growth in WA building industry was 5.7% annually from 2021-2023.
Directional157.1% of WA construction firms employed over 20 workers in 2022.
Single source16Job vacancy rate in WA construction hit 4.5% in Q2 2023.
Verified172,800 construction managers were employed in WA in 2022.
Verified18Turnover rate in WA building industry was 12.4% in 2022.
Verified1918% growth in female apprentices in WA construction from 2020-2022.
Directional20WA construction overtime hours averaged 4.2 per week in 2023.
Single sourceEmployment and Labour Interpretation
While riding a wave of infrastructure-driven prosperity that pushed employment and wages to new heights, WA's building industry is a high-performance engine that is—despite its best efforts to train, diversify, and import talent—running worryingly hot, as it strains against its own success with acute skilled labour shortages, high vacancies, and a frantic turnover rate.
Infrastructure Projects
1In 2022-23, WA road and bridge infrastructure projects totalled $7.2 billion in value.
Verified2Rail infrastructure expenditure in WA reached $4.8 billion in 2022.
Verified3Water supply and sewerage construction value: $2.1 billion in WA 2022.
Verified4WA airports and ports upgrades: $1.9 billion committed in 2022-23.
Directional5Electricity generation and transmission projects in WA: $3.4 billion in 2022.
Single source6Telecommunications infrastructure build value: $850 million in WA 2022.
Verified7WA heavy rail projects pipeline: 12 major works valued $10.2 billion.
Verified8Road resurfacing and maintenance contracts: $1.5 billion annually in WA.
Verified9Flood mitigation infrastructure in WA: $650 million in 2022 projects.
Directional10WA desalination plant expansions: $2.2 billion over 2022-25.
Single source11Pipeline construction for resources sector: $1.8 billion in WA 2022.
Verified12Public transport interchanges built: 8 new in WA 2022 costing $420 million.
Verified13WA renewable energy infrastructure: 15 projects worth $5.6 billion in 2022.
Verified14Total engineering construction work done in WA: $48.3 billion in 2022-23.
Directional15Bridge construction and replacement: 45 projects valued $900 million in WA 2022.
Single sourceInfrastructure Projects Interpretation
Despite seemingly trying to pave the entire state with gold, Western Australia is actually building a remarkably balanced and forward-looking foundation, from keeping the lights on and the water fresh to moving people and goods with a side of flood protection and renewable ambition.
Non-Residential Building
1In 2022, WA non-residential building approvals totalled 1,250 projects valued at $6.8 billion.
Verified2Office building work done in WA reached $1.9 billion in 2022.
Verified3Retail and wholesale non-residential approvals value: $2.1 billion in WA 2022.
Verified4Factory and warehouse construction in WA: 320 approvals worth $1.4 billion in 2022.
Directional5Health and aged care facilities building value in WA: $1.2 billion in 2022.
Single source6Education building projects in WA totalled $900 million in approvals 2022.
Verified7Hospitality non-residential work commenced: $650 million in WA 2022.
Verified8Public order and safety buildings value: $1.1 billion in WA 2022.
Verified9Culture and recreation non-residential approvals: $850 million in 2022 WA.
Directional10WA non-residential floor area approved: 1.2 million sqm in 2022.
Single source11Alterations and additions to non-residential: $2.3 billion in WA 2022.
Verified12Perth CBD office developments: 5 major projects valued $1.5 billion in 2022.
Verified13Industrial building costs per sqm in WA: $1,850 in 2023.
Verified1414% growth in WA non-residential work done in 2022.
Directional15Religious and other non-residential approvals: $250 million in WA 2022.
Single source16WA non-residential under construction value: $12.4 billion in 2022.
VerifiedNon-Residential Building Interpretation
Western Australia is busily building a future where we work in offices, shop in malls, stock warehouses, heal in hospitals, learn in schools, relax in pubs, get locked up in prisons, and occasionally pray about it all, to the prosperous tune of billions.
Residential Building
1In 2022, WA approved 18,450 new dwellings, a 15% rise from 2021.
Verified2Detached house approvals in WA totaled 12,200 units valued at $8.9 billion in 2022.
Verified3Multi-residential dwellings approved in Perth metro area: 4,850 units in 2022.
Verified4Average value of new WA homes approved was $512,000 in 2022.
Directional5Housing starts in WA increased 22% to 14,300 in 2022-23.
Single source6WA residential completions reached 16,800 dwellings in 2022.
Verified7Detached housing accounted for 68% of WA residential approvals in 2022.
Verified8Median time to build a house in WA was 9.2 months in 2022.
Verified942,500 new homes were needed annually in WA to meet demand in 2023.
Directional10Residential renovation work in WA valued $3.4 billion in 2022.
Single source11Perth saw 11,200 residential building approvals in 2022, 62% of state total.
Verified12WA social housing completions: 1,200 units in 2022.
Verified13Average floor area of new WA detached homes: 245 sqm in 2022.
Verified14Residential building costs per sqm in WA rose to $2,450 in 2023.
Directional157.8% increase in WA house builds under construction in 2022.
Single source16WA regional residential approvals: 5,600 in 2022.
Verified17Owner-builder residential permits issued in WA: 2,100 in 2022.
Verified18Modular/prefab homes approvals in WA grew 18% to 850 units in 2022.
VerifiedResidential Building Interpretation
While approvals and starts surged in 2022, the stark reality is that building almost 18,500 new homes—a commendable effort whose average value barely topped half a million—still left us a daunting 24,000 units short of what’s needed annually, proving that for all our hammering, we’re still desperately playing catch-up.
Safety and Industry Trends
1WA lost time injury frequency rate in construction was 1.2 per million hours in 2022.
Verified228 fatalities recorded in WA building and construction in 2022.
Verified392% of WA construction firms reported safety training compliance in 2023 survey.
Verified4High-risk work licences issued in WA construction: 12,500 in 2022.
Directional5WA construction incident notification rate: 4.8 per 100 workers in 2022.
Single source6Fall from height incidents accounted for 35% of serious injuries in WA construction 2022.
Verified776% adoption rate of digital safety tech in WA large builders in 2023.
Verified8WA construction mental health claims: 450 cases in 2022.
Verified9Safety audits conducted: 4,200 on WA sites in 2022.
Directional10Musculoskeletal disorders: 42% of WA construction claims in 2022.
Single source11WA builders' sustainability reporting: 68% complied in 2022.
Verified12Digital twins used in 22% of WA major projects for safety in 2023.
Verified13WA construction carbon emissions: 12.4 MtCO2e in 2021-22.
Verified14Recycling rate of construction waste in WA: 78% in 2022.
Directional15Prefab/modular adoption reduced site accidents by 25% in WA pilots 2022.
Single source16WA building code compliance rate: 94.5% in 2022 inspections.
Verified17Heat stress incidents in WA construction: 180 reported in summer 2022-23.
Verified1885% of WA sites had mental health first aid trained staff in 2023.
VerifiedSafety and Industry Trends Interpretation
The statistics paint a picture of an industry diligently checking its safety boxes yet still haunted by preventable tragedies, where high training compliance and mental health support coexist with the stark, sobering reality of fatalities and falls.
Sources & References
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