Federal election 2025: Anthony Albanese promises tradies $10k to finish building apprenticeships

Tradies will receive a $10,000 boost during their apprenticeships, as part of a bid by the Federal Government on Friday to draw more young people into building new homes instead of “stacking shelves”.

With housing data showing the nation is falling behind Labor’s target of 1.2 million new homes built over the next five years, the Prime Minister will use a speech to the National Press Club to offer up the sweetener to prospective apprentices.

Under the plan — which is already offered to trainees in the new energy sector — apprentice bricklayers, electricians, plumbers, carpenters and joiners would receive five payments of $2000 over the course of their training.

In his speech on Friday, Anthony Albanese will say it is designed to prevent the dropout rate climbing as apprentices feel the sting of cost-of-living pressures.

“We recognise the next generation of tradies, the people we’re counting on to build the new homes we need, are under significant financial pressure,” he will say.

Too many leave training because they can’t afford to stay.

“Right now, a first-year carpentry apprentice earns about two-thirds of the minimum wage, some apprentices earn even less. That’s before you buy tools, safety gear, clothing and boots.

“As a number of apprentices have said they could earn a lot more stacking shelves in their local supermarket. Too many leave training because they can’t afford to stay.”

Labor will also pledge to increase support for apprentices who need to move out of home to find work from $77.17 a week, but would not say what it would be raised to before the speech.

Already budgeted for through the Government’s mid-year review, the measures will cost almost $630 million.

It comes after new homes data, released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, showed while housing construction was increasing — up 4.6 per cent from the June quarter — the 165,048 homes started fell well short of the target set out in the National Housing Accord.

Master Builders Australia chief executive Denita Wawn said on Wednesday that if building activity continued at this pace, Australia would fall short of the 1.2 million-home target by 350,000.

Ms Wawn said one of the key factors in housing starts was the availability of labour, calling for more measures to keep tradies in the industry.

“We do have decent apprentice wages in this country, and the issue more is around incentive payments, and the government already has a great amount of incentive payments available for apprentices to continue on their apprenticeship,” she said.

“That’s why this review that the Government undertook is so important to look at how we can value add to that.

“It’s not so much the salaries, it’s more the support through the duration of the apprenticeship, and also showing to students, what the difference is if they undertake a university degree.”

Mr Albanese’s speech — which traditionally kicks off the political year — will set the tone for Labor’s bid for a second-term.

The Prime Minister has already started the election year spruiking the Government’s campaign slogan of “Building Australia’s Future”, travelling to key seats Labor needs to hold in order to win re-election.