The Master Builders Podcast

Max, Ben and Master Builders Chief Economist check in for the 6-month Forecasts update.  Get your copy of the Master Builders Australia Building and Construction Industry Forecasts at masterbuilders.com.au/forecasts

Max and Ben chat with Neil Savery, Managing Director of the ICC Oceania, about the launch of the Building Product Information Good Practice Conformity Guide to be held in Sydney on February 25.  To register for the event head to building-products-summit-2026.replit.app 

Hosts Max Rafferty and Ben Conolly speak with Master Builders Australia's Chief Economist Shane Garrett about the release of the September Building and Construction Industry Forecasts. 

The Master Builders Podcast is back!  Master Builders' National Manager Technical Policy, Max Rafferty, chats with David Denney, the Federal Safety Commission about the OFSC, the HAFF scheme and the WHS Accreditation Scheme.  Season 4, Episode 1

We're bringing back Shaun Schmitke, MBA National Director of IR for more on the sweeping changes to industrial relations happening right now.    We caught up with Shaun to get the latest about proposed changes to industrial relations legislation and what this will mean for independent contracts, self-employed tradies and people in the industry who want to be their own boss. To learn more visit: ww...

Are you starting up your first business?  Are you setting up your business systems and procedures? Is your business growing? Don't let tax time catch you out.  Our second Tax Time podcast guest says that preparing for paying tax is an essential part of your business planning and financial management.  Aaron Froud is a Partner at BellchambersBarrett in Canberra with over 20 years professional exper...

Is it time you caught up on the latest news on tax deductions? Where can I find a one-stop-shop for the latest news on tax for small businesses? Is there an ATO website just for tradies? Where do I reach out for support? Our latest podcast guest has the answers and will tell you where to find everything you need to know.  Assistant Commissioner Tim Loh is the ATO spokesperson for Tax Time.  You ma...

We recently released our blueprint for future-proofing the building and construction industry’s workforce in wake of a shortage of half a million workers. With critical shortages across industries and skill levels hindering economic recovery and productivity growth, we chat with Jennifer Lawrence, Manager Industry Policy,  about what will be needed in the coming years and the policy priorities for...

We’d like to revisit a great conversation we had with Jock Merrigan Founding Director of Urban Habitats (SA) that we first released on our podcast channel in April 2021. Jock has over 20 years of experience in the residential building industry. We spoke to Jock about achieving unique quality outcomes. He shared with us his experience in growing a successful and sustainable business and giving back...

This is the second in a 2 episode series featuring Shaun Schmitke - Master Builders Australia National Director - IR/Safety/Contracts. We spoke with Shaun about the incorporation of prohibition on sexual harassment in connection with work into the Fair Work Act,  and expansion of the circumstances where employees can request flexible work arrangements.  Shaun takes us through recent changes now in...

What do recent and further changes to industrial relations legislation mean for your business?  This is the first in a 2 episode series featuring Shaun Schmitke - Master Builders Australia National Director - IR/Safety/Contracts. He takes us through recent changes now in effect, changes soon to come, and what's on the horizon.  Stay tuned for our second episode soon- looking at steps you can take...

Our podcast has dropped to celebrate #IWD2023! Featuring some of the industry's best and brightest, we speak with them about how they are supporting more women into trades.  With guest host Master Builders CEO Denita Wawn, hear industry insights from our three panellists: Grace Ferreira, Director of Master Builders Australia & Co-founder of Canberra-based Pacific Formwork and Precast Projects. Mic...

We’re back! Back with our host Max Rafferty in 2023 to bring you in-depth interviews with people who know all about our industry and tell their stories in their words. Today we talk to two people with deep insights into things that matter in our industry. We meet Craig Edmunds, President of Master Builders Australia. He is an industry heavy weight with a passion for people and supporting them to r...

In this episode we continue our conversation with James McGregor about how to sell sustainable energy efficient homes without sounding salesy as he talks us through a simple 4 step sales process. If you missed the first part just check it out in your podcast feed. James is the founder of The Blue Tribe Company and he helps companies to develop and sell products that align profit with purpose - in...

In this episode Max Rafferty and Robert Shaw discuss sales and marketing of homes. Max talks with James McGregor about how to sell sustainable energy efficient homes without sounding salesy using a simple to use sales technique designed for builders. Now we had so much to cover on this topic that we have made this into a two part podcast episode.  The first part is how to talk to consumers about e...

In this episode Max Rafferty and Robert Shaw talk about the challenges of selling energy efficient homes. Max interviews Simon Dunstan who is the owner of SJD Homes and is a leader in sustainable housing solutions. He is also the man behind Melbourne's first zero energy home. In this episode he shares his wealth of knowledge on what he has learned on his journey of building and selling energy effi...

In this episode of the Master Builders Podcast, host Max Rafferty and co host Robert Shaw talk about the business of building with Jock Merrigan.  Jock is the founding Director of Urban Habitats and has over 20 years of experience in the residential building industry. As an active member of the Master Builders Association of South Australia, Jock chairs the Housing Committee, and is a member of th...

In this episode of the Master Builders Podcast, host Max Rafferty and guest host Jock Merrigan talk about the business of building with industry leader Robert Shaw.   Now if you have been involved with Master Builders for any amount of time the chances are you will have heard about Robert.    Robert joined the National Board in 2015 and is Chair of the National Residential Builders Council.   He i...

This episode of The Master Builders Podcast is called "Zero Energy Housing", co-hosts Max Rafferty and Robert Shaw discuss the topic in full detail with Josh Byrne and Simon Dunstan. Josh, who is most known as the West Australian presenter of the ABC's Gardening Australia, started the Josh's House Project, a video series that documents the building process of Josh's zero energy home. Today he shar...

SUMMARY This episode of The Master Builders Podcast is called "Open for Business with Mario Biasin from Metricon", co-hosts Max Rafferty and Robert Shaw talk about how builders can keep running their businesses during the current COVID-19 pandemic with Mario Baisin who is the CEO and one of the founders of Metricon, Australia’s leading residential builder.  In this interview Mario Biasin discusses...

SUMMARY This episode of The Master Builders Podcast is called "Open for Business with Mark Little from Little Constructions", co-hosts Max Rafferty and Robert Shaw talk about how builders can keep running their businesses during the current COVID-19 pandemi. Featured today is Mark Little from Little Constructions. Mark discusses some of the practical steps he has been taking to keep building from...

In this special episode of the Master Builders Podcast, host Max Rafferty discussed managing COVID-19 on construction sites with the Senior Safety Coordinator for Master Builders Western Australia, Michelle DeGalt-Rohlf. Michelle explains some of the practical things that builders can do on site to manage risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of the practices she discusses are not that...

This episode of The Master Builders Podcast is called "Solar Power" and co-hosts Max Rafferty and Robert Shaw talk about harnessing the power of the sun to the benefit of builders. Featured today are two interviews with experts on the subject, Alistair Sproul of the University of New South Wales and Rohan Forrest of Carter Grange. Alistair explains the systems and hardware of solar power and how p...

In this episode of The Master Builders Podcast called “Building in Bushfire Prone Areas with Colin Wood”, co-hosts Max Rafferty and Robert Shaw sit down with Colin to chat about building in bushfire prone areas, with such factors as material selection and landscaping near the home being a major consideration. Colin Wood has been looking at the issue of building in bushfire zones for the past 25 ye...