A Queensland construction company has warned that escalating tensions in Iran are sending shockwaves through Australia’s housing sector, intensifying existing pressures and exposing deeper structural issues that continue to constrain supply.
Maaken, a Queensland-based cladding company operating along Australia’s East Coast, said rising global fuel costs and ongoing supply chain volatility are compounding challenges in an already strained construction environment.
The company argues that these pressures are layered on top of persistent regulatory barriers, particularly those affecting access to skilled migrant workers.
Maaken General Manager Jake Green said the impacts are already being felt across the industry.
“This has hit every corner of the construction industry, we’ve already received several temporary fuel levy notices from key suppliers,” Green said.
The disruption follows a near standstill in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global trade route, which has contributed to a surge of more than 57 per cent in crude oil prices since 2025.
The increase has direct consequences for Australia’s construction sector, which relies heavily on diesel fuel for transport, logistics and on-site operations.
Green warned that prolonged instability could have broader economic consequences, particularly for both builders and homebuyers operating under financial pressure.
“Prolonged volatility could also affect consumer and industry confidence, particularly among homebuyers already close to their budget limits, and builders operating on extremely tight margins or with fixed contracts.”
Despite the global focus on fuel and logistics disruptions, Maaken maintains that material shortages are not the core issue facing the sector.
Instead, the company points to a more entrenched and persistent constraint: access to skilled labour.
“The real constraint is skilled labour, the pathway to access overseas talent through the 482-visa program remains overly complicated and slow because of the red tape involved from our government – it is a bureaucratic problem as much as an economic one,” Green said.
Industry forecasts support these concerns.
The Queensland Auditor-General has projected a construction workforce shortfall peaking at 50,000 workers in 2026–27, with deficits expected across engineering, project management and key trades.
These shortages are likely to drive delays and cost overruns across major projects.
Brisbane is expected to experience the sharpest cost increases nationwide, with building costs forecast to rise by 10 per cent.
Upcoming Olympic infrastructure projects are also anticipated to place additional strain on already limited resources.
“Queensland is already under strain from labour demand, and there’s no end in sight with the Olympic projects yet to begin construction,” Green said.
He added that while geopolitical disruptions may ease over time, structural challenges within the industry will persist.
“Now, the Iran conflict is worsening these existing challenges, revealing how little buffer the industry has left, and while the geopolitical shock will hopefully pass, the labour shortage, visa bottlenecks and productivity gap won’t.”
Green said the current situation should serve as a catalyst for policy reform, urging the federal government to reassess the barriers limiting workforce growth and housing supply.
“If the ceasefire holds, it is likely disruptions will last months, rather than years, whereas labour issues could persist well beyond Brisbane 2032.”
He called for a more candid national conversation about the underlying constraints facing the construction sector, arguing that without meaningful reform, Australia’s housing supply challenges will continue to deepen.
