Why WA's building sector is like a giant Jenga tower

Western Australia’s housing pipeline is facing a new material constraint: a brick shortage that has forced builders into strict, year-long and non-negotiable rations from Midland Brick, the state’s main supplier. The problem has expanded beyond standard bricks to maxi bricks, adding another block to a “Jenga tower” housing system already under strain from higher demand, expensive materials and a shortage of workers. The state’s brick output has fallen from 11 kilns operating in 2020-21 to just five, after buy-outs and the departure of Brickworks’ Austral. Builders fear job losses, company collapses and long waits for homes.