Keeping developers & builders honest w/ Brad Walters

We sat down with Brad Walters from Equifax to discuss the state of Australia’s construction industry. Trust in developers and builders has been shaky, high-profile failures and media scrutiny have raised concerns. But there’s hope.

Brad speaks about the iCIRT rating system and how it’s working to bring transparency. It measures financial strength, delivery capability, and trustworthiness. Developers and builders volunteer for ratings. Those who meet the standard gain a competitive edge. Those who don’t see where they must improve.

It’s not perfect, but it’s a step in the right direction. One of the things we wanted to highlight in our conversation was fact vs myth — the number of building and construction companies doing the right thing is in the vast majority.

Lenders are taking notice. Over half of major funders now use iCIRT ratings to assess risk. A strong rating improves access to finance, speeds up approvals, and attracts better loan terms. The market is rewarding those who do the right thing.

Peter Esho is an economist and Founder of Esho Capital. He has 20 years of experience in investments and markets.