The Builders Collective of Australia says Labor leader Bill Shorten has rejected its call for a royal commission on problems highlighted by apartment tower fires and construction failures.

The industry reform group has lobbied the Federal Government and the Opposition before the election, which will be held in May.

President Phil Dwyer says Mr Shorten has rejected the request, while the group is still pushing its case with the Coalition.

Cracks in the Opal apartment tower in Sydney last year highlighted wider building standard issues, while the recent Neo200 tower fire again put the focus on flammable cladding.

“Major high-rise buildings are just a rogue ember away from burning, others are at risk of collapse and there are thousands of low to medium-rise buildings that have failed badly, to the point many are uninhabitable,” Mr Dwyer said.

“Not even the Opal fiasco in Sydney, nor the near-tragedy of the Neo200 tower in Melbourne, have heightened Labor’s understanding of how urgent this issue is.”

Mr Shorten’s response includes banning polyethylene cladding, which has already been done, and re-establishing a national licensing scheme that previously failed, Mr Dwyer says.

It also includes introducing new penalties and re-establishing the minister for industry, he says.

Mr Dwyer argues the plans will not help consumers already affected by conflicts of interest and poor oversight from regulatory bodies, while governments are also withholding the locations of buildings affected by flammable cladding.

“A royal commission, with a tight timeframe and effective terms of reference, into the national building industry is urgently needed before people start losing their lives,” he said.