In the media

National

Report shows smarter governments could save $2.5B
Australia's federal, state and local governments can free up an estimated $2.5 billion in additional funds over the next 15 years through improved purchasing decisions and processes for professional services supporting infrastructure delivery (26 February 2015). More...

Bribery probe launched into Sydney construction firm with links to terrorists
Australia's second ever foreign bribery investigation is launched by the Federal Police into a Sydney-based construction company with links to some of Australia's most notorious terrorists (26 February 2015). More...

Key commodity price drops to cost Australia $110 billion
Export earnings from bulk mineral commodities coal, iron ore and liquefied natural gas are now expected to drop to $110 billion over the next three years, 13 per cent less than previously forecast (26 February 2015). More...

Made in China (with Asbestos)
The Abbott government has conceded it is unable to guarantee Chinese imports are free of asbestos, amid mounting evidence of its use in the car, mining and building industries, with unscrupulous importers and exporters failing to guarantee the safety of goods (23 February 2015). More...

Big Opportunities in Road Construction Boom: Market Report
As the Abbott government gears up to fulfil infrastructure promises, builders and contractors face significant opportunities from a sound pipeline of road construction projects, albeit with activity on the construction of other forms of transport set to drop back a bit (20 February 2015). More...

ACCC issues draft determination on NBN Co's LTRCM
The ACCC has issued a draft determination on NBN Co's Long Term Revenue Constraint Methodology (LTRCM). NBN Co's LTRCM proposal sets out the values and calculations required to determine the amount of revenue NBN Co is allowed to earn each financial year to recover its costs of providing services (19 February 2015). More...

Master Builders Backs RBA Governor's Housing Affordability Call
Master Builders Pre-Budget Submission calls for reforms to increase the housing supply and improve affordability without negatively impacting the Budget (16 February 2015). More...

Victoria

The Impact of 'Fast-Track' Training in Construction
There has been much of late regarding Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) and the Certificate IV in Building and Construction and Diploma courses they offer. The prescribed qualifications to obtain Building Practitioner Registration in Victoria, requires a degree, diploma or associate diploma in building from a university or TAFE college together with the right amount of experience (23 February 2015). More...

Metro Rail key to Melbourne's future
Today's announcement that the Victorian Government will establish the Melbourne Metro Rail Authority is an important first step to ensure the city has the necessary rail infrastructure to support its rapidly expanding population, says Infrastructure Partnerships Australia (16 February 2015). More...

New South Wales

NSW per capita construction expenditure moving upwards
The quarterly construction figures for the December 2014 quarter when converted to per capita amounts show NSW moving upwards but still behind other states, says the Urban Taskforce (25 February 2015). More...

NSW Government taking action to safely secure gas supplies
The NSW Government is taking action through the NSW Gas Plan to safely secure the State's energy needs. The Plan is the Government's clear strategy to deliver world's best practice regulation of the State's gas industry, that commits to implementing all of the Chief Scientist & Engineer's recommendations (25 February 2015). More... More...

Queensland

Repair and rebuild advice for home owners in the wake of Cyclone Marcia
With cyclone-affected homes widespread across Central Queensland, Master Builders is advising home and building owners with damage that electrical safety should be their first priority when returning home and to use a licensed builder or trade contractor for any repair work (26 February 2015). More...

Toowoomba second range crossing wins Qld Government support amid calls for local contractors to get work
The Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise in southern Queensland is urging the State Government to ensure the successful builder of the second range crossing uses local contractors during construction, with the three main proponents submitting their tenders yesterday (26 February 2015). More...

Published – articles, papers, reports

Economic Benefits of Better Procurement Practices
Commissioned by Consult Australia, and undertaken by Deloitte Access Economics
The report finds significant savings for governments just by buying smarter. Project briefs have unclear objectives in 37% of Requests for Proposals (RFPs), resulting in higher costs on 12% of all projects, and reduced competition in around 9% of public infrastructure projects (26 February 2015). More...

ABS: Construction Work Done, Australia, Preliminary, Dec 2014
The trend estimate for total construction work done fell 1.6%. The seasonally adjusted estimate for total construction work done fell 0.2% to $50,347. The trend estimate for total building work done rose 0.1%. The seasonally adjusted estimate of total building work done rose 0.4% to $22,465.5m in the December quarter (25 February 2015). More...

ABS: Energy Account Australia (EAA) 2012-13
Australia's net energy inputs increased to approximately 21,700 PJ in 2012-13 from 19,900 PJ in 2011-12; Energy intensity for all industries (measured in GJ/$m IGVA) remained constant; Household energy consumption per capita decreased by 0.7 GJ, (or 1.5%); Energy reserves to production rate in 2012-13 varied between 11.4% for crude oil and 0.2% for brown coal (20 February 2015). More...

Practice and courts

Standards Australia: Draft contract standard available for comment
Standards Australia is seeking public comment on a draft of the new Australian Standard AS 11000, which combines general conditions of contract standards AS 2124 and AS 4000. The public comment period ends on 27 March 2015. More... More...

Latest Housing NSW's figures (16 February 2015)
Housing NSW's median sales prices for all dwellings by LGA for the September quarter 2014 are now available. More... More...

Cases

Linke v TT Builders Pty Ltd [2015] FCA 111
PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – offer of compromise – failure by offer or to cooperate in giving effect to accepted offer – orders made giving effect to accepted offer pursuant to r 25.10 of Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth). More...

Acron Pty Ltd v Couran Cove Holdings Pty Ltd [2015] QDC 020
PRACTICE – APPLICATION – STRIKING OUT – STATEMENT OF CLAIM – SUMMARY JUDGMENT – where the plaintiff sues the defendant for money for work done by the plaintiff on water and sewage treatment plants allegedly owned by the defendant – where the defendant denies entering into a contract with the plaintiff – where the defendant brings an application for summary judgment against the plaintiff – where the defendant in the alternate brings an application to strike out parts of the plaintiff's amended statement of claim – whether summary judgment should be given to the defendant against the plaintiff – whether parts of the plaintiff's amended statement of claim should be struck out. More...

Admiralty Resources NL v Australis Mining Ltd [2015] VSC 33
PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – Security for costs – Application by plaintiff for security to defend allegations of defendants – Counterclaim by 1st defendant – Allegations of 1st defendant largely also pleaded as set-off – Whether security should be ordered with respect to allegations going beyond set-off defence Counterclaim by 2nd defendant – No allegations independent of defence pleaded Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), s 1335(1), Supreme Court (General Civil Procedure) Rules 2005 (Vic), r 62.02(1). More...

Akron Roads Pty Ltd (in liq) v Crewe Sharp & Ors [2015] VSC 34
PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE — Application by plaintiff for joinder of third party insurer — Supreme Court (General Civil Procedure) Rules 2005, r 9.06 — Whether true legal controversy. CORPORATIONS — Proceeds of insurance — Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), s 562 — Application by liquidators to join insurer as defendant. More...

Denham Constuctions Project Company 810 Pty Ltd v Smithies (No 2); Denham Constructions Project Company 810 Pty Ltd v Risgalla (No 2) [2015] ACTSC 30
The parties are given leave to make submissions on the future conduct, if any, of the Appeals. CIVIL – APPEAL – Pending appeal – Permanent stay – No practical utility in prosecuting the appeal. Costs – Set aside previous costs order – Costs of the application in the court below – Issue of costs constitutes a lis pendens between parties - Building and Construction Industry (Security of Payment) Act 2009 (ACT), ss 26, 27. More...

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