In the media
Infrastructure Australia charts a pathway to resilience
as the national cost of natural disasters hits $39bn by 2050
Infrastructure Australia has outlined practical steps to
deliver infrastructure that is more resilient to threats such as
bushfires, droughts, floods, global pandemic, and cyber-attacks, in
new advisory papers released (20 August 2021). More...
Building demand drives 1.4 per cent quarterly increase
in Australia's housing construction costs
CoreLogic's national measure of residential
construction costs show an increase of 1.4 per cent in the three
months to June 2021, outpacing the Consumer Price Index of 0.8 per
cent for the same period. A shortage of materials such as timber,
PVC piping and fittings have contributed to the rise in costs with
no sign of easing in the short-term (18 August 2021). More...
Construction industry calls for essential worker
classification as builders, suppliers 'going to the
wall'
Members of the construction industry have gathered on
either side of the Queensland-NSW border, some risking a fine, to
call to be classified as essential workers allowing them to cross
(18 August 2021). More...
Fast-tracking and investment boosts for road safety
projects
The Federal Government has announced further investment
boosts for Australian roads, through the Road Safety Program, to
fast-track projects in WA, VIC, SA and Queensland. The funding
supports the fast roll-out of life-saving safety works on rural and
regional roads (17 August 2021). More...
Slow vaccination hampers construction recovery in
Australia and New Zealand
Australia and New Zealand's construction outlooks
improved over the second quarter of this year but slow vaccination
programmes, rising costs from supply chain pressures and labour
shortages are creating considerable challenges, says consultant
Turner & Townsend in its latest market report (16 August 2021).
More...
Lockdowns weigh on new home sales
in July
New Home Sales fell by 20.5 per cent in July, with
declines experienced in almost all major states, according to the
HIA New Home Sales report - a monthly survey of the largest volume
home builders in the five largest states (11 August 2021). More...
New South Wales
Western Sydney City Deal setting the foundations for a
connected, sustainable city
Progress on the $11 billion Western Sydney City Deal has
continued to reach significant milestones, with the program helping
to generate local jobs and deliver critical infrastructure that
will enhance the sustainability (20 August 2021). More...
DKO-designed social and affordable housing in Redfern is
ready
An 18-storey residential development in Redfern, NSW
offering 160 social and affordable housing units is now ready for
occupation. Located on Gibbon Street in the inner city Sydney
suburb of Redfern, the residential tower is one of the largest
social and affordable housing projects in all of NSW (19 August
2021) More...
Construction costs climbing for a key Australian tunnel
project
The construction cost of Australia's West Gate Tunnel
project may climb even higher according to reports. The massive
spike in costs arises from the discovery of around 3 million tonnes
of contaminated ground along the route (17 August 2021). More...
'Threat of collapse': Builders of Opal
Tower caught up in row over separate building
Corroding balustrades which pose a "threat of
collapse" are among the many defects found in an apartment
complex in Sydney's south as the building commissioner issues
the Opal Tower builders with an order to fix (13 August 2021).
More...
Queensland
$174 million to fast track Queensland road safety
projects
Queensland road safety projects will be fast-tracked with
a $174.7 million package to enable almost 50 more upgrades to be
completed in the next 12 months (16 August 2021). More...
$320 million for QLD's second biggest infrastructure
project
The Queensland Government has allocated $320 million to
the state's second biggest infrastructure project - the new
Southern Queensland Correctional Centre - as part of a $1 billion
government investment in Queensland Corrective Services for 2021-22
(13 August 2021). More...
Queensland's second biggest infrastructure project
surging ahead
Budget Estimates has heard that safety and security are
receiving a significant boost with the Palaszczuk Government
investing $1 billion in Queensland Corrective Services for 2021-22,
an increase of $32.2 million on the last financial year (12 August
2021). More...
Making renewables work for Queensland workers, families
and communities
Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen Mick de Brenni
launched public consultation to collect community feedback on
Queensland's renewable energy zones (QREZs).
This will be the first time in the nation that communities will be
able to have their say on how renewable projects and energy
infrastructure within the QREZ (10 August 2021). More...
Victoria
Renovations boom set to continue in Victoria
The boom in renovations activity in Victoria continues to
break records and this activity is expected to be sustained for
several years, in the released HIA economic and industry Outlook
Report for Australia (20 August 2021). More...
MBA: Supply chain issues and trade shortages in
construction
Master Builders Victoria has been working tirelessly to
address the impact of the current supply chain issues and trade
shortages hampering our industry (19 August 2021). More...
Practice and courts
ABCB: Inspection and certification of fire safety
systems
The final consultation in response to the Building
Confidence Report (BCR) is now open.
Recommendation 19 of the BCR is that each jurisdiction
requires registered fire safety practitioners to design, install
and certify the fire safety systems necessary in commercial
buildings. Responses to questions in the discussion paper are
invited until 26 September. More...
Adoption of NCC 2022 to be delayed
The delayed adoption will also see adjustments to key
dates in the amendment cycle process for NCC 2022 to allow
stakeholders time to participate. These adjusted dates
include:
May - July 2021: NCC 2022 Public Comment Draft released for public
consultation
May 2022: NCC 2022 Preview published at ncc.abcb.gov.au
If you have any questions regarding the delayed adoption of NCC
2022, please submit an online enquiry.
New South Wales
Guide for design practitioners and engineers
Consult Australia, Engineers Australia and the Australian
Institute of Architects have joined forces to develop the Guide for design practitioners and
engineers to help their members tackle the recent NSW Building Confidence reforms. There are
multiple new obligations on design practitioners, engineers and
building practitioners throughout the life of a building under the
NSW Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 and the Design and
Building Practitioners Regulation 2021.
Infrastructure Grants program opens
To be eligible for funding, applications must meet
eligibility conditions including, the project location, the
applicant and project benefit, purpose and development status.
There is also a requirement for local government applicants to
match funding. Applications are open from November 2021: Monday 1
November to Monday 22 November 2021. More...
Have your say on changes to how building design and
construction is regulated in New South Wales
The development of supporting regulations is the next step
on delivering on this piece of the Government's building reform
agenda, with the scheme commencing on 1 July 2021. In response
to your feedback, we've drafted a report that explains the
changes that were made to the draft Regulation. More...
Conflicts of interest - savings and transitional
arrangements
Clause 71 of the Regulation introduces savings provisions for
certain conflict of interest situations where the certifier was
appointed before 1 July 2020 and the work will be completed before
1 July 2022. The provisions relate to council-certified
developments and to developments where the certifier gave advice on
how to comply with the BCA deemed to satisfy provisions. For
all the changes, access the Amendment Regulation here.
New mandatory standards for building rectification
The standard will be reviewed and updated prior to the 1
July 2021 commencement of the Government's game changing
building reform agenda underpinned by the Design and Building Practitioners Act
2020.
The first Practice Standard will initially apply to certifiers
working on residential apartment buildings, where the majority of
problems and complaints have been received. The Practice Standard for registered
certifiers is available on the Fair Trading NSW
website.
Queensland
Mooloolah River Interchange consultation
For more information on the Mooloolah River Interchange,
including how you can have your say, view the planning layout
visit the link below. Consultation closes on 27 August 2021.
More...
QBCC reminder: Extension to PI insurance cladding
exemption
The Building (Professional Indemnity Insurance) Amendment
Regulation 2020 commenced on 18 September 2020, giving effect to
the extension of the external cladding exclusion. Now, certifiers
can continue to obtain a licence to operate with PI insurance
containing exclusions in relation to non-compliant external
cladding until 30 June 2022. More...
Victoria
Important COVID-19 restriction information for the
construction sector
The current lockdown across metropolitan Melbourne has
been extended and a curfew put in place until 11.59pm on Thursday,
2 September. More...
Changes to the authorised provider and authorised worker
list
13 August 2021 - more changes have been made to the
Authorised Provider and Authorised Worker list by the Department of
Health. The Department of Health has approved more
changes to the Authorised Provider and Authorised
Worker list. More...
Solo outdoor building and construction services
permitted where physical distancing can be maintained and
businesses have an ABN
10 August 2021 - additions have been made to the Authorised Provider and Authorised
Worker list.
Solo outdoor services related to building and construction have
been added to the Authorised Provider and Authorised
Worker list.
VBA: Revised AS/NZS plumbing standards - transition
period
The VBA has applied a transition period for plumbers to
familiarise themselves with revised AS/NZS standards, before they
need to be applied to plumbing practices on 1 September 2022.
More...
VBA: Carpenters selected for first stage of trades
registration
Carpenters will be the first group of trades registered
under Victoria's recently developed trades registration
framework. Provisional registration and licensing for carpenters is
expected to commence in mid-2021. For more information and answers
to frequently asked questions, refer to the Engage Victoria website
This publication does not deal with every important topic or change in law and is not intended to be relied upon as a substitute for legal or other advice that may be relevant to the reader's specific circumstances. If you have found this publication of interest and would like to know more or wish to obtain legal advice relevant to your circumstances please contact one of the named individuals listed.