In the media

Soaring Sydney house prices to spark mass migration north: Macquarie
A flood of cashed-up Sydneysiders could inject more than $8 billion into Queensland's economy in coming years as they flee soaring property prices (06 October 2017). More...

Noise pollution a growing concern for strata developments
Noise is compromising health and quality of life for many apartment dwellers. One of the major issues is that the National Construction Code's impact sound insulation requirements for floors are simply not adequate, according to the Association of Australasian Acoustical Consultants (AAAC) (05 October 2017). More...

Governments have burnt up trust on cladding
The failure of all three tiers of government to deal with the problems associated with non-complying aluminium cladding has created a massive trust deficit amongst strata owners who've been left to pick up the tab for a problem of others' creation (05 October 2017). More...

RBA's Macro Measures Cool Housing Market
The RBA met industry expectations again this month, leaving the cash rate unchanged at 1.5 per cent for October. The cash rate last moved in August 2016, shifting down to the current rate. Subdued GDP growth and inflation and an easing property market will likely ensure the RBA keep rates on hold. The RBA noted APRA-imposed lending restrictions had curbed growth in borrowing by investors (04 October 2017). More...

Building surveyors step up with a policy on dodgy building products
The Australian Institute of Building Surveyors has called for urgent, nation-wide overhaul of building regulations to address dodgy building products. According to AIBS president Timothy Tuxford, there are "ambiguities in the National Construction Code, a lack of oversight and auditing, no mechanism for checking whether building products arriving on site are properly certified to Australian standards (03 October 2017). More... More...

Building approvals edge up but well below their peak
While building approvals and first home sales rose in August, both are well below where they were 12 months ago and point to cooling activity in residential construction (03 October 2017). More...

ABS Building Approvals show modest growth in August
The Australian Bureau of Statistics have released the most recent figures on dwelling approvals, which indicated a 0.4 per cent increase to 18,514 in August 2017, in seasonally adjusted terms. The August 2017 data showed that the number of dwellings approved is now 6.5 per cent lower than in the same month last year, in trend terms. That represents a decline of 15.5 per cent from August 2016 (03 October 2017). More...

Draft legislation could significantly boost affordable housing supply
With submissions closing today on draft Commonwealth legislation that will introduce an affordable housing Managed Investment Trust (MIT) structure, the scale community housing sector providers welcomed the new mechanism which is poised to provide significant additional funds for more affordable housing) (28 September 2017). More...

Acting Commissioner appointed to ABCC
Cathy Cato has commenced in the role of Acting Australian Building and Construction Commissioner (28 September 2017). More...

ASBEC release policy platform on Affordable Housing
Housing is integral to health, wellbeing and economic outcomes for all Australians, and the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) has released a new policy platform, Improved Housing Outcomes to address Australia's housing crisis (26 September 2017). More...

Husband and wife fined $90,000 following Home Building Act breaches
A Sydney husband and wife have been fined a combined total of $90,000 after their company contracted to do significant residential building work without the required licence. In 2015, Tevita and Siosiana Ungounga's company, T & T Sandstone Construction Pty Ltd, entered into a $350,000 contract with a consumer to build a three-bedroom house and pergola in East Hills (27 September 2017). More...

How Sydney became one giant construction site
It was dubbed the "year of construction" with more than half of Australia's cranes deployed in the Harbour City in 2017 — these before and after shots prove it (29 September 2017). More...

Published

Australian Bureau of Statistics
03/10/2017 Building Approvals, Australia, Aug 2017 (cat no. 8731.0)
27/09/2017 Engineering Construction Activity, Australia, Jun 2017 (cat no. 8762.0)

ACI Construction Briefs
A fortnightly communication highlighting key updates related to Australia's construction industry.
26 September 2017: Global & Domestic Outlook for Construction Sector

Practice and courts

ABCB: Stage two of the Holistic Review of Fire Safety
Online survey now open for stakeholder input on the NCC fire safety requirements for Class 4 – 9 buildings (03 October 2017). More...

ABCB: New energy efficiency Advisory Note released
Calculation method to use for NCC Volume Two's energy efficiency reference building Verification Method (V2.6.2.2) is explained here (28 September 2017). More...

ASBEC: Building Sector Nails Solutions for Affordable, Sustainable Housing Outcomes
The Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) has released a new policy platform to address Australia's housing crisis (26 September 2017). More... More...

NSW BPB: Certifiers' PI insurance should not exclude cladding or non-conforming / non-complying materials
Certifiers are responsible for ensuring their insurance policy meets legislative requirements (06 October 2017). More...

NSW BPB: Advice for certifiers on fire safety regulation amendments
New resources are available for certifiers and building owners about the building fire safety requirements commencing on 1 October 2017. The improved design, installation and maintenance of building fire safety systems is a NSW Government priority being achieved through amendments to the EP&A Regulation. More...

Building System Circulars: Building fire safety regulation new and changed requirements
The purpose of this circular is to inform certifiers, councils, industry practitioners, and affected building owners of new and changed fire safety regulation requirements that will soon apply in NSW (from 1 October 2017). More...

Cases

Jankovic v Chandershekar [2017] NSWCATAP 193
Leave to appeal refused. No order as to costs.
APPEAL: Costs – Adjournment of hearing – Order for costs thrown away – Whether leave to appeal. Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013; Civil and Administrative Tribunal Rules 2014; Home Building Act 1989.

Arebelle Pty Ltd t/as Cavallo Kitchens and Appliances v Nelson [2017] NSWCATAP 195
CONSUMER LAW – failure to comply with consumer guarantees arising under Australian Consumer Law (NSW). DAMAGES – assessment of damages under s 267(4) of the Australian Consumer Law (NSW) – whether damages can be recovered where cost of undertaking rectification work has not been incurred.