In the media
Falling business investment, building approvals point to
deepening economic slowdown
Australia's first quarter economic growth looks like
being anaemic after far weaker than expected private business
investment data is released (30 May 2019).
More...
New Federal Ministry bodes well for infrastructure
sector
Industry bodies are praising the new Federal Ministry for
placing elevated emphasis on key infrastructure, energy, logistics
and planning for population growth to tackle Australia's future
challenges (29 May 2019).
More...
New South Wales
Allianz Stadium demolition moves ahead
Lendlease has reached another major milestone in the
demolition of Sydney's Allianz Stadium, tearing down the
eastern grandstand on Wednesday. No company has yet been
commissioned to build the stadium with construction of the new
stadium set to commence following receipt of a stage two planning
approval (30 May 2019).
More...
Greater Sydney housing supply forecast: 191,550 new
homes by 2023
Construction of 191,550 new homes in Greater Sydney is
forecast in the next five years, a 22 per cent increase, or an
extra 34,300 new homes, with Parramatta anticipated to become home
to a vast majority of them (23 May 2019).
More...
Queensland
QMBA: Growing crisis for Building Certification
The ongoing cladding problem brought on by building fires
around the world, particularly London's Grenfell and in
Australia, Melbourne's Lacrosse has highlighted the risk to
insurers in the professional indemnity (PI)
policies they carry. As a result, building certifiers everywhere
are facing challenges when it comes time to renew their policies
(30 May 2019).
More...
Brisbane Metro to reshape Adelaide Street
Brisbane City Council has released its plan to transform
one of the cities vital public transport corridors into a new
transit boulevard, including an underground tunnel entry for
Brisbane Metro (30 May 2019).
More...
Palaszczuk Government seeks to establish Resources
Community Infrastructure Fund
The Palaszczuk Government will look to partner with some
of Queensland's biggest mining companies to create a Resources
Community Infrastructure Fund (29 May 2019).
More...
New $250m underground plans for Roma Street
Brisbane's Roma Street busway station will be dug
underground and integrated with the new Cross River Rail platforms,
in a $250 million plan announced on Friday (27 May 2019).
More...
Victoria
Pallas delivers strong infrastructure budget despite
revenue write down
Treasurer Tim Pallas has delivered another stellar
infrastructure budget for the people of Victoria, despite domestic
headwinds and a downward revision to the state's stamp duty
revenue, says industry think tank Infrastructure Partnerships
Australia (29 May 2019).
More...
State Budget – What does it mean for the housing
industry?
The Government has presented the state as being in a
strong economic position with employment growth, big infrastructure
spends and a surplus of over $1 billion in 2019/20,growing to
almost $5 billion dollars over the next four years (28 May 2019).
More...
Published
Understanding the assumptions and impacts of the
Victorian Public Housing Renewal Program
David Kelly, Libby Porter; Centre for Urban Research
(RMIT): 30 May 2019
This report, evaluating the Victorian government's program to
redevelop inner suburban public housing estates, says the plan may
reduce the amount of homes available for vulnerable households. More...
What's stopping Adani?
The Australia Institute: 23 May 2019
This briefing paper argues that Adani is not "ready to
go" with its Carmichael coal mine. More...
Australian Bureau of Statistics
30/05/2019
Building Approvals, Australia, Apr 2019 (cat no. 8731.0)
22/05/2019
Construction Work Done, Australia, Preliminary, Mar 2019 (cat
no. 8755.0)
Cases
New South Wales
Sought After Investments Pty Ltd v Unicus Homes Pty
Ltd [2019] NSWSC
600
BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION – payment claims under the
Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act
1999 (NSW) – adjudication determination – whether
multiple payment claims served in respect of one reference date
– whether multiple supporting statements issued in respect of
one payment claim – whether more than one supporting
statement could be provided in respect of a single payment
claim.
Florida Kitchens Pty Ltd v Number One Marble and
Granite [2019] NSWSC
574
PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE — Costs — Security
costs — Application for security for costs — UCPR 42.21
— Where there is reason to believe the plaintiff will be
unable to pay costs if so ordered.
Victoria
RW Health Partnership Pty Ltd v Lendlease Building
Contractors Pty Ltd [2019] VSC
353
ARBITRATION – Whether dispute resolution clause
required expert determination or arbitration – Principles for
the construction of dispute resolution clauses considered.
CONTRACT – Whether the parties correspondence in preparation
for an arbitration constituted an ad hoc agreement to
arbitrate.
ELECTION – Whether by its correspondence the first defendant
had elected to arbitrate the relevant dispute – Whether to
choose arbitration rather than expert determination was to elect
between inconsistent substantive rights.
WAIVER – Principles of waiver considered – Whether by
its correspondence the first defendant has unequivocally abandoned
its right to expert determination.
Valeo Construction v Tiling Expert
[2019] VSC 291
ADMINISTRATIVE LAW – Judicial review – Relief
in the nature of certiorari – Injunctions –
Declarations – Whether Adjudication Determination is vitiated
by jurisdictional error – Error of law on the face of the
record - Review of jurisdictional facts - Supreme Court (General
Civil Procedure) Rules 2015 (Vic), r 56.
BUILDING CONTRACTS – Whether settlement agreement was a
genuine resolution of matters in dispute and whether such agreement
amounted to contracting out of the Building and Construction
Industry Security of Payment Act 2002 (Vic), ss 9, 14, 21(2B),
23(2), 48.
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