Better management of disputes crucial for infrastructure delivery

Sydney, 8 June 2011: Infrastructure delivery is becoming an increasingly critical issue for all governments in Australia, so it is imperative that they explore as many innovative mechanisms to deliver their infrastructure commitments.

Chairing the recent Clayton Utz 'Dispute Resolution Boards on Major Projects' panel session, Clayton Utz's head of construction and major projects, Professor Doug Jones AM, told attendees that Dispute Resolution Boards (DRBs) are uniquely placed to assist the incoming New South Wales Government to deliver on its commitment of addressing the State's infrastructure deficit.

A DRB is established at the start of the project, meeting regularly to proactively deal with any potential issues before they arise. Whilst DRBs have been in existence since 1987, 80% of all known DRB contracts in Australia and New Zealand have occurred in the last eight years. As yet, none of the disputes arising during the course of the project have been referred