In the media
ARENA: Calculating the prospects of solar
thermal
The Resources and Energy Minister has launched new online tools
supported by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency that will help
researchers, developers and financiers assess the commercial
prospects of Concentrating Solar Thermal power projects in
Australia (25 July 2013).
More...
Handful of National Buildplan projects back on
track
National Buildplan in Administration will complete work on two
projects in the New England area under strict supervision and
monitoring (23 July 2013).
More...
Builders pin hopes on health sector
The billion-dollar healthcare sector will be the next big source
of work for the nation's troubled building industry, as mining
softens and the ageing population demands higher living standards
(20 July 2013).
More...
Infrastructure spotlight: firms hold sway in
infrastructure investment industry
The top 10 infrastructure fund managers by capital raised in the
last 10 years accounted for 45% of the total raised by closed-ended
infrastructure funds in the last decade, according to alternatives
researcher Preqin (18 July 2013). More...
Challenge Ahead for New Home Building:
HIA
The HIA Chief Economists says the latest ABS housing data includes
crucial information regarding dwelling commencements, with the
update coming in largely as expected. Dwelling commencements fell
in the March 2013 quarter and the ABS's upward revisions to the
2009 - 2012 period are significant (17 July 2013).
More...
Taralga wind farm project gains momentum
Vestas Australian Wind Technology has awarded a contract for some
of the civil and electrical infrastructure works on the Taralga
Wind Farm in NSW to Downer EDI. Which completed will supply power
to approximately 45,000 homes through a 10-year power purchase
agreement with Energy Australia (19 July 2013).
More...
NSW farmers want mining and CSG to be subject to triple
bottom line test
Farmers today agreed unanimously that the granting of mining and
coal seam gas licences should be subject to a triple bottom line
test. Farmers also agreed that land owners' time should be
payable as compensable loss in negotiating access agreements for
mining and CSG activity (17 July 2013).
More...
ABS: NSW leads the way in housing
construction
According to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics,
the number of new houses built in NSW in the last 12 months is the
highest in eight years and NSW leads the way on increasing new
housing (17 July 2013).
More...
Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) finances two
wind farms
The Australian Government's Clean Energy Finance Corporation
(CEFC) started operations on 1 July and has announced financing for
two major wind farms - the A$1 billion Macarthur Wind Farm in
Victoria and 37.5 million in senior debt finance to help build the
$280 million Taralga Wind Farm in NSW (16 July 2013).
More...
Construction commences on Woleebee Creek to Glebe Weir
Pipeline project
SunWater was working with QGC to deliver a 120km pipeline to
transport treated CSG water from its water treatment plant at
Woleebee Creek to the Glebe Weir. The Pipeline project is just the
second of its kind in Queensland and will deliver a practical
solution to transport the treated CSG water to an existing water
supply scheme (16 July 2013).
More...
Coalition Government launches East West Link tender process Minister for Roads Terry Mulder and Acting Treasurer Gordon Rich-Phillips have called for Expressions of Interest to build the largest infrastructure project in Victoria's history, Stage One of the East West Link (18 July 2013). More...
Published – articles, papers, reports
Building Activity Australia, March 2013
Author Australian Bureau of Statistics
The seasonally adjusted estimate of the value of total building
work done fell 1.8% to $20,162.5m in the March quarter. The
seasonally adjusted estimate of the value of new residential
building work done fell 0.6% to $10,275.0m. Work done on new houses
fell 1.1% to $6,506.0m, while new other residential building rose
0.1% to $3,769.0m. The seasonally adjusted estimate of the value of
non-residential building work done in the quarter fell 2.4% (17
July 2013).
More...
In practice and courts
ABCB: Comment on Condensation Handbook
The Australian Building Codes Board has released for comment a
draft of the proposed second edition handbook "Condensation In
Buildings". Public comment closes 2nd September
2013.
More... Comments can be forwarded through the AIBS technical
committee (23 July 2013). More...
ABCB: Building Control Supply Chain Practitioner
Survey
The Australian Building Codes Board, in partnership with the
Australian Construction Industry Forum, seeks the feedback of
industry about where the 'Building Control' Supply Chain
could be enhanced (18 July 2013).
More...
VIC: Concept plan for East West Link: expressions of
interest (EOI)
The Victorian Government is currently calling for expressions of
interest (EOI) for Stage One of the East West Link, following on
the release of the project's corridor reference design earlier
this week (18 July 2013).
More...
Cases
Tyrrell & Anor v McNab Constructions Pty Ltd &
Ors [2013] QDC 165
TORTS- Negligence- Pure economic loss- whether the test for the
duty of care is proximity or vulnerability
PRACTICE and PROCEDURE- whether the Statement of Claim sufficiently pleads facts giving rise to the duty of care. More...
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