08/10/2025

October 08, 2025

THE MORNING PAPER FOR CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS AND TRADIES

🚨 Safety Updates

An 18-year-old construction worker fell 4 metres at a Dee Why site, suffering suspected spinal injuries. Emergency crews, including firefighters and paramedics, rescued and treated him. He was airlifted to hospital in stable condition. NSW Police and SafeWork NSW are investigating the workplace incident that occurred just before 11am.

Research from the University of Melbourne, commissioned by MATES in Construction, highlights that the gap in suicide rates between construction workers and other Australians is closing. The report confirms that male construction workers die by suicide at nearly double the rate of other employed men (25.7 per 100,000 vs 14.3 per 100,000).

The survey found 33% of injuries were caused by a worker coming into contact with an object, just less than 17% were hit by moving objects and 12.5% were injured from a fall (including trips and slips).

Join us to build safer, healthier workplaces through smarter WHS practices, return-to-work strategies, and mental wellbeing insights. Hear from experts like Dr Tessa Bailey, Theo Venter, and Prof Joel Pearson. Explore AI’s psychological impact and more. Registrations close Friday 10 October—secure your ticket now for this transformative event!

✒ Headlines & Industry

The Australasian Railway Association (ARA) has responded to the Productivity Commission’s interim report, highlighting rail’s role in affordable, low-emissions transport. With rail freight producing 16 times fewer emissions than road and strong capacity benefits, the ARA supports reforms boosting productivity through investment in cleaner energy and net zero transport solutions.

Australia’s construction sector added 33,900 workers to its payroll in the three months to August, new data reveals.

🏗️ Projects

NSW

After decades of lobbying and design controversy, the New South Wales government says it needs another $30–40 million to proceed with the Wilcannia Weir upgrade.

A $396m proposal to redevelop North Sydney’s heritage-listed MLC Building with a 22-storey tower has been approved.

City of Newcastle is advancing plans to revitalise Queens Wharf, with 97% community support for a vibrant, mixed-use precinct. Feedback highlights a desire for family-friendly spaces, dining, events, and local job creation. A development application is lodged, and expressions of interest for project partners open 9 October.

The NSW clean energy sector has seen a slew of developments this week, with the start of HumeLink construction coinciding with the approval of two renewables projects. 

QLD

Full Scope expressions of interest in three specific work packages associated with Rio Tinto’s expansion program on Cape York Peninsula will be open this month. The Kangwinan Project is located on Norman Creek around 60km south of Weipa.

SA

Work is underway on Adelaide’s Tram Grade Separations Projects, including installation of three overpasses requiring 520 m³ of concrete and 1,200 tonnes of steel. The Glandore overpass features a 95-metre steel arch bridge. The project supports over 1,000 jobs, with completion set before the 2026 school year.

Flinders Port Holdings (FPH) is set to invest $390 million in the Flinders Adelaide Container Terminal (FACT) to improve operational capacity and ensure continued efficiency over the next two years.

TAS

TasWater and engineering firm GHD have announced a decade long-term partnership worth $100 million, promising to deliver stronger, smarter water and sewerage services across Tasmania.

VIC

From December trains will run every 20 minutes, with commuters having to wait until 1 February for ‘turn up and go’ services. After months of speculation, the Victorian premier has announced the long-awaited Melbourne Metro Tunnel will begin taking passengers in early December.

🧰 Construction Au Other

Wagners Holdings, which supplies about one-third of the entire cement market in south-east Queensland, has found a second strong growth engine by manufacturing fibreglass power poles to replace ageing electricity infrastructure.

Learn how investing in preventative equipment maintenance helps contractors cut costs and stay resilient in unpredictable markets.

 

🚀 Innovation, Digital & Futuristic Technology

Construction companies are making themselves dynamic and future-proof places to work by demonstrating their commitment to innovation through the launch of AI-enabled products, including project management programs and augmented reality solutions.

Kubota has unveiled the world’s first autonomous hydrogen fuel cell tractor, delivering 100 horsepower with zero emissions. Powered by compressed hydrogen and AI-driven sensors, it self-navigates fields and can be remotely operated. Unveiled at Expo 2025 in Japan, field tests are planned next.

ACCIONA has launched a dual-model digital system combining simulation and AI to optimize reverse osmosis desalination, improving energy efficiency and sustainability. Successfully deployed in Qatar, it enhances water output while reducing energy use. Complementary AI tools predict turbidity and marine hazards, supporting proactive, resilient water management globally.

🌏 Around the World

Toxic mass chiselled out of Feltham pipes amid campaign to stop people tipping harmful substances down drains. A team of water engineers have spent a month blasting and chiselling a 100-tonne fatberg loose from under the streets of west London. The blockage consisting mainly of wet wipes glued together by congealed fat, oil and grease, was the equivalent in mass of eight doubledecker buses, stuck 10 metres below street level.

China is persevering with underwater datacenters - a deployment off the coast near Shanghai is expected to save on the energy costs of cooling compute infrastructure thanks to ocean currents.

Saudi Arabia’s Neom project has $24bn in construction contracts awarded, including Trojena, The Line, and Oxagon. Across the western seabord, $57bn contracts are awarded with $187.2bn planned. Riyadh leads giga projects, fueling rapid urban growth, while sports and infrastructure investments drive economic diversification under Vision 2030.

📖 Miscellaneous

Today’s release of the Insurance Council of Australia’s report puts Australia on the spot: we rank second in the world in extreme weather-related losses. As the Insurance Council puts it, this is not the silver medal we want to win. Why is this a problem? According to the Resilient Building Council of Australia, a collaboration of independent experts, close to 90% of Australian homes are not actually fit for a changing climate.

The Albanese Government has launched a review of the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme to support local construction, freight, and produce industries. Aimed at reducing red tape and improving Bass Strait transport, the review seeks to ensure the scheme remains fit-for-purpose, helping Tasmanian businesses stay competitive and efficient in domestic markets.

Australia’s data centre capacity is set to double by 2030, driven by AI and digital growth. To ease urban grid strain, developers are exploring regional hubs co-located with renewables and battery storage. These hybrid systems enable sustainable, scalable infrastructure, reduce costs, and enhance national resilience, creating jobs and bridging digital divides.

👷‍♀️ Tradies and Resource

A pre-employment training program on Sydney’s new Western Harbour Tunnel Project is equipping women with specialised skills to work in Australia’s largest precast operation. Acciona has partnered with NSW TAFE, Department of Corrections, and Future Women to collaborate on offering career progression and reintegration opportunities for those transitioning from correctional settings.

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Alex

We monitor Australian construction 24/7—analysing thousands of articles from over 600 sources—to deliver the latest industry news straight to you.

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