25/08/2025

August 25, 2025

🏗 🚧 🌏 🛠 🚀 🦺 ♻ 🤖 🧱 🏛 🧰

THE MORNING PAPER FOR CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS AND TRADIES

✒ Headlines & Industry

Major construction code changes paused until 2029 to fast track building homesThe federal government is moving to speed up decisions on housing approvals and limit further changes to the lengthy National Construction Code, just days after being urged to do so by the Economic Reform Roundtable.

An interim report by the Queensland Productivity Commission suggested the state should opt out of accessibility standards to increase building approvals. Advocates say the move would see more people with disability unable to access suitable housing, and risks isolating them from the community. 

Master Builders Australia commends the Federal Government for moving quickly to address Australia’s housing crisis and boost industry productivity following the Economic Reform Roundtable. The five reform areas announced today by Minister O’Neil and Minister Watt will help to decrease delays and regulatory burdens for builders, boost the number of new home approvals and deliver the new homes that Australians desperately need.

Federal Labor says offshore wind plans for NSW Hunter region are not sunk, just on ice, after developers call time on the only project in the zone offered a feasibility licence.

🏗️ Projects

NSW

Commuters could get from Woollahra to city in eight minutes on eastern suburbs line with rezoning of area to include ‘a dedicated portion of affordable housing’. Australia’s oldest suburban rail network is on track for its first new station in more than a decade to boost construction of 10,000 homes in the country’s most expensive property market.

Three Box Hill infrastructure projects have received a funding boost through the NSW Government’s Western Sydney Growth Areas Special Infrastructure Contributions (SIC) program following applications and advocacy from The Hills Shire Council.

A $2.5 billion development in Sydney’s Inner West has officially broken ground, with construction of Burwood Place now underway. Delivered by Holdmark in consultation with Burwood Council and the local community, the project is planned as a transit-oriented precinct combining housing, jobs, public spaces and transport links.

NT

The Department of Logistics and Infrastructure is constructing a new police complex in Maningrida, Arnhem Land, for the NT Police Force. Set for completion by late 2026, it will house 14 officers and include holding cells, accommodation, a courthouse area, and more—enhancing safety and meeting future community needs.

QLD

The State Government is tipping in $54 million towards Toowoomba Regional Council’s Cressbrook Dam Safety Improvement Project, which will help deliver a mandatory upgrade of the asset’s spillways.  The investment comprises roughly 20 per cent of the estimated $266.1 million cost to complete the project.

A development application has been lodged for Multiple Dwellings, located at 33 Vulture Street, West End. Designed by Mode Design, the proposal is a thirteen (13) storey residential building that will contain one hundred and thirty two (132) residential dwellings along with three (3) podium levels.

VIC

If you didn’t already know, the Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority (VIDA) delivers over 200 major transport and health projects across Victoria. Established in April 2024 and led by Kevin Devlin, VIDA includes four project offices overseeing roads, rail, metro, and health infrastructure—like the Metro Tunnel and new hospitals.

ACE Power has sold the ready-to-build 103 MW / 206 MWh Kerang battery storage project in Victoria’s Loddon Valley to Banpu Energy Australia. With land, planning, and grid approvals secured, and key construction terms negotiated, works are set to begin following financial close in 2025. ACE will support delivery through construction.

The proposed Warracknabeal Energy Park in Victoria’s Wimmera region features up to 219 wind turbines, battery storage, and a high-voltage grid connection. Supporting infrastructure includes access roads, site compounds, and transport upgrades. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with completion targeted for 2032, enhancing regional renewable energy capacity.

WA

Builders have been appointed for 14 new housing projects in Perth, aiming to deliver more affordable and social homes. 

The Federal Court has dismissed a not-for-profit organisation’s bid to overturn an approval of Woodside’s environmental plan over the $18.7 billion Scarborough asset.

🧰 Construction Au Other

Protective Engineered Safety is developing a world-first technology to tackle a long-standing rail safety challenge: reliable detection of both AC and DC high-voltage lines. The new AC/DC GoUpSafely system is designed to give operators of rail, tram and light rail networks a tool that until now has not existed – the ability to automatically identify live DC lines during mobile operations.

Symal Group Ltd. (ASX: SYL) announced Thursday it has entered into a binding agreement to acquire 100% of Locale Civil Pty Ltd, a move aimed at strengthening its position in Australia’s utility civil infrastructure sector. The acquisition, valued at up to A$35 million, includes an upfront cash payment of A$29.3 million and a deferred earn-out of A$5.7 million contingent on Locale meeting its FY26 earnings target.

🚀 Innovation, Digital & Futuristic Technology

Assessing seismic vulnerability in Dir City, this study uses a modified RVS approach to identify risks and propose strategies for improving building resilience.

From AI tools predicting delays to digital twins optimising site logistics, technology is transforming how homes are delivered. For affordable housing providers grappling with time and budget constraints, AI-enabled planning systems offer predictive value, estimating snagging risk, labour needs, and material usage more precisely than traditional methods.

Hyundai Engineering has developed a novel no-excavation pile installation method, now recognized as official new technology by Korea’s Ministry of Land. The “removable auxiliary pile” system combines stake and driving equipment into one integrated unit, enhancing precision, safety, and efficiency—ideal for tight urban sites where traditional excavation is challenging.

🌱 Sustainability ​& Environment

Australia has taken another step towards scaling offshore renewables. The Federal Government today released draft guidelines for Research and Demonstration (R&D) licences in declared offshore zones. The framework is intended to fast-track innovation, provide investor certainty, and pave the way for commercial offshore wind and other marine energy projects.

In a true sustainable innovation in construction , a team of Argentine scientists has managed to repair concrete with bacteria . Concrete is one of the most widely used materials in construction globally, but it presents a recurring problem: the formation of microcracks during setting.

🌏 Around the World

The collapse of an under-construction railway bridge over a major river in China has killed at least 12 workers and left four others missing, state media reports said. Aerial photos from the official Xinhua News Agency show a large section missing from the bridge's curved aquamarine arch.

Chinese officials have showcased what they claim will be the world's largest solar farm, equivalent in size to Chicago, as new data show China emissions falling.

Challenges abound for the Top 250 International Contractors as revenue numbers show regional conflicts—with supply chain disruptions and cost volatility rocking some global markets and roiling others to a point of diminished returns.

👷‍♀️ Tradies and Resource

The program will support Victorian construction and advanced manufacturing businesses to grow and maintain their competitive advantage by providing free training opportunities in critical digital skills for leaders and workers in these sectors. The program will provide 1,000 free places in training courses over the next two years for workers to get the latest skills in construction and advanced manufacturing sectors – ensuring Victorians have access to high-skilled jobs into the future.

Temporary skilled visa workers are playing a vital role in keeping Australia’s construction and trades sectors moving, according to new data from job management platform NextMinute. The analysis reveals that over 17,500 visa holders are working in core trades such as motor mechanics, structural steel workers, glaziers, plumbers, and electricians.

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Alex

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