The Daily Dirt Aus

By G’day Construction………….…… 

_{THE MORNING PAPER FOR CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS AND TRADIES}

✒ Headlines & Industry

CFMEU Report Puts Victoria Big Build at Risk

Jacinta Allan faces mounting pressure over alleged corruption linked to the CFMEU on Victoria’s Big Build projects, with claims misconduct inflated costs by $15 billion. A Queensland Commission of Inquiry detailed serious allegations, but Allan has rejected calls for a Royal Commission.

PM announces $3.9b 'down payment' towards $30b submarine shipyard

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has committed $3.9bn toward a $30bn nuclear submarine construction yard at Osborne, Adelaide, under the AUKUS agreement. The massive facility will support fabrication, testing and commissioning, generating thousands of construction jobs and apprenticeships in South Australia.

🏗️ Projects

NSW

Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2a - Rail Systems Supply - Infrastructure Pipeline

The Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2a will deliver 4.5 km of track, nine stations, and supporting rail systems connecting Camellia to Wentworth Point. Transport for NSW is procuring design, supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of light rail vehicles and systems, alongside Main Works and enabling packages.

$7.6m water security boost for Forbes

Construction has begun on a $7.6 million Forbes Water Supply upgrade, backed by $4.6 million from NSW and $3 million from the Shire. The project adds two production and test bores plus a 5.3 km duplicate pipeline, boosting groundwater capacity by 80 % to improve drought resilience and secure reliable water for 7,000 residents.

St George Private Hospital Plans Major Kogarah Expansion

St George Private Hospital in Kogarah plans a $177.9 million expansion, adding a seven-storey clinical tower and reconfigured emergency department. The project delivers 155 extra beds, 10 acute ED beds, three ambulance bays, and modernised facilities. Construction could create 355 jobs, with 234 ongoing roles, strengthening southern Sydney’s private healthcare capacity.

QLD

$250 Million Flatwater Rowing Precinct – Lawnton, Moreton Bay

A $250 million Flatwater Rowing Precinct is proposed on a decommissioned quarry to host rowing and para-rowing for Brisbane 2032 Olympics. Plans include an international-standard course, spectator facilities for 20,000, community recreation spaces, and transport access via nearby Petrie station, creating lasting sporting infrastructure in Queensland.

Construction underway for new container depot at Port of Mackay

Construction has begun on a multi-million-dollar 1.3-hectare container depot by North Queensland Bulk Ports. The facility will handle imports and exports directly through Mackay, improving logistics for mining and agricultural industries, reducing transport costs, and supporting future growth up to 7,000 TEUs annually.

Fast-tracked approvals to support 2032 Games infrastructure

Key venues, accommodation and transport projects for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games are set to benefit from streamlined planning and delivery pathways under proposed legislative amendments.

Townsville allocates another $6M to Haughton Pipeline

Townsville City Council will add $6 million to the Haughton Pipeline Project, bringing total investment to $85 million. Stage 2, extending from the Haughton to Burdekin Rivers, includes pipelines, pump stations, and control systems. Construction uses GRP and MSCL pipes, aiming for full operation by 2032 to meet Townsville’s growing water demand.

SA

Construction starts on Adelaide's first skyscraper amid continued opposition

Major construction has commenced on the $800 million, 38-storey Festival Tower Two by Walker Corporation behind Parliament House in Adelaide. The 160-metre tower will generate 1,300 construction jobs, exclude a proposed airbridge, and is now scheduled for completion in late 2028 following planning delays. Construction is expected to be complete by the end of 2028.

VIC

More Homes Next To Future Suburban Rail Loop Station

The Allan Labor Government has fast-tracked 795 apartments in Glen Waverley near the future Suburban Rail Loop station. Approved via the Development Facilitation Program, the $410m, two-tower project boosts transit-oriented construction as tunnelling begins, supporting 70,000 new homes across six SRL precincts.

Draft maps indicate heights and setbacks for 23 of Victoria’s Activity Centres

The Victorian government has released draft plans showing the proposed heights and boundaries for 23 Activity Centres within train and tram zones in Melbourne that were first announced in March last year.

Victoria unveils plans for 20 storey apartments in more middle suburbs

Victoria releases draft construction plans for 23 train and tram zone activity centres across Melbourne, detailing proposed building heights from three to 20 storeys. Plans aim to enable over 300,000 new homes near transport hubs by 2051. Consultation open for community feedback on setbacks, boundaries, and building form, guiding future urban development.

🧰 Construction Au Other

What the experts say about a crack found in the Bridgewater Bridge

Experts say cracking in the $786 million Bridgewater Bridge is not uncommon in complex concrete structures. Engineers from Monash University and University of Queensland stress the defect was serviceability-related, repaired before opening, and does not pose structural risk, highlighting standard construction monitoring and design adjustments.

🚀 Innovation, Digital & Futuristic Technology

Bedrock Robotics raises $270M in red-hot AI sector

Bedrock Robotics raised $270M Series B, bringing total funding to $350M and valuing the firm at $1.75B. Its Bedrock Operator retrofits heavy machinery for autonomous jobsite operation using lidar, GPS, and motion sensors. Funding will expand deployments, enable fleet autonomy, and address construction productivity gaps while improving safety and efficiency.

Could BIM’s coming-of-age unlock better collaboration in construction?

BIM has matured from a 3D tool into a strategic construction platform, improving collaboration, reducing errors, and cutting project costs by ~15% while shortening schedules ~20%. Civil engineers now use BIM for clash detection, 4D sequencing, material quantification, and lifecycle management, enabling safer, more efficient, and sustainable infrastructure delivery under BS EN ISO 19650 standards.

Why Visual Intelligence Is the Next Big Shift in Construction Technology

Construction has never lacked data. What it has lacked is clarity. Today’s jobsites generate enormous volumes of information — drawings, schedules, RFIs, reports — but much of what truly matters still lives in the physical world: what was actually installed?

🌱 Sustainability ​& Environment

No concrete, no B-doubles: Major solar and battery project promises ultra-light touch

The Tumuruu Solar and Battery Project proposes a 400 MW solar array with up to 2 GWh battery storage in Taromeo, using Jurchen Technology’s low-impact PEG mounting system. Concrete-free installation reduces steel use, ground disturbance, and logistics, speeding construction and enabling local labour, while minimising ecological and visual footprint.

🌏 Around the World

Only one in five Euro datacenters AI-ready as builders battle land and labor blues

Only 20% of European and Middle East facilities are AI-ready, according to BCS, as developers face land shortages, grid bottlenecks and acute skills gaps. Retrofitting for high-density GPU loads demands major power and cooling upgrades. Despite strong demand, supply constraints threaten to stall datacenter construction capacity through 2030.

Japan’s first two-storey 3D-printed house approved

Japanese startup Kizuki and builder Onocom completed Japan’s first two-storey 3D-printed concrete house using a custom Cobod printer. Spanning 50 m² over two floors, the seismic-compliant project features cave-inspired arches, slabs, and interior elements. Plans aim to expand 3D-printing into civil, disaster-prevention, and reconstruction projects, plus construction training and digital management systems.

Romania awards contracts worth €1bn for TEN-T upgrade

CFR awarded TrackWorks (Terna 69%/74% & Alstom) €992.6M to double-track and modernize 83 km of the Craiova–Drobeta–Caransebeș line in Romania. Works include 25 kV electrification, ERTMS Level 2, higher speeds (160 km/h passenger, 120 km/h freight), and full design plus rehabilitation over 60 months.

👷‍♀️ Tradies and Resource

NSW pledges $15 million to boost renewable energy workforce

The New South Wales government is investing $15 million over four years in the Renewable Energy Skills Strategy (RESS), jointly funded with the federal government, to train workers for renewable energy projects. The initiative aims to create 7,000 peak construction jobs, 4,500 ongoing roles, and expand apprenticeships, traineeships, and regional workforce pathways.

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