17/03/2026

March 17, 2026

The Daily Dirt Aus

By G’day Construction………….…… 

THE MORNING PAPER FOR CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS AND TRADIES

🚨 Safety Updates

The Minns Labor Government is boosting workplace mental health, with additional SafeWork NSW mental health-focussed inspectors now deployed. The NSW Government is adding 20 psychosocial inspectors as part of 51 additional inspectors overall – SafeWork NSW’s largest ever uplift in inspectors.

✒ Headlines & Industry

Global consortium AmplifyGC, headquartered in Australia, has been selected as the shortlisted proponent to progress the Gold Coast Arena transaction – a legacy venue for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Austrade will showcase a US$2 billion Pacific infrastructure pipeline at briefings in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne next week. Covering transport, energy, water and social projects, the sessions target Tier 2 and 3 civil contractors, engineers and suppliers, with strong demand for bidders on US$10–50 million civil works packages over the next two years.

🏗️ Projects

NSW

The City of Parramatta will invest $9.5 million to upgrade Doyle Ground in North Parramatta, improving sports fields, adding synthetic cricket wickets, solar lighting and new community amenities. Part of the Heart of Play master plan, the project aims to deliver modern recreational infrastructure for the city’s growing population.

A new landfill cell capable of receiving up to three million cubic metres of waste will be built at the Summerhill Waste Management Centre in Newcastle, New South Wales, to cater to the city’s growing population. 

The University of New South Wales has secured approval for its 12-storey G25 Education Building at the Kensington campus. The 20,000-square-metre project will deliver new teaching, research and learning spaces, with partners including Architectus, FDC and Arup collaborating to deliver a sustainable, next-generation education facility.

NT

Charles Darwin University has launched the Centre for Asphalt and Road Technologies to advance pavement research and deliver more durable, cost-effective roads across the Northern Territory. Led by Dr Ali Rajabipour, the hub will focus on sustainable, climate-resilient road solutions while strengthening industry collaboration, innovation and real-world testing for infrastructure development.

QLD

Renewables developer Edify Energy has awarded DT Infrastructure EPC contracts for four solar-plus-battery projects in Queensland. The developments—Smoky Creek, Guthrie’s Gap, Ganymirra and Majors Creek—will deliver 1.8 GW of solar and storage capacity, with construction expected to begin mid-2026 and operations targeted for 2028.

A DA has been lodged for two 15‑storey residential towers at 24–26 and 26A Constance Street, Fortitude Valley, Queensland. The project will deliver 312 one‑bedroom units with ground-level retail, co-living amenities, landscaped public laneways, and communal facilities, supporting high-density urban construction in the heart of Fortitude Valley.

SA

Both major parties have pledged billions to boost housing, but construction leaders say delivery is what matters. Industry groups welcome apprentice incentives, downsizer schemes and rent-to-own plans, yet warn supply will only rise if governments cut red tape, expand workforce pathways and fast-track planning approvals to accelerate home building across South Australia.

The 16th annual SA Major Projects Conference will return to the Adelaide Convention Centre on 4–5 May, bringing together about 200 industry leaders. Discussions will centre on the South Australian Government’s $27.3 billion infrastructure pipeline and more than $7 billion in major projects shaping Adelaide’s future.

VIC

Victoria’s fast-track planning pathway has approved more than 10,000 homes across 64 projects in just over two years, slashing approval times to four months. With at least 10 per cent affordable housing required, the program aims to accelerate supply, boost inner-suburban construction and improve housing access for younger Victorians.

Esso Australia will remove about 47 km of umbilicals and subsea flexibles in Bass Strait as part of its decommissioning program. Campaign #1A will use construction support vessels, ROVs, and cut‑and‑lift or reverse‑lay methods, running two months between 2028–2031, ensuring safe offshore infrastructure removal.

WA

BHP has commenced construction of a sixth car dumper at its Nelson Point iron ore port facility in Port Hedland, Western Australia, marking the formal start of works on the $1.4 billion (approximately US$900 million) Port Debottlenecking Project 2 (PDP2) — one of the largest port infrastructure investments in the company’s history.

The City of Perth has endorsed a new plan, developed in collaboration with urban strategy firm Gehl, for the city’s next decade, which is projected to reach 55,000 residents by 2036 and up to 90,000 by 2050.

🧰 Construction Au Other

A major review of the National Construction Code will shape how Australia’s building rules are developed for years ahead. Industry groups warn reforms must include broad sector input to maintain safety, compliance and practicality. Balanced governance of the Australian Building Codes Board is critical to ensure future code changes work across the entire construction industry.

🌱 Sustainability ​& Environment

A leading industry collaboration, including Holcim, Canary Wharf Group (CWG) and top civil engineering consultancies, has produced a UK-first net-zero concrete using biochar with spent coffee grounds.

📖 Miscellaneous

WinDC has partnered with Armada to deploy 11 MW of modular, renewable-powered AI factories across New South Wales and other National Energy Market locations, including Western Australia, enabling fast, low-emission construction of portable data centres for scalable AI processing.

Books and records of a Nicheliving-linked entity will be inspected by companies mulling a legal action against the founder of the troubled builder, a recent judgment shows.

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Alex

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