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- 20/02/2026
20/02/2026
The Daily Dirt Aus
By Gāday Constructionā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦.ā¦ā¦
THE MORNING PAPER FOR CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS AND TRADIES
šØ Safety Updates
New Codes of Practice for Managing Psychosocial Hazards and Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment have commenced in South Australia. Based on the national model, they provide practical guidance for employers to identify, assess and control psychosocial risks, clarify legal duties, and strengthen workplace safety, consultation, reporting and risk management processes.
Boilermaking and welding company Painting and Blasting Industries Pty Ltd has been fined $120,000 in the Industrial Court of NSW as a result of a prosecution by SafeWork NSW.
ā Headlines & Industry
Jacinta Allan threatened to end a press conference after a reporter suggested she appeared ādisinterestedā during questioning over CFMEU corruption allegations. Allan demanded a retraction, defended her governmentās response, and urged any evidence be referred to Victoria Police.
Queensland faces a shortage of up to 46,000 construction workers by 2028/29 as the state ramps up delivery of 17 Olympic venues, transport upgrades, and athlete villages for Brisbane 2032. Trades including mechanical, hydraulic, crane, piling, and tunnelling crews, plus supervisors, project managers, engineers, planners, and quantity surveyors, will be in high demand. WTās report highlights risks from labour scarcity, cost pressures, and productivity shortfalls, urging early scope clarity, better sequencing, and productivity-aligned procurement to protect cost, delivery confidence, and legacy value.
The ANZIP DecemberāJanuary update highlights 153 projects added in 2025, 69 contracts awarded, and multiple major works commencing or completing. Energy and transport pipelines diverged, with large energy projects added and transport mega-projects graduating. January 2026 saw new projects, status changes, awards, and ongoing construction across Australia and New Zealand.
šļø Projects
NSW
Suspected human remains have been found at a construction site in Merimbula on the Far South Coast of New South Wales. Workers uncovered a skull and bones, later identified as Indigenous remains. NSW Police have established a crime scene and are reviewing historical missing-person cases pending further forensic analysis.
The $1.5 billion Marrickville Timberyards redevelopment has been approved, transforming a 2.2-hectare inner-west industrial site into a neo-industrial, build-to-rent precinct. The project will deliver 1,166 rental apartments across seven buildings, plus public open space, retail and community facilities, with demolition commencing in February 2026.
The $96.6 million Corrimal Coke Works Stage 2a redevelopment proposes 207 apartments, including 57 affordable units, across four buildings on heritage-listed land. The design reflects the siteās industrial character, with parks, transport links, and community infrastructure secured via a Planning Agreement. Public exhibition and assessment under Housing SEPP are underway.
AECOM, in joint venture with WSP, will deliver detailed design for the Sydney Metro West Linewide Systems package, supporting John Holland. The project will double rail capacity between Parramatta and Sydney CBD, featuring twin 24 km tunnels, a new depot, traction power, ventilation, and train systems. Advanced digital modelling will enable efficient design integration across Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and Asia.
NT
A $49.5 million contract has been awarded to upgrade 34km of Tanami Road to a sealed two-lane standard. Delivered by Exact Contracting from early 2026, the works improve safety, drainage and wet-season access, supporting freight, mining, tourism and remote community connectivity across the Northern Territory.
TotalEnergies H2 has withdrawn its Federal Court application over native title at the proposed Wak Wak Solar Farm near Darwin, Northern Territory. The company will instead work with the Northern Land Council to finalise an Indigenous land use agreement for the 2,500-hectare project.
The Northern Territory Government will deliver the Alice Springs Multicultural Centre within the Anzac Oval precinct CBD. The purpose-built facility will host up to 200 people indoors and outdoors, featuring a stage, kitchen, amenities and ICT services. Construction is expected to commence late 2026, targeting completion by mid-2027.
QLD
The City of Gold Coast has launched an international EOI to procure partners for a new waste-to-energy facility at Stapylton. Located within the Advanced Resource Recovery Centre precinct, the project will process over 300,000 tonnes of residual waste annually and generate electricity to power up to 80,000 homes.
The Queensland Government will provide a four-year, 10% subsidy on Mount Isa Line rail access, reducing transport costs for minerals and freight. The move strengthens Northern Queensland freight corridors, supports regional industry growth, encourages a shift from road to rail, and underpins major projects, boosting economic certainty and investment.
A development agreement has been signed for a major hotel project, with a Hilton Garden Inn announced for Ellenborough Street, Ipswich, adjacent to the Nicholas Street Precinct. The project will deliver a seven-storey, 160-room hotel on vacant council-owned land, marking the first Hilton-branded hotel in the Ipswich city centre.
SA
Construction has begun on a $150 million upgrade of the Mount Barker and Verdun interchanges in South Australia, jointly funded by the Federal Government ($120 m) and SA Government ($30 m). Mount Barker will get a new three-lane bridge, improved traffic flow, smart lighting, and pedestrian/cyclist paths. Verdun will become a full interchange with new ramps, a bridge, and upgraded drainage. Mount Barkerās works are delivered by Bardavcol, Verdun by a BMD-Leed JV, with both due to open in late 2027, supporting ~260 jobs during construction.
VIC
Construction has begun on the $180 million Senses development in Mount Barker, delivering 254 homes to the growing Adelaide Hills region. Initial civil works, including roads, services and earthworks by Winslow Contractors, are underway, with major builders to commence housing construction later this year following strong early sales.
WA
The State Government announced Perkins Pty Ltd will design and construct the new facility adjacent to Wellington Dam in an attempt to support local jobs while improving infrastructure at one of the regionās most popular tourism destinations
š§° Construction Au Other
SMEC is proud to mark the next milestone in the $5.75 billion Logan and Gold Coast Faster Rail (LGC) project, with the signing of the Project Alliance Agreement (PAA) as part of the ActivUs Alliance.
Western Australia and South Australia lead the HIAās 2026 Planning Blueprint Scorecard, each scoring three out of five for housing reform. Large-scale rezonings, digital planning systems and land releases are boosting construction pipelines, though no state exceeds mid-tier performance as approvals, greenfield supply and delivery constraints continue limiting housing output nationwide.
The Australasian Railway Association (ARA) says Australiaās rail sector is well-positioned to deliver high speed rail, as easing construction activity creates capacity for the landmark project. The ARAās 2025 report forecasts a 35% fall in national rail construction by 2031-32, from $17.3B to $11.3B. CEO Caroline Wilkie urges leveraging recent project skills for high-speed rail, which will boost the economy, housing, manufacturing, and net-zero operations, while retaining 15,200 rail construction jobs.
š Innovation, Digital & Futuristic Technology
Intuit has launched a Construction Edition of its Enterprise Suite, an AI-driven ERP targeting mid-market construction. The software integrates project, financial, and operational workflows, offering tools for budget tracking, cost group planning, project management, and AIA-style invoicing. The solution aims to help construction firms improve profitability and visibility across multiple projects and entities in the $2 trillion industry.
A London-based artificial intelligence-powered startup that assists infrastructure and utility fieldwork operators, today announced it has raised $41 million in a Series B funding to accelerate the delivery of large-scale infrastructure projects.
š Around the World
Qatarās Public Works Authority, Ashghal, has awarded 20 infrastructure projects worth QR11.5 bn ($3.1 bn), covering hospitals, roads, drainage, and public facilities under National Vision 2030. Twelve projects, including Hamad General Hospital redevelopment and Al Uqda Equestrian Complex works, are already awarded, with eight more tenders (QR7 bn) planned for drainage tunnels and residential infrastructure. All contracts prioritise Qatari firms.
The all-electric Brightline West high-speed rail between Las Vegas and Los Angeles is now slated to open in 2029, nearly doubling its original timeline. The 218-mile, 200 mph line aims to cut travel time to two hours, with four stops including the Vegas Strip and Rancho Cucamonga, where passengers can connect to Metrolink. Costs have risen from $12 bn to $21.5 bn, with Brightline seeking an additional $6 bn federal loan. The system targets zero emissions, saving 400,000 tons of COā annually.
Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) opened phase one in December 2025, serving 20 million passengers annually, with a long-term target of 90 million. Built on swampy, unstable land with Ulwe Hill and a river through its centre, the project required hill blasting, land reclamation, and river diversion. Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, the lotus-inspired terminal features a curved canopy roof for light and monsoon water management. While road access exists, rail connectivity is still years away, making travel from Mumbai challenging.
š Miscellaneous
The article highlights that PFAS contamination is now seen as a water resilience issue, not just a health concern. European policy links persistent chemicals to long-term water system reliability, emphasizing treatment complexity, infrastructure stress, and source protection. For Australia, the lesson is to integrate chemical persistence into resilience planning to safeguard water availability and system flexibility.
š·āāļø Tradies and Resource
Australiaās construction sector is facing a labour shortage of over 100,000 workers, limiting new home and infrastructure delivery, according to ABS data. Master Builders Australia warns skilled tradies are in high demand, driving up building costs. CEO Denita Wawn urges targeted skilled migration, activating underutilised migrant workers, introducing a Construction Skills Pathway visa, and expanding the PALM program to fill entry-level roles. Reforms aim to support SMEs, regional employers, and national productivity while easing labour constraints on housing, infrastructure, and social projects.
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