The Daily Dirt Aus

By G’day Construction………….…… 

_{THE MORNING PAPER FOR CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS AND TRADIES}

✒ Headlines & Industry

Construction industry 'reset' recommended in bid to improve productivity

Queensland will reform its construction industry after a productivity inquiry found output down 9 per cent since 2018, costing up to 80,000 homes. The government accepted 51 recommendations, including procurement reform, workforce expansion, migrant licensing changes and abolishing BPIC, aiming to lift productivity and meet housing and Olympics-related infrastructure demand.

$5.1 billion investment in utility-scale solar and wind forecast for 2026

BloombergNEF forecasts $5.1 billion in Australian utility-scale renewable investment in 2026, with wind accounting for 95%. Solar investment is expected to fall due to market saturation, negative pricing and approval delays. Grid constraints and slow planning approvals continue to limit project financing despite strong government support and growing battery deployments.

Engineers Australia urges greater investment in underground infrastructure

Engineers Australia is calling for greater investment in underground infrastructure, citing its role in climate adaptation, flood resilience and urban liveability. Speaking at an international tunnelling conference, the organisation highlighted how tunnels protect transport and services, reclaim surface space, and leverage digital engineering and advanced TBMs to deliver safer, more sustainable cities.

🏗️ Projects

NSW

Community feedback helping shape the future of transport in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven

The NSW Government is seeking community feedback on the Draft Illawarra Shoalhaven Strategic Regional Integrated Transport Plan, open until 9 February 2026. The plan guides long-term transport investment, focusing on safer roads, improved public transport reliability, reduced congestion and better active transport, with community input shaping final priorities.

SA

South Australian solar and battery project secures grid approval

Green Gold Energy has secured AEMO and ElectraNet grid connection approval for its $185 million Morgan project in South Australia. The development includes a 108 MW solar farm and up to 440 MWh battery storage, delivering 260 GWh annually, supporting grid reliability, land co-use with grazing, and the state’s clean energy transition.

TAS

Next step in making pumped hydro a Tassie reality

Hydro Tasmania has relaunched its EPBC referral for the Cethana pumped hydro project after completing additional geotechnical and engineering studies. The project would deliver up to 750 MW of long-duration, dispatchable storage, using Lake Cethana and a new upper reservoir, supporting renewable integration, grid reliability and regional construction jobs in Tasmania.

VIC

Community invited to have say on Berwick housing development

The Berwick community in Victoria is invited to comment on a new draft Development Plan for 18 hectares at 42–80 Manuka Road. The plan proposes ~150 housing lots, public open space, road upgrades, and heritage protections. Consultation is open until 1 March 2026, with drop-in sessions at Berwick Football Club.

Victoria resets developer charges framework for water connections

Victoria’s Essential Services Commission has updated the developer charges framework for water connections, clarifying upfront costs for new or expanded services. The reforms ensure cost-reflective pricing, fair sharing between developers and existing customers, and stronger oversight through approved connection policies. The aim is transparency, consistency, and more efficient infrastructure planning amid urban growth.

WA

Perth Surf Park: Long-awaited $120 million project finally kicks off early works

Early works have begun on Perth’s $120 million Surf Park at Jandakot, nearly three years after approval. Featuring the world’s largest Wavegarden Cove, the all-weather lagoon targets a late-2027 opening. Backed by RAC and the Wyllie family, it’s expected to attract one million visitors annually and generate significant tourism jobs.

🧰 Construction Au Other

Engineering rehabilitation excellence at BHP’s Mt Arthur

Robson Civil Projects won the 2025 Australian Mining Prospect Award for Engineering Success of the Year for its rehabilitation work at BHP’s Mt Arthur Coal Mine in New South Wales. Since 2022, it has restored 297 hectares, using advanced engineering, GPS-guided machinery, biodiversity restoration, and safe practices, setting a benchmark for sustainable post-mining land management.

SEEK Employment Report - December

Australian construction job ads softened in December 2025, down 0.3% m/m but remain 6% higher y/y, reflecting continued sector resilience. Trades & Services and Construction maintained strong annual gains despite year-end slowdown, with Queensland showing modest growth. Hiring typically rebounds in January as companies resume post-holiday recruitment in civil and building projects.

SEEK Advertised Salary Index - December

In December 2025, advertised salaries in Australia rose 0.3% month-on-month, bringing annual growth to 3.8%, the fastest since September 2024. For the construction sector, this indicates steady wage increases for trades, civil, and infrastructure roles, reflecting ongoing demand for skilled labour despite cost-of-living pressures and modest year-end job ad softening.

🚀 Innovation, Digital & Futuristic Technology

Thailand’s oldest cement firm turns to 3D printing to revolutionize its business

Thailand’s Siam Cement Group unveiled a 3D-printed pedestrian bridge over Bangkok’s Ong Ang Canal, showcasing faster, mold-free construction and sculptural designs. The firm also develops low-carbon cement, reducing emissions by up to 20% per ton, and aims for 40–90% cuts. SCG’s innovations address labor shortages and promote sustainable building practices in Southeast Asia.

Caterpillar, Nvidia Team Up to Transform Machines and Manufacturing

Caterpillar and Nvidia are advancing AI-driven construction and mining solutions, featuring autonomous excavators, loaders, haul trucks, and dozers. AI-powered in-cab assistants provide real-time guidance, productivity tips, and safety alerts, while digital twins and AI-enhanced manufacturing optimize factory operations, enabling smarter jobsites, improved efficiency, and safer, more autonomous construction and infrastructure workflows.

How a lack of data standardization is holding AI back in construction

AI in construction is limited by fragmented, unstandardized data across systems like BIM, ERP, and scheduling software. Without consistent naming, metrics, and structured reporting, AI insights remain trapped. Industry leaders must implement “active governance,” standardizing project data to unlock AI’s potential, improve decision-making, and scale efficiencies across portfolios.

🌱 Sustainability ​& Environment

From rubble to resource: Federal boost for university concrete recycling tech

A University of Melbourne–led construction research project has received federal funding to validate advanced concrete recycling technology. The initiative will develop and test processes that transform waste concrete into high-quality construction materials, supporting circular construction, reducing landfill and lowering embodied carbon across Australia’s infrastructure and building sectors.

Low‑Carbon UHPC Emerges as a Viable Route to More Sustainable Construction

Low-carbon ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) offers a sustainable path for construction, maintaining strengths above 120 MPa while cutting embodied carbon up to 30%. Researchers highlight using supplementary cementitious materials (fly ash, GGBFS, metakaolin) and innovative curing to boost durability, enable thinner sections, and incorporate industrial by-products, supporting circular economy practices in infrastructure projects.

🌏 Around the World

Team picked to deliver Europe’s first SMR power stations

Mace Consult, Hochtieff, Turner & Townsend and Unipart have been appointed to the delivery partner team helping Rolls-Royce build nuclear power plants with small modular reactor (SMRs).

📖 Miscellaneous

Future jobs in AI will come with a hardhat and boots, tech bigshots argue

AI leaders argue the next jobs boom will be construction-led, driven by massive AI data centre and energy infrastructure buildouts. Nvidia and Palantir executives highlight soaring demand for electricians, builders, technicians and plant operators, with six-figure trade roles emerging as AI factories, power networks and chip facilities expand globally.

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