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- 27/01/2026
27/01/2026
The Daily Dirt Aus
By G’day Construction………….……
THE MORNING PAPER FOR CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS AND TRADIES
🚨 Safety Updates
Safe Work Australia has released new asbestos guidance for health and safety representatives, developed with the Asbestos and Silica Safety and Eradication Agency. The guide and checklist help HSRs identify asbestos risks, advocate for controls, improve communication with PCBUs, and strengthen on-site safety practices across construction and related industries.
✒ Headlines & Industry
The CFMEU is urging the Queensland Government to legislate heat cut-off limits for construction work, citing strong public support and ongoing safety risks. Almost a decade after a coroner recommended heat protections, the union warns workers face preventable injury and death without statewide standards following the removal of BPIC requirements.
A former CFMEU training chief has been charged with 21 fraud-related offences after allegedly issuing false invoices to traffic control companies. Victoria Police’s Taskforce Hawk claims the offences occurred between 2024 and 2025. The matter was adjourned in Ringwood Magistrates’ Court, with the accused due to reappear in March.
The 2025–26 Black Spot Program will upgrade over 280 high-risk roads across WA, VIC, TAS, QLD, SA, and NSW. Funding of $150 million targets crash-prone locations with treatments like traffic signals and roundabouts, prioritising safety in regional areas. Projects are selected via state consultative panels and public nominations.
🏗️ Projects
ACT
Canberra’s Light Rail Stage 2A has reached a major construction milestone with the first tracks laid at Alinga Street and Northbourne Avenue. The 1.7-kilometre extension to Commonwealth Park includes new stops, green track installation, utility upgrades and streetscape works, with construction continuing through 2026 ahead of passenger services in 2028.
NSW
The Minns Labor Government is delivering $200+ million in construction and maintenance works across 850 NSW public schools. Over 1,300 projects employ hundreds of tradies, delivering classroom refurbishments, bathroom and flooring upgrades, accessibility works, roof repairs and specialist learning spaces, ensuring safe, compliant and modern school infrastructure ready for Term 1, 2026.
Celestino proposes a $36.2M, 55-hectare subdivision at 121 Willmington Road, Luddenham, within Western Sydney Aerotropolis. Works include bulk earthworks, dam decommissioning, new roads, stormwater infrastructure, and landscaping, shifting the site from poultry farming to agribusiness. The plan features eight lots, 376 new trees, flood and bushfire mitigation, and transport upgrades, currently on public exhibition under SSD-77336995.
Triple Eight proposes a $90.6M, 18-storey tower at 241-245 Pennant Hills Road, Carlingford, delivering 136 apartments, 25 affordable units, retail, commercial space, childcare, and a gym. The SSD covers 6,331 sqm with three basement levels, 263 car spaces, and 2,680 sqm communal open space. Public exhibition is underway under SSD-84699461.
The Malabar System Investment Program is a $3 billion, ten-year upgrade of Sydney’s Malabar waste management system. Near-term works include Glenfield and Liverpool WRRF upgrades (Package A), Fairfield WRRF and pumping stations (Package B), and Western Branch pipeline augmentation (Package C). The medium-term program addresses post-2031 capacity constraints. Location: New South Wales.
QLD
Sunshine Coast Council’s Mooloolaba Foreshore Revitalisation is progressing, with Stage One complete and Stage Two construction underway from July 2025 through 2026/27. Works include the Central Meeting Place and Southern Seawall, delivering upgraded public spaces, improved beach access, community facilities and enhanced coastal protection.
A development application has been lodged for a single-level 700 sqm food and retail tenancy extension at Sunny Central Shopping Centre, Sunnybank Hills, designed by JFP Urban Consultants. The project includes updated façades, streetscape improvements, 35 car parks, revised landscaping, tenancy layout enhancements, and acoustic refinements to support food and drink operations.
SA
Construction has commenced on the $85 million Wirra Mikangka build-to-rent development in Eastwood, delivering 151 apartments across two mid-rise buildings. Built by Hindmarsh Construction and designed by JPE and Hill Thalis, the project includes retail space, shared amenities and energy-efficient homes, boosting affordable housing supply near Adelaide’s CBD.
TAS
Tasmania is advancing its energy transition with Hydro Tasmania’s 750 MW Cethana Pumped Hydro project, offering up to 20 hours of storage to firm renewables. The project, under EPBC assessment, complements the demolition of Bell Bay’s oil-fired stack and supports Renewable Energy Zones and the Marinus Link, positioning Tasmania as a clean energy hub.
VIC
Melbourne Airport begins major east-west runway maintenance, including 10,000 tonnes of asphalt resurfacing, grooving, line marking, and lighting upgrades. Works occur overnight, Monday–Friday, January–August 2026, ensuring operational safety for the next 10–12 years. Night closures shift traffic to the north-south runway. Location: Victoria.
WA
Stage two of the Dampier Cargo Wharf Projects is underway, with Pilbara Ports awarding the Dampier Link Bridge contract to NRW and Brady Marine and Civil. The 57-metre bridge will boost shipping connectivity, expand port capacity and strengthen the Port of Dampier as a critical Pilbara export gateway by 2026.
Palmer Renewable Energy has proposed a 200 MW solar-plus-storage project near Collie, WA, marking the region’s third utility-scale battery storage development. The project includes up to 66 MW AC solar PV, a 200 MW BESS, a 2 km underground 330 kV transmission link, and a 98 ha disturbance footprint. Collie is emerging as a hub for energy storage as coal plants retire, with Synergy and Neoen already operating large batteries nearby.
Perth Airport has officially moved its historic infrastructure overhaul into the delivery phase by appointing global engineering, construction, and project management firm Bechtel as its Capital Portfolio Partner. This strategic collaboration is central to realizing the airport’s ambitious “One Airport” vision, a massive consolidation and expansion program valued at approximately AUD 5 billion.
🧰 Construction Au Other
The Crane Industry Council of Australia (CICA) has called for reforms to improve crane productivity, efficiency, and safety. Submissions highlight complex heavy vehicle regulations, misclassification of mobile cranes, and delays. CICA recommends a National Automated Access System to harmonise approvals, reduce red tape, and support infrastructure project delivery nationwide.
🚀 Innovation, Digital & Futuristic Technology
Construction Robotics & 3D‑Printing Firms 2026 highlight global innovators transforming building sites. Leaders include ABB (prefab robotic arms, Switzerland), Advanced Construction Robotics (TyBOT rebar robots, USA), FBR (Hadrian X bricklaying, Australia), Apis Cor (mobile 3D concrete printing, Russia), COBOD (gantry 3D printers, Denmark), Branch Technology (cellular building printing, USA), Built Robotics (autonomous excavators, USA), ICON (housing printers, USA), Mighty Buildings (modular 3D‑printed homes, USA), Winsun (large-scale 3D concrete, China), and software platforms like Karelics and NODE Robotics for fleet and AI‑driven automation management.
E1 (EstimateOne) has acquired European construction tendering platform 12Build, integrating it into its global construction procurement network. Both platforms remain operationally independent, preserving leadership, culture, and customer focus, while benefiting from shared technology, AI innovation, and expanded resources to strengthen tendering workflows, platform capabilities, and long-term growth.
New research shows carbon fiber-reinforced concrete (CFRC) significantly improves durability and strength under freeze–thaw and chloride salt exposure, making it ideal for harsh environments like underground structures. Optimal performance occurs at 0.4 % fiber content, enhancing compressive and tensile strength, crack control, and impact resistance, while reducing mass loss. CFRC offers a promising, resilient solution for construction in extreme conditions.
Digital safety systems promise consistency on construction sites, but labour fragmentation means self-employed and agency workers face unequal risk, repeated digital tasks, and limited training. Overburdened by compliance, these workers may prioritise ticking boxes over competence. Effective digital safety requires portable training, reliable systems, and paid compliance time to protect all site staff.
🌱 Sustainability & Environment
Architects and engineers are being urged to become “bamboo-ready” following the release of a new structural design manual promoting bamboo as a low-carbon alternative to steel and concrete. Advocates say engineered bamboo can deliver resilient, sustainable buildings while cutting emissions and supporting net-zero construction goals.
New research highlights a trade-off in low‑carbon concrete: enforced carbonation in CSA‑PC mortars accelerates CO₂ capture and enhances material strength but reduces alkalinity, making embedded steel reinforcement more susceptible to corrosion. Proper timing, binder adjustments, and protective measures are critical to maintain long-term structural durability in sustainable concrete applications.
In Rosmalen, Netherlands, Paebbl and Heijmans unveiled a 7 m pedestrian bridge made from recycled, CO₂-neutral concrete. Using 75% circular materials and biochar, the structure permanently stores carbon through accelerated mineralization. Replacing sand, gravel, and some cement, the bridge captures 66 kg of CO₂, pioneering long-term carbon-storing concrete infrastructure.
The global green construction technology market, valued at US$32.12B in 2024, is projected to reach US$86.67B by 2032, growing at 13.21% CAGR. Driven by energy-efficient materials, renewable integration, and regulatory support, North America leads with 35% share. Innovations include low-carbon concrete, modular systems, and sustainable HVAC solutions.
🌏 Around the World
France’s Vinci Construction is set to acquire New Zealand’s Fletcher Construction, a €630 m revenue firm with 2,300 staff, expanding Vinci’s footprint in NZ infrastructure. Fletcher specialises in hydraulic, maritime, port, airport, rail, road, and renewable projects. The deal, pending 2026 regulatory approval, follows Vinci’s prior NZ and Australian acquisitions of HEB Construction and J&P Richardson Industries.
In Dubai and beyond, UAV drones are transforming industrial operations. Key uses include construction monitoring, surveying and mapping, oil, gas, and utility inspections, precision agriculture, and disaster/environmental management. Drones improve safety, efficiency, and data accuracy, enabling real-time insights, predictive maintenance, and sustainable practices across multiple industrial sectors.
Plans announced for a 6,000-capacity MSG Sphere at National Harbor, Maryland, featuring the world’s highest-resolution 16K × 16K LED screen, haptic seating, immersive sound, and 4D effects. Designed by Populous, construction will create 2,500 jobs and 4,750 operational roles, pending government approvals and incentives.
📖 Miscellaneous
Engineers Australia members have been recognised in the 2026 Australia Day Honours for outstanding contributions to engineering and communities. Honourees include Professor Eliathamby Ambikairajah AO, Robert McInerney AO, Distinguished Professor Saeid Nahavandi AO, and others across AM and OAM categories, celebrating technical excellence, innovation, and public impact.
Microalgae‑based architecture could soon come to Western Australia. A team from Murdoch University is working on a project to integrate microalgae-filled photobioreactors into everyday structures like houses, apartments, mining dongas, and urban designs.
Thanks for reading,
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Alex
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