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- 10/02/2026
10/02/2026
The Daily Dirt Aus
By G’day Construction………….……
THE MORNING PAPER FOR CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS AND TRADIES
✒ Headlines & Industry
Australian Constructors Association CEO Jon Davies says Australia can deliver its growing infrastructure pipeline only by lifting construction productivity. With labour shortages and tighter budgets, success depends on smarter project delivery, collaborative procurement, early supply-chain involvement and modern construction methods—especially as Olympic, energy and transport projects converge.
Australia’s cement industry has welcomed the Albanese Government’s US$321 million Powering the Regions Fund boost, backing support for emissions reduction in a hard-to-abate sector. The funding will help trade-exposed cement manufacturers invest in cleaner technology, alternative fuels and innovation while maintaining global competitiveness.
Construction of Marinus Link Stage 1 will accelerate after the energy regulator approved $3.4 billion in consumer-funded costs for the 750MW undersea cable linking Tasmania and Victoria. The decision trims proposed spending, balances risk sharing, and clears the way for full construction, with the interconnector targeted to be operating around 2030.
Australia has imposed a 10% tariff on Chinese ceiling frames after an anti-dumping inquiry found local manufacturers were undercut by subsidized imports. The move supports SMEs in steel fabrication, addresses unfair trade, and follows temporary tariffs on other steel products, though it risks retaliation amid sensitive Australia–China relations.
🏗️ Projects
SA
South Australia has led Australia’s housing recovery, with approvals up 20.1% in 2025 to a 40-year high. A record surge in apartment approvals drove genuine new supply, pushing SA above pre-pandemic levels. National approvals rebounded, but remain well below 2021 peaks.
South Australia has introduced three new crane notices removing permit requirements for eligible mobile cranes on approved road networks. Developed by NHVR and SA DIT, the changes cut red tape, improve access certainty, support cross-border operations and deliver productivity and safety gains for the crane and construction industries.
TAS
Devonport City Council has released a strategic CBD development plan, targeting two prime inner-city parcels for mixed-use investment. Proposed projects include commercial offices, retail, high-end apartments, and public parking, with new plazas and pedestrian links. The plan aims to boost foot traffic, private investment, and vibrancy while retaining public amenities.
VIC
The Allan Labor Government will deliver $1.3 million in pedestrian-safety upgrades across Rutherglen’s town centre. Works include new traffic lights, zebra crossings, speed bumps, raised safety platforms and extended 40km/h zones, improving safety for students, locals and visitors in the busy tourist precinct.
The Allan Labor Government has fast-tracked approvals for more than 750 new homes across Windsor, Sandringham and Mill Park through Victoria’s Development Facilitation Program. The projects add to over 8,000 accelerated homes, boosting housing supply near transport, jobs and services across Melbourne.
The Allan Labor Government has fast-tracked two major battery energy storage projects in Heywood and Glenrowan through the Development Facilitation Program. Together, they will support cheaper, cleaner and more reliable power, unlock billions in investment, create jobs, and help meet peak electricity demand for Victorian households.
Ørsted has lodged an EPBC referral for its 2.8GW Gippsland 1 offshore wind project, Australia’s most distant proposed offshore wind farm. Planned 56km offshore Victoria, the project would be staged, with up to 200 turbines, supporting Victoria’s offshore wind targets despite complex cabling and conditions.
Construction has begun on the Mininera Rural Pipeline Project in western Victoria, extending the East Grampians pipeline to supply 199 rural properties. Backed by $30.6 million in funding, it will boost drought resilience, support agriculture, and enhance firefighting capability with new hydrants and tanks, strengthening water security in the region.
WA
Fortescue Metals’ 133 MW Nullagine Wind Project in the Pilbara, WA, will generate city-scale power, operating even during cyclones with self-erecting turbines and AI management. Set for completion by 2028, the project advances renewable goals, though environmental concerns remain over tidal impacts from similar regional projects like the rejected Asian Renewable Energy Hub.
🧰 Construction Au Other
The recent fire tragedy at a residential tower during a maintenance project in Hong Kong has several lessons for the Australian building industry to learn from and act on. With the 168 fatalities, this incident has been described as the worst fire event in Hong Kong in nearly 80 years.
Duratec's wholly owned subsidiary MEnD Consulting has recently acquired Port Kennedy-based RGK Resources
🚀 Innovation, Digital & Futuristic Technology
AI is transforming construction estimating, shifting the role from creating estimates to validating AI-generated outputs. Success depends on robust benchmarking systems that compare AI results against historical project data. Estimators who master data-driven validation will add strategic value, ensuring accuracy, context, and reliability in a rapidly automated preconstruction process.
FieldAI’s autonomous robots, paired with Boston Dynamics’ Spot, are transforming construction by navigating dynamic sites, conducting inspections, and feeding real-time data into BIM systems. Adaptive AI and edge computing enable reliable operations without prior maps, GPS, or cloud reliance. Global deployments boost safety, efficiency, and ROI, redefining the preconstruction and monitoring workflow.
📖 Miscellaneous
The Minerals Council of Australia is pushing for reforms to skilled migration policy as the industry faces a talent crunch. MCA chief executive officer Tania Constable said Australian mining was facing a severe skills shortage which threatened the industry’s ability to take advantage of growing global demand for critical minerals and bulk commodities.
👷♀️ Tradies and Resource
Australia’s highest earning tradies Australian plumbers now out-earn electricians by more than $66,000 annually despite the country’s critical shortage of skilled tradespeople threatening housing targets.
CCF Victoria’s 2026 State Election survey reveals worsening conditions for civil contractors, particularly SMEs and regional firms. Key concerns include unfair procurement, lack of pipeline certainty, excessive red tape and taxation pressures. Nearly two-thirds of respondents fear for their business viability, with many expecting closure within five years.
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