10/12/2025

December 10, 2025

The Daily Dirt Aus

By G’day Construction………….…… 

THE MORNING PAPER FOR CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS AND TRADIES

🚨 Safety Updates

Queensland’s resources safety regulator and advisory committees have released five-year plans (2025–2030) to strengthen safety, health and wellbeing in the mining sector. The strategy focuses on stronger oversight, industry collaboration, best-practice standards and evidence-based actions, aiming to build a high-reliability, harm-free resources industry grounded in transparency, respect and continuous improvement.

An engineering firm was fined $750,000 after a 35-metre shoring wall collapsed at Geocon’s WOVA construction site in Canberra. The incident, deemed “potentially catastrophic,” highlighted unsafe design practices and risk of multiple fatalities. The court found the wall design non-compliant with standards, marking the ACT’s first prosecution for engineering design failures.

✒ Headlines & Industry

Queensland developers are tapping Sydney and Melbourne contractors to fill a nearly $46 billion construction gap caused by local capacity shortages and insolvencies. Projects such as Pask Group’s Ocean Place and Kokoda Property’s Teneriffe Banks have appointed interstate firms, highlighting growing reliance on external builders to deliver major developments.

Construction has begun on NSW’s first Hydrogen Centre of Excellence in Glenwood, backed by a $25 million investment. The facility will train over 8,250 plumbers and gasfitters, create 500 jobs and provide hands-on hydrogen skills. It aims to build a workforce capable of supporting NSW’s transition to cleaner energy.

Australia’s renewable energy construction has tripled in four years and is projected to reach $23 billion by 2029. Wind, solar, battery and other projects are entering peak build phase, with an expected average of 8.9GW added annually. Over 10GW was awarded in late 2025, signalling a major expansion in the energy transition.

🏗️ Projects

ACT

Light rail Stage 2B in Canberra faces strong opposition as residents on both sides of Adelaide Avenue resist infrastructure impacts, including a large traction power station and major disruptions. Concerns include environmental damage, cost overruns, traffic impacts, and limited community benefit, prompting calls for redesign and further scrutiny.

NSW

Wentworth Park will be converted from a century-old greyhound racing venue into public green space, enabling rezoning for up to 2,500 new homes. Combined with nearby projects, the Glebe–Pyrmont area could deliver 7,300 homes. The NSW government says the plan pairs housing growth with new transport links and up to 20 community sports fields.

Design and assessment work for the Picton Bypass has begun, with MRB Technical Services appointed to produce the concept design and environmental assessment. The $18.6 million project aims to divert traffic from Picton’s centre, boosting safety, easing congestion and improving emergency access. A draft design will go to public consultation in 2026.

NSW has released a draft 20-year transport plan for the Illawarra Shoalhaven region, outlining actions for public transport, roads, active travel and freight. The plan aims to support rapid population growth and improve connectivity. Community feedback is welcomed until February 2026 ahead of finalisation.

Sydney’s Blackwattle Bay redevelopment will deliver 7,300 apartments, 14 hectares of parkland and new sporting facilities following the demolition of Wentworth Park’s greyhound track. Rezoning would add 2,500 homes alongside 4,800 planned units nearby. The project includes a new public foreshore, green spaces and mixed-use development.

QLD

The Queensland Government pledged $3.29 million for council safety and amenity projects in Logan, Somerset, Western Downs and Townsville. Funding will expand CCTV, upgrade parks and playgrounds, build new amenities and improve carparks. The investment aims to enhance community safety, livability and local infrastructure across the regions.

Construction of the Crowne Plaza Maroochydore will begin in April 2026 after council approval, delivering a 180-room hotel, event facilities, and luxury apartments. The project aims to boost tourism infrastructure, with completion expected by 2028, strengthening the Sunshine Coast’s accommodation capacity and supporting regional economic growth.

VIC

Prefabricated modules for Melbourne’s new elevated Mordialloc station are being lifted into place, with 30 units forming a 750m² structure. Built off-site to reduce disruption, the station will feature modern facilities and improved accessibility. Work also continues on removing nearby level crossings with new rail bridges.

WA

In a last-minute bid to salvage its North Stoneville development, Satterley offered to cap construction at 135 lots until major, unfunded road upgrades occur. WA’s planning commission rejected the proposal as inadequate, citing untested plans and unresolved bushfire risks. The long-opposed project faces strong community resistance and ongoing tribunal scrutiny.

Western Australia advanced two renewable projects as it races to quit coal by 2030. The government funded a Traditional Owner–led green energy park in the Pilbara and approved the 204 MW Kojonup Wind Farm. Both initiatives aim to replace retiring coal stations and support a cleaner, more resilient energy system.

🧰 Construction Au Other

New research from UniSA highlights how La Niña-driven rainfall and climate variability threaten infrastructure built on expansive soils. Prolonged wet and dry cycles cause soil movement, risking structural failure. Experts urge updating geotechnical design standards, incorporating local climate data, and performing site-specific investigations to ensure long-term resilience of transport and residential infrastructure.

🚀 Innovation, Digital & Futuristic Technology

Vinidex and Friatec have launched Workflow, a digital tool that documents every electrofusion weld for PE pipelines. It uses barcode scanning, GPS and cloud storage to provide full traceability, improve compliance and reduce paperwork. The system enhances safety, project management and accuracy while supporting contractors and asset owners with real-time weld records.

AI is gradually entering construction, with many firms still in early stages or not using it at all. When adopted, AI enhances human expertise rather than replacing it, improving efficiency through automation, dashboards, and digital tools. Success relies on cross-generational training and a culture that embraces learning and human-led digital transformation.

China has used AI to plan excavation for the Yangcun high-speed railway tunnel, marking a world first. A deep learning model analysed thousands of past tunnel projects to recommend safe construction methods, later validated by engineers. This human-supervised AI approach could transform tunnelling and other high-risk infrastructure projects globally.

🌱 Sustainability ​& Environment

Sweden’s Energy Agency granted Cemvision funding to study converting Tata Steel’s slag into low-carbon cement while recovering metals. The India-Sweden partnership aims to reduce emissions from cement and steel, which together produce over 15% of global CO₂. If viable, the process could scale globally and support circular, low-carbon industrial production.

🌏 Around the World

Tunnel collapses in India’s Himalayas highlighted severe risks from poor engineering and unstable geology. A major rescue freed 41 workers after 17 days, while another tunnel narrowly avoided disaster. Investigations revealed ignored warnings and inadequate design. Despite challenges, ongoing projects show tunnelling is possible with careful methods and stronger oversight.

The UK’s data centre sector has grown over 400%, driven by cloud computing and AI. Investment exceeding $59 billion will add 52 centres and 6.2 GW of IT capacity by 2030. Electricity demand could rise fivefold, reaching 26 TWh, intensifying pressure on energy systems despite efficiency gains.

Webuild Group has revealed the completion of 86.5km of tunnels out of a planned total of more than 90km for the Terzo Valico dei Giovi project, bringing the project’s excavation work to 94% completion.

📖 Miscellaneous

Uptime Institute warns datacenters are worsening grid congestion by reserving far more power than they use, blocking other customers from connecting. As electrification and AI-driven demand grow, governments in the UK and US are imposing reforms to curb speculative requests and speed connections. Uptime urges efficient power use and flexible grid agreements.

BHP will sell a 49% stake in its Western Australia Iron Ore inland power network to BlackRock’s Global Infrastructure Partners for $2 billion. A new trust will own the assets, with BHP retaining 51% and operational control. The deal frees capital for major projects while securing long-term power infrastructure funding.

👷‍♀️ Tradies and Resource

Unpaid tradies from Wagga’s 2021 Spring Street housing project are outraged that Homes NSW is using taxpayer-funded lawyers to dispute a $236k debt instead of paying them. They argue the agency hired an already-insolvent builder and should compensate subcontractors directly, a claim Homes NSW denies, citing procurement due-diligence and lack of legal obligation.

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Alex

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