Archived News for Industry Professionals

The Victorian Government has handed the terms of reference to the Construction Code Compliance Unit (CCCU) to undertake an extensive investigation and report on the current state of compliance with the law and codes of practices in the Victorian building and construction industry.

High Court gives ACT the final call on rail access

The High Court of Australia has announced it will remit its rail access application back to the Australian Competition Tribunal (ACT), meaning it could now declare relevant railways open for third party access.

Reform now or pay the cost warns MCA

The Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) has published a new report that warns Australia’s attractiveness as an investment destination is rapidly deteriorating.

Asciano and Linfox sign rail freight agreement

Asciano and Linfox have announced the continuation of the provision of intermodal rail freight.

Clean ship legislation passes Parliament

The Federal Government has passed legislation that will force ships to reduce their pollution levels.

Fulton Hogan wins Majura Parkway project

The Federal Government has awarded Fulton Hogan the construction contract for the $288 Majura Parkway project.

Government grants new offshore exploration leases

The Federal Government has announced the grant of seven new offshore petroleum permits as part of the second round of the 2011 Exploration Acreage Release.

Grocon agrees to talks

Building giant Grocon and the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) have announced an agreement to return to talks under the conditions of a settlement reached with Fair Work Australia.

Housing finance continues to fall

Master Builders Australia has bemoaned the disappointing housing finance results published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, saying it shows little sign of an imminent recovery.

NABERS launches new look

The New South Wales Government has launched a new suite of websites for the ongoing NABERS to cater for the increasing use of the program.

New home building in the doldrums

New data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that the country’s new home building sector slipped into recession in the 2011/12 period.

NSW outlines grail rail upgrades

The New South Wales Government has provided an update on the ongoing maintenance and upgrade work on the state’s grain rail lines.

Perth Airport rail link route released

The Western Australian Government has released the preferred planned rail line to Perth airport, with State Transport Minister Troy Buswell saying it will significantly improve access to and from the city.

Port Access Road completion inches closer

The Federal Government has announced that the $190 million Townsville Port Access Road is progressing on time and will be completed and open to traffic by Christmas.

Rail safety regulator bill passes Parliament

The Federal Government has passed legislation through Parliament that will establish the country’s first rail safety investigator.

Report to help build in a changing climate

The Federal Government has released a suite of new reports aimed at helping stakeholders make informed decisions about how to build in a changing climate.

SA releases formwork guide

The South Australian Government’s Construction Industry OHS Committee (SA CIOC) has released the new Industry Guide for Formwork.

AiGroup pushes to trades national licensing

The Australian Industry Group has been pushing the case for national licensing for certain trade occupations, arguing that a consistent national system would improve productivity and deliver the greater labour mobility.

Industry slams Queensland coal tax hike

The mining industry has reacted angrily to the Queensland Government's decision to increase state taxes on coal from 10% to 12.5% for every tonne of coal sold between $100 and $150. Coal traded over that price will be taxed 15%. The Government hopes to raise $1.6 billion over the next four years from the increased taxes to help address the state deficit of nearly $11 billion.

Queensland Resources Cabinet Comittee to examine regulation impacts

Queensland Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney will chair a special cabinet committee to examine the impacts of government regulation on the mining industry.

The Resources Cabinet Committee, announced in this week’s budget, will comprise:

CSIRO and Chile sign mining and minerals MoU

CSIRO and Chile’s Ministry of Mining have signed an agreement to improve education, safety and technology development in the mining and minerals sector.