Asia: Real Estate and Construction

The NSW Fair Trading and Building Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 has passed both houses and received assent, introducing significant reforms to building regulation and insurance requirements. Key changes include expanded coverage for Decennial Liability Insurance, enhanced powers for NSW Fair Trading and the Building Commission, and modifications to professional indemnity insurance exemptions for building practitioners. While some provisions take immediate effect, major reforms including the DLI expansion

For nearly two years, setting up a new industrial unit or undertaking industrial expansion in the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ) required the leave of the Supreme Court. On 23.07.2026, this position changed when the Court modified the restriction imposed in October 2024, permitting the TTZ Authority to process approximately 400 pending applications for industrial projects in the region, subject to a prescribed scrutiny mechanism.

Significant changes are on the horizon for NSW’s building and construction industry, reshaping prefabricated construction, building approvals, design variations and regulatory accountability.