Australia: Construction & Planning

The Building (Approvals and Practitioners) Bill 2026 introduces sweeping reforms to NSW's construction regulatory framework, consolidating multiple Acts into a unified system. This second instalment examines the Bill's provisions on practitioner registration, disciplinary proceedings, investigations, and expanded Secretary powers—revealing how the new regime will reshape compliance obligations, enforcement mechanisms, and oversight of both practitioners and approval authorities across the building ind

The Clean Energy Investor Group has released a comprehensive report examining the implementation of Australia's reformed Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. What specific recommendations does the report make to ensure faster, more efficient environmental assessments while strengthening protection outcomes for renewable energy projects?

A recent NSW Supreme Court decision examines whether the 10-year statutory limitation period on building defect claims can be extended for contribution claims, and whether parties can amend pleadings on the final day before the limitation period expires.

In a recent decision of the Victorian Supreme Court, Justice Osborne considered the scope of s 52 of the Wrongs Act 1958 (Vic), which states that a plaintiff must prove causation.

The Queensland Productivity Commission has launched a public inquiry into the 2025 EPBC Act reforms, examining their impact on Queensland businesses and industries. With an interim report due later this year and final recommendations by April 2027, stakeholders now have a critical opportunity to submit evidence on regulatory burdens, compliance costs, and operational impacts.

In this edition of Building the Future: Construction and the Energy Transition, we analyse key contracting and dispute resolution trends in Australia's energy transition and explore notable cases from Asia...

Victoria's response to the combustible cladding crisis is entering its final phase with the introduction of the Cladding Safety Victoria Repeal Bill 2026. The Bill marks the conclusion of a world-first regulatory intervention that has overseen the rectification of more than 1,600 buildings since the wake of the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire.

Victoria's amended Security of Payment Act introduces significant changes to how contractors can claim the return of performance security and limits principals' rights to call on that security. The new statutory framework creates a formal process for security claims and imposes notice requirements that fundamentally alter the commercial risk allocation between parties in construction contracts.

While the facts of the decision in Leto v Secretary Department of Customer Service [2026] NSWCATOD 26 (Leto v Secretary) are obviously very specific, an insolvency in an applicant’s trading history is frequently...