Construction

Former CFMEU Victorian branch boss John Setka has defaulted on a deadline to file a defence in a case over alleged attempts to have the AFL sack its head of umpires, who previously led the construction watchdog.

A court has weighed in on the tax treatment of the proceeds of developed land, finding the landowner did not engage in business-like conduct such that his profits should be considered income.

An appeal against a ruling that the developer of a $55M Sunshine Coast residential complex could not set off a liquidated damages claim against builder Tomkins' pre-completion payment claim has been thrown out.

A judge has given the Victorian unit of Roberts Co more time to put forward a deed of company arrangement that would save the builder from liquidation, noting liquidation could imperil its projects and subcontractors, who could not bring claims under the SOP Act if it was insolvent. 

A judge has ruled the liquidator of Special Gold can advance claims against Dyldam Developments, which the collapsed Sydney developer has called "hopeless".

The engineering company behind the world-first Kwinana energy transformation hub in WA has lost a bid to strike out fraud claims from a case by the CFMEU over an enterprise agreement covering maintenance workers.

Indicative of Australia's housing crisis is new data showing a drop in apartment construction, according to the country's peak building group, with last year the worst for higher-density home building since 2011.

A consortium including Acciona, UGL and others has been selected for pre-construction work on Queensland's Logan and Gold Coast Faster Rail project, which aims to reduce congestion ahead of the 2032 Olympic Games.

A court's finding that EnergyAustralia is on the hook for portable long service leave for maintenance workers at its Yallourn power station because its "significant' maintenance activities mean it's 'in the construction industry' could affect energy, rail and telecommunications firms.