Construction PRO

The word 'day' in thousands of building contracts at the centre of a class action against Perth builder BGC Housing Group refers to a calendar, not working, day, a judge has said in a ruling that may have a significant  impact on damages in the case.

A former Queensland minister allegedly threatened to trash a $1.6 billion contract for the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing unless a consortium led by Acciona continued to work with the CFMEU, an inquiry into the union has heard. 

The parents of Luxcon boss Ilya Melnikoff have failed to convince a judge they should not have to pay back a mortgage and guarantee to lenders who gave their son's companies a $13.9 million advance to buy property in Byron Bay and a $3.8 million tax-related loan.

As it bets on the growth of the global data centre market, industrial real estate group Goodman has sold off two Sydney warehouses for a reported $438 million to property investor Aliro.

The Western Australian premier has started talks with the federal government on a bilateral agreement to put an end to duplicative environmental approvals. 

New federal fuel cost pass-through laws are expected to generate uncertainty in the construction industry, according to partners in Corrs Chambers Westgarth's leading construction practice group, who say the reforms may apply more widely than anticipated. 

HSF Kramer has appointed four new partners in Australia with expertise in major projects, energy and infrastructure amid a boom in large-scale energy and infrastructure projects.

A judge said Tuesday evidence in a case over the sale of a stake in Melbourne Airport's operator might justify a finding that shareholder Dexus acted unethically and immorally. But whether such a finding was relevant to the validity of a default notice at the centre of the suit is another matter.

A judge has ordered the developer of a luxury apartment block in Vaucluse, Sydney to pay builder Reform Projects over $260,000, after finding a payment claim sent to the same email as earlier claims had been validly served.

A settlement has been approved in a class action against a unit of Dennis Corporation, which was accused of wrongly terminating off-the-plan contracts when local property values jumped.