In this article we turn to the delivery of joint venture works (how integrated and non-integrated JVs operate in practice) and the all-important question of who bears the risk when things go wrong.
Late or withheld payments continue to undermine subcontractors, head contractors and civil contractors across Queensland. When a payer stalls or refuses to engage, two debt recovery options often come to mind: adjudication under the Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act 2017 (Qld) and statutory demands under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).
Officers of a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) have a personal duty under section 27 to exercise due diligence to ensure the PCBU complies with its WHS obligations.
Many directors assume that if their enterprise fails, their personal assets will stay safely behind the corporate veil – but the reality is very different. When a construction company collapses, its directors can find themselves facing legal actions, financial liabilities, and professional ruin.
In this article we discuss the two main JV structures used in construction and the key issues that should be addressed when forming either model. The structure selected will shape how the relationship operates, how risks are managed and how the project is ultimately delivered.
The construction cases handed down in 2025 reinforced a theme that many in the industry already understand in theory, but still get caught out by in practice: process and precision matter. Whether it is the way payment schedules are prepared, or how contracts are formed, the courts have shown little tolerance for shortcuts.
2025 brought important legislative shifts across Australia’s east coast construction industry in Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria. From trust account requirements and contract timeframes to procurement policies, these changes aim to improve fairness and efficiency.
Major construction projects often bring multiple companies together to tackle large-scale work. One common solution is the joint venture (JV): an arrangement where two or more parties combine their resources and expertise to deliver a specific project, sharing in the profits (and losses).
Although the year isn’t quite over yet 2025 has delivered a number of judgments from the NSW courts that provide useful lessons that construction industry participants would do well to learn from. These cases provide practical guidance on how courts interpret Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment deadlines, evaluate documentation, and enforce contractual terms.
