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Legal News & Updates

• Factory-built homes could help Australia reindustrialise, report says

  Factory-built homes could solve Australia's housing crisis and drive reindustrialisation, a Labor think tank report says.

  24 July 2026, 10:00 pmbuilding 1
• Why are Sydney house prices falling in some areas, but rising in others?

  First home buyers are "less likely to be affected" by Sydney's housing price and unit downturn as historically affordable areas have increased, a property expert says.

  23 July 2026, 8:39 pmbuilding 1
• Adelaide now fourth most expensive capital for buying a house

  Data shows Adelaide is bucking national housing trends with median property prices rising 4.8 per cent in the June quarter.

  23 July 2026, 8:19 pmbuilding 1
• Australian construction peak bodies back stronger standards on conduct

  Media Release The Australian Construction Industry Forum has released a new Code of Conduct Policy Template to help construction industry organisations set clear, modern expectations for behaviour and accountability. Developed through ACIF’s member working group, the template supports organisations to embed contemporary standards around respectful behaviour, psychological safety and governance, and reinforces that harassment, bullying and other forms of inappropriate conduct have no place in today’s construction industry. ACIF Chair Shannon Battisson said the template reflects the industry’s commitment to safer, more inclusive workplaces. “Construction is changing, and expectations are rightly higher,” Ms Battisson said. “This template gives organisations a practical framework to define the behaviour they expect, call out what is unacceptable, and act quickly when standards are breached. It sends a clear signal that poor behaviour will not be ignored and that everyone has the right to feel safe and respected at work.” Informed by ACIF’s own Code of Conduct, the template gives member organisations a practical foundation for setting clear expectations, strengthening accountability, and supporting respectful, safe and inclusive workplace cultures. It is designed to be adapted to different governance structures, workforce profiles and legal obligations. Importantly, the template has been structured to support smaller organisations and member bodies that may not have dedicated HR or legal teams. It provides plain language content, clear definitions and practical guidance that can be tailored to local needs, reducing barriers to putting robust conduct frameworks in place. “Many smaller organisations recognise the importance of strong policies but lack the time or in-house resources to start from scratch,” Ms Battisson said. “By providing a ready-made template, ACIF is helping those organisations lift their standards more quickly and consistently and giving them tools they can build on as they grow.” ACIF encourages member organisations to adopt and adapt the template, and to use it alongside education, leadership modelling and early intervention to support a culture of professionalism and respect. "This is about setting expectations and backing them up with action,” Ms Battisson said. “Clear policies, visible leadership and accessible reporting pathways all work together. They help ensure that when concerns are raised, they are taken seriously and addressed fairly, and that repeated or serious misconduct has real consequences.” The Code of Conduct Policy Template is available now to ACIF members and can be accessed here. Media contact: Shannon Battisson ACIF Chair Australian Construction Industry Forum 1300 854 543 [email protected]

  16 July 2026, 2:00 pm
• May 2026 Forecasts released - ACIF Forecasts Industry could be bought to Standstill

  The May 2026 update of the ACIF Forecasts projects that growth in the industry could be brought to a standstill. This is in sharp contrast to the 3.6 per cent growth seen over 2025. The building and construction industries now must endure a reversal of policy settings that could send performance backwards. This could lead to a contraction in work done of 0.8 per cent in 2026. Nerida Conisbee, Chair of ACIF’s Construction Forecasting Council, commented “since the November 2025 report, the operating environment has shifted materially. What had looked like a cautiously managed soft landing has become a more difficult and volatile outlook. The surge in fuel prices, renewed inflationary pressure and the prospect of higher interest rates are expected to weigh heavily on demand, project feasibility and margins”. “After solid growth in 2025, the May 2026 forecasts point to total building and construction work potentially moving backwards in 2026. Residential building remains central to the industry’s outlook, but it is also the sector most exposed to changes in household borrowing capacity and confidence.” “Higher interest rates are expected to slow growth in new houses and alterations and additions, even as demand for housing remains underpinned by population growth and the continuing need to address Australia’s housing supply challenge. Encouragingly, new other residential dwellings, including apartments and townhouses, are expected to show greater resilience, supported by policy priorities, planning reform and the ongoing need for more diverse housing supply.” Ms Conisbee concluded. The report makes clear that the National Housing Accord target remains difficult to achieve without meaningful progress on productivity, approvals, labour capacity and cost pressures. Non-residential building also faces a more uneven outlook. Strength in data centres, defence facilities and selected commercial projects is helping to support parts of the market, but this is being offset by weaker conditions in offices, industrial, retail and wholesale trade. Infrastructure construction provides some relief, particularly through electricity, pipelines, water and sewerage projects that support the clean energy transition. According to ACIF Chief Forecaster Kerry Barwise “There are many uncertainties in these forecasts. The possibility of a prolonged conflict in Iran weighs heavily on the outlook for the building and construction industry, as it does for the economy at large.” “The forecasts reflect the knowledge that this industry is particularly exposed to the impact of changes in interest rates. This impacts on demand and on costs, compressing margins and placing more stress on an industry that already tops the industry count for insolvencies. It is also very difficult to assess the full impact of recent policy changes.” “Withdrawal of budget “tax expenditures”, such as negative gearing provisions in personal income taxation, may discourage investment in residential building, but it may also redirect investment into other asset classes, including commercial property, property trusts and managed funds. The increase in uncertainty is possibly the gravest threat. It is very difficult for buyers and sellers to anticipate all the myriad fundamentals that are shifting in the winds of change right now. It is hard to anticipate how this plays out, but higher costs and higher risk generally result in less investment and growth.” Mr Barwise concluded. For media comment please contact: Kerry Barwise 0412 599 968 or Nerida Conisbee 0439 395 102. About Australian Construction Industry Forum (ACIF) The Australian Construction Industry Forum (ACIF) is the trusted voice of the Australian construction industry. ACIF facilitates and supports an active dialogue between key players in residential and non-residential building, and engineering construction, other industry groups, and government agencies. ACIF’s focus is on innovation, collaboration, equity and sustainability for the industry. ACIF Members are among the most significant associations in the industry, spanning the entire asset creation process from feasibility through design, cost planning, construction, building and management. ACIF harnesses the resources of its members to research and develop initiatives that benefit businesses of all sizes, from the largest of construction companies to small consultancies. More information on ACIF is available from www.acif.com.au. About the ACIF Forecasts ACIF Forecasts are rolling ten-year forecasts of demand across residential, non-residential and engineering construction in Australia. The Forecasts are prepared by respected economic modellers, using high quality data sources, and are overseen by ACIF’s Construction Forecasting Council, an industry panel of expert analysts and researchers. ACIF Forecasts are used by thousands of professionals each year, from across the full range of stakeholders, from major organisations to small consultancies. ACIF Forecasts are available as the Australian Construction Market Report and Forecasts Datapack. The updated ACIF Forecasts are available from the Australian Construction Industry Forum from today. Find out more at https://www.acif.com.au/forecasts/forecasts

  2 June 2026, 2:00 pm
• November 2025 Forecasts Released - ACIF Forecasts Project Slower Growth

  The November 2025 update of the Australian Construction Industry Forum (ACIF) Forecasts project one more year of slower growth ahead. The soft landing in the economy engineered by the RBA has squeezed out inflation, but it has also put a squeeze in growth in building and construction work. The stronger than expected November inflation result has revived speculation that the Reserve Bank of Australia may need to lift interest rates again. However, the broader evidence, outlined in the Australian Construction Industry Forum’s (ACIF) upcoming Australian Construction Market Report (November 2025), points in the opposite direction. Although inflation came in higher than expected, construction activity is now slowing sharply, with new project starts, employment growth and cost pressures all easing across the sector. The construction sector, one of the largest domestic drivers of price growth over the past two years, is now slowing markedly. ACIF’s latest forecasts show total building and engineering activity rising by only 1.6 per cent in 2025-26, compared with 2.7 per cent the year before. Wage growth has already moderated, easing from 4.1 per cent in 2023-24 to 3.4 per cent in 2024-25. Materials price inflation has flattened, and major infrastructure work is tapering off. Together, these developments are easing cost pressures across the economy and reducing one of the main sources of domestic inflation. Nerida Conisbee, Chair of ACIF’s Construction Forecasting Council, commented “One of the most striking findings from the report is the sharp fall in the pipeline of new development. The value of projects entering ACIF’s Major Projects Database dropped by more than half over the past year - from $338 billion in the twelve months to October 2024 to just $152 billion by October 2025. The number of new projects also fell by nearly a quarter, with the steepest declines in large-scale engineering projects which lost around 70 per cent in real value.” “The work is not disappearing but there is much less of it entering the development pipeline. This points to a substantial moderation in construction demand through 2026, reinforcing the downward pressure on costs and wages already emerging in the data. For monetary policymakers, it provides clear evidence that capacity constraints are easing and that inflationary risks from the construction sector are receding.” According to Kerry Barwise, ACIF Chief Forecaster, “The slowdown also has implications for housing supply. As large infrastructure and commercial projects wind down, construction capacity can shift toward residential building, helping to address housing shortages. If supported by planning reform and improved productivity, this transition could moderate housing cost pressures over time and provide a more balanced pattern of investment across the industry. “Based on this outlook, ACIF expects the Reserve Bank to hold the policy rate steady through most of 2025 before beginning a gradual easing cycle toward the end of the year. While some have interpreted the latest CPI as evidence that monetary tightening may need to resume, ACIF’s analysis suggests that the slowdown in construction is already offsetting much of that pressure, keeping the case for 2025 rate cuts intact. Taken together, the data point to a cooling but stabilising construction sector - one that is helping, not hindering, the path back to lower inflation and interest rates.” Mr Barwise concluded. For media comment please contact: Kerry Barwise 0412 599 968 or Nerida Conisbee 0439 395 102. About Australian Construction Industry Forum (ACIF) The Australian Construction Industry Forum (ACIF) is the trusted voice of the Australian construction industry. ACIF facilitates and supports an active dialogue between key players in residential and non-residential building, and engineering construction, other industry groups, and government agencies. ACIF’s focus is on innovation, collaboration, equity and sustainability for the industry. ACIF Members are among the most significant associations in the industry, spanning the entire asset creation process from feasibility through design, cost planning, construction, building and management. ACIF harnesses the resources of its members to research and develop initiatives that benefit businesses of all sizes, from the largest of construction companies to small consultancies. More information on ACIF is available from www.acif.com.au . About the ACIF Forecasts ACIF Forecasts are rolling ten-year forecasts of demand across residential, non-residential and engineering construction in Australia. The Forecasts are prepared by respected economic modellers, using high quality data sources, and are overseen by ACIF’s Construction Forecasting Council, an industry panel of expert analysts and researchers. ACIF Forecasts are used by thousands of professionals each year, from across the full range of stakeholders, from major organisations to small consultancies. ACIF Forecasts are available as the Australian Construction Market Report and detailed numbers are available by subscribing to the Customised Forecasts Dashboard. The updated ACIF Forecasts are available from the Australian Construction Industry Forum from today. Find out more at https://www.acif.com.au/forecasts/forecasts

  26 Nov 2025, 1:00 pm

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