E30 Building Construction

Mirvac cranks up its residential output as demand surges

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Original article by Nick Lenaghan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 33 : 21-May-15

Australian-listed property developer Mirvac Group is enjoying strong demand for homes in its master-planned residential housing estates. CEO Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz notes that sales have been particularly good in Melbourne and Sydney, with some $A250m worth of sales in Melbourne so far in 2015. She says Mirvac has been increasing the rate at which it releases housing lots in response to the strong demand.

CORPORATES
MIRVAC GROUP – ASX MGR

Lang Walker launches final leg of Collins Sq

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Original article by Nick Lenaghan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 39 : 14-May-15

Property developer Lang Walker has commenced talks with potential tenants of the fifth and final office tower in his Collins Square development in Melbourne. The $A400m tower will feature 40,000sq m of space, and construction has commenced on the podium and parking levels of the building. Link Group recently agreed to lease 25,000 sq m in Tower 4. The Collins Square project will cost $A2bn in total.

CORPORATES
WALKER CORPORATION LIMITED, LINK GROUP PTY LTD, CIMB TRUSTCAPITAL ADVISORS SINGAPORE PTE LTD, WOODS BAGOT PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE

FIRB clears China Communications acquisition of John Holland

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Original article by Jenny Wiggins
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 20 : 9-Apr-15

Leighton Holdings’ sale of defence contractor John Holland to China Communications Construction Company has been cleared by the Foreign Investment Review Board. Federal Treasury Joe Hockey says the $A1bn deal does not raise any national interest concerns. John Holland is estimated to have undertaken some $A470m worth of construction contracts for the Department of Defence in 2014

CORPORATES
LEIGHTON HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX LEI, JOHN HOLLAND PTY LTD, CHINA COMMUNICATIONS CONSTRUCTION GROUP LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW BOARD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF DEFENCE, THE STOCK EXCHANGE OF HONG KONG LIMITED, WORLD BANK, CHINA ROAD AND BRIDGE CORPORATION, AUSTRALIAN SECURITY INTELLIGENCE ORGANISATION

Union could face $500,000 in penalties

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 19-Mar-15

Fair Work Building & Construction director Nigel Hadgkiss will pursue significant financial penalties against the construction industry union following a Federal Court ruling. The court has ruled that the Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union’s conduct during industrial action in Melbourne in 2012 was in breach of workplace laws. The union and six officials could face fines of more than $A500,000

CORPORATES
CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, FAIR WORK BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, EMPORIUM MELBOURNE, McNAB PTY LTD, SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA, GROCON PTY LTD, MONJON AUSTRALIA

Affordability biggest risk, says Lend Lease

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Original article by Michael Bleby, Nick Lenaghan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 38 : 17-Mar-15

Housing affordability is an important factor in the Australian construction industry. Lend Lease CEO of property, Tarun Gupta, said on 16 March 2015 that affordability is currently at an acceptable level but should be closely monitored. Figures provided by CoreLogic RP Data show that house prices have risen by 7.6 per cent nationally over the past 12 months, and by 14.1 per cent in Sydney

CORPORATES
LEND LEASE GROUP LIMITED – ASX LLC, CORELOGIC AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, RP DATA LIMITED

ACCC bill faces Senate defeat

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 13-Mar-15

The Federal Government’s attempt to reinstate the Australian Building & Construction Commission is unlikely to be successful. The legislation proposed by the Government is likely to be defeated in the Senate. Crossbench senators Ricky Muir, Jacqui Lambie and John Madigan have vowed to vote against it

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, FAIR WORK BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, MASTER BUILDERS OF AUSTRALIA

Another 9m homes needed by 2055

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Original article by Rebecca Thistleton
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 34 : 6-Mar-15

The Australian Government’s Intergenerational Report forecasts that the nation’s population will top 39.7 million in 2055. This will require the construction of an additional nine million residential dwellings over the next four decades. Graham Wolfe of the Housing Industry Association has called for government action to make more land available for residential development and measures to improve the planning process

CORPORATES
HOUSING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION LIMITED, MASTER BUILDERS AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED, URBAN DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA, THE REAL ESTATE INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Business fears a return to union chaos

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 4-Mar-15

Fair Work Building & Construction’s powers to take action over unlawful conduct by unions are slated to expire at the end of May 2015. The Australian Government faces resistance from the Opposition and the Australian Greens to extend these powers. Groups such as the Australian Industry Union and Master Builders Australia are concerned about the impact on the construction industry if the sunset clause introduced by the Australian Labor Party takes effect

CORPORATES
FAIR WORK BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, MASTER BUILDERS AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, PALMER UNITED PARTY

Home and apartment building hits record $54.4b in 2014

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Original article by Michael Bleby
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 26-Feb-15

New figures show that $A54.4bn worth of residential dwellings were built across Australia during 2014, compared with $A49.3bn in 2013. Dwelling commencements in the December 2014 quarter topped $A14.3bn, an increase of 12.3 per cent. Non-residential construction activity rose by 1.3 per cent to $A35bn in 2014, although there was 2.9 per cent contraction in the fourth quarter

CORPORATES
MASTER BUILDERS OF AUSTRALIA, WATPAC LIMITED – ASX WTP, CARDNO LIMITED – ASX CDD

Housing underpins leap in Stockland’s interim profit

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Original article by Robert Harley, Mercedes Ruehl
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 37 : 12-Feb-15

Listed property developer Stockland has posted a 2014-15 interim statutory profit of $A462m, which is 55 per cent higher than previously. The group’s residential development arm recorded a 72.8 per cent increase in operating profit, and MD Mark Steinert is upbeat about the outlook for the residential sector in the next several years. Stockland’s shares closed $A0.13 higher at $A4.73 on 11 February 2015

CORPORATES
STOCKLAND – ASX SGP, AUSTRALAND PROPERTY GROUP