Building Tomorrow
Building Tomorrow is the official podcast of the Society of Construction Law Australia. It brings together the people shaping Australia's building and construction industry through conversations with lawyers, engineers, project managers, developers, academics and industry experts. Episodes explore topics such as construction law, contracts, dispute resolution, infrastructure, sustainability, technology, leadership and innovation. The show offers expert perspectives and real-world stories for professionals and anyone interested in Australia's built environment. New episodes are released every second Tuesday.
Episodes
The Productivity Myth with Michelle Turner
This episode is part three of a special three-part series exploring culture in the construction industry. Across the series, we unpack the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of the sector, including mental health, workforce sustainability, diversity, leadership, and the evolving expectations of construction workplaces. Michelle Turner is a Professor at RMI
Follow the Money with Dawna Wright
Dawna Wright is the Senior Managing Director and Head of Australia Forensic & Litigation Consulting at FTI Consulting and a highly regarded forensic accountant with more than 25 years of experience in auditing, forensic accounting and expert witness work. Having built her career across Big Four firms before specialising in forensic accounting, Dawna regu
How contracting, technology and workforce design are reshaping major projects with Andrew Chapman
Andrew Chapman is the CEO of the Queensland Major Contractors Association, representing the companies delivering Queensland’s largest infrastructure projects, including roads, rail, energy, and major civil works. With over 30 years in the engineering and construction sector, Andrew brings deep insight into how Australia’s major projects pipeline is evolving and what it will t
Reforming the building industry: safety, accountability and the new regulatory era in Victoria with Bronwyn Weir and Matthew Bell
Bronwyn Weir, Managing Director of Weir Legal and Consulting and co-author of the Building Confidence Report and Associate Professor Dr Matthew Bell, Co-Director of Studies at the Melbourne Law School, join the conversation to unpack major reforms reshaping Victoria’s residential building system. Both bring deep expertise in construction law and regulatory design, with a focus on how buildin
The human side of construction safety with Rita Zhang (Culture Series Part 2)
This episode is part two of a special three-part series exploring culture in the construction industry. Across the series, we unpack the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of the sector, including mental health, workforce sustainability, diversity, leadership, and the evolving expectations of construction workplaces. Rita Zhang is an Associate Professor at RMIT University
The future of infrastructure leadership and wellbeing with Salam Al-Mulla
Salam Al-Mulla has more than 15 years of experience delivering major infrastructure projects across Victoria. With a background in mechanical engineering, Salam has worked across some of Melbourne’s largest and most complex projects, including the Victorian Desalination Project, Level Crossing Removal Project, West Gate Tunnel, Melbourne Airport Rail early works, and the Suburban Rail Loop E
How the Culture Standard is reshaping the construction industry with Gabrielle Trainor (Culture Series Part 1)
This episode is part one of a special three-part series exploring culture in the construction industry. Across the series, we unpack the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of the sector, including mental health, workforce sustainability, diversity, leadership, and the evolving expectations of construction workplaces. With a career spanning law, journalism, public policy, infrast
Inside wind energy contracting models with Andrew Davies
Andrew Davies is a Principal Consultant at 9 Degrees Consulting, specialising in onshore wind energy projects with deep expertise in multi-contract delivery and split scope contracting. With a background spanning technical engineering, project execution, and commercial advisory across Australia and Europe, Andrew brings a well-rounded perspective on how wind farm projects are delivered. In t
Burnout: The hidden risk in high-performance work, with Dr Carly Shrever and Sally Ryan
Dr Carly Shrever is a lawyer, psychologist and empirical researcher. Sally Ryan is a psychologist and family therapist. Both are Directors at Human Ethos, which helps lawyers experience greater satisfaction and wellbeing in their work. In this episode, Carly and Sally unpack stress and burnout in high-pressure in
Why construction is still slow to adopt AI, with Elena Stojcevski and Veno Panicker
Elena Stojcevski and Veno Panicker are Partners in Construction and Infrastructure at Hamilton Locke. In this episode, they discuss why the construction industry has been slow to adopt AI despite its transformative potential. The conversation covers productivity challenges, procurement models, and barriers such as cost, risk aversion, and data silos. Elena and Veno also examine how AI could improv
The Challenger disaster, the Tesseract decision and the role of academia in project success, with Cara North, Eleanor Clifford, Sean Brady and Wayne Jocic
In this special episode ahead of the 2026 SoCLA National Conference in Sydney, this episode features four speakers from our most recent conference in Brisbane. In the first interview Cara North and Eleanor Clifford unpack their Brooking Prize winning paper exploring multi-party and multi-contract arbitrations and how the High Court’s decision in Tesseract changes risk allocation. Next, keyno
How contracts shape culture in construction, with Kiri Parr
Kiri Parr is a construction lawyer and industry commentator focused on how procurement, contracting and risk allocation shape behaviour in the construction sector. In this episode, Kiri unpacks why “culture” in construction can’t be fixed in isolation - because structures drive culture. She explains how risk-shifting D&C contracts reward time-and-cost decision-making over qua
Amending Less, Building More: Why Australia Needs Truly Standard Contracts, with Adam Perl
Adam Perl is a construction partner at Pinsent Masons and a leading voice in construction law reform. In this episode, Adam unpacks the structural drivers behind Australia’s high infrastructure and construction costs. The conversation explores the industry’s productivity challenges, the consequences of lowest-price tendering, and why Australia’s unit costs are among the highest g
Why late payment still drives so many construction disputes
Blake Frost is a Partner at HopgoodGanim, where he leads the firm’s Construction practice. In this episode, Blake explores why late payment remains at the heart of many construction disputes. He also unpacks the Queensland security of payment regime, explains how extended timeframes and jurisdictional error challenges have shifted adjudication away from its original purpose, and examines the
Delivering safe offshore wind projects, with Kelly-Ann Ee
Kelly-Ann Ee is the Head of Health, Safety and Environment at Star of the South, bringing more than a decade of experience working across offshore wind projects in global markets. In this episode, Kelly-Ann unpacks why safety culture is such a critical part of delivering complex energy infrastructure. The conversation explores the challenges of applying consistent safety standards across different
Limiting Liability for Faulty Tender Information: Is there a better way? With Lucas Shipway
Lucas Shipway is a Barrister at Greenway Chambers, with a practice focused on construction and infrastructure disputes. In this episode, Lucas breaks down his presentation "Limiting Liability for Faulty Tender Information: Is there a better way?". He covers the Sydney Light Rail's $500 million dispute over undisclosed utilities, how government disclaimers fail to protect against misleading conduct
Is Queensland ready to rethink liability, with Emily Ng
Emily Ng is Special Counsel in the Construction, Infrastructure, and Projects team at Holding Redlich, where she advises on the full project lifecycle for major energy, resources, and infrastructure developments. In this episode, Emily discusses the struggle of achieving work-life balance, particularly as a new mother in the industry. She unpacks Queensland’s proportionate liability regime a
Reforming construction law for consistency, with Sean Kelly
Sean Kelly is a Partner at Clayton Utz. Sean focuses on major projects and construction, and he has extensive experience in project delivery and dispute resolution. In this episode, Sean takes us through significant changes in construction law. He discusses the rationale for the changes, the nationwide discrepancies in adjudication, and how the excluded amounts regime seeks to address them. Sean a
How lawyers and engineers can work together better, with Dr. Paul Tracey
Dr Paul Tracey is a Senior Fellow at the University of Melbourne Law School. Paul teaches at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels in construction law, as well as leading the Construction Law and Practice programme at the University of Salford. In this episode, Dr Tracey explores Cross-cultural collaboration. He breaks down how a power station project in Gaza became the catalyst for his resea
Conference collection: The rest is… liquidated damages, with Matthew Bell and Trevor Thomas
Earlier this year at the annual Society of Construction Law Australia conference in Brisbane, we caught up with panellists and moderators from around Australia to discuss the biggest issues in the industry today. Matthew Bell is an Associate Professor and Co-director for Studies for Construction Law at Melbourne Law School, and Trevor Thomas is a Partner at Corr Chambers Westgarth. In this e
AI and the future of construction law, with James Macdonald
James Macdonald is a Senior Associate for Dispute Resolution at Ashurst. Ashurst is a global law firm built and run on the primary motivation of staying ahead and driving innovation. In this episode, James talks about his paper, From Blueprints to Bytes: The Legal Implications of AI in Construction. You’ll hear him discuss the current state of AI within the Australian construction industry,
Building the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, with Jane Hider, Nicole Whitby, and Colin Fraser
Jane Hider is a Partner at King & Wood Mallesons, specialising in construction law and infrastructure project delivery. Nicole Whitby is a construction and engineering lawyer and a Partner at Pinsent Masons. She specialises in minimising risk within public-private partnership projects. Colin Fraser is a lawyer and a Partner at Pinsent Masons, with over 30 years of experience in infrastructure
Does the culture of the construction industry need to change?
Kevin Porter is an Anthropologist and Culture Change Consultant who has extensively studied the Australian construction industry. Kevin has spent his career studying human behaviour and providing leaders with the information they need to make choices, grow their businesses, and improve workplace culture. In this episode, Kevin explains the concept of culture from an anthropological perspective and
Why dispute resolution is becoming more complex
Dado Hrustanpasic is a Partner at Holding Redlich and an Honorary Senior Fellow at the University of Melbourne Law School, where he lectures in construction dispute resolution. Dado has over a decade of experience in major projects and infrastructure disputes and is dual-qualified in law and civil engineering. In this episode, Dado explains the evolution of major project delivery in Australia and
Conference collection: Michael Bleby, Harris Ashton, and Mia Timpano
Earlier this year at the annual Society of Construction Law Australia conference in Brisbane, we caught up with panellists and moderators from around Australia to discuss the biggest issues in the industry today. Mia Timpano is a former journalist and final-year law student who describes herself as a “construction law enthusiast”.Harris Ashton is a Legal Research Officer at VCAT and th
2024 Stynes Address – Gabrielle Trainor AO
The Stynes Address is the Society of Construction Law Australia’s annual high-profile lecture related to the practice of law and the construction industry. In 2024 the Stynes Address was given by Gabrielle Trainor AO. Gabrielle Trainor has had a diverse career across the construction industry, but one of her most important roles has been as chair of the Construction Industry Culture Taskforce. Th
2023 Stynes Address – Justice Katie Stynes
The Stynes Address is the Society of Construction Law Australia’s annual high-profile lecture related to the practice of law and the construction industry. This is the inaugural address given in 2023 by SoCLA’s patron, Justice Katie Stynes, after whom the address has been named. In 2023 Justice Stynes talked to us about the procedural reforms she is leading from her role as judge in charge of the
A Case Study: Superintendent's Duties, Delay Methodologies, Acceleration and more
Based on the V601 v Probuild case decided in the Victorian Supreme Court in December 2021, Ben McLeod presented this talk in Melbourne in February 2023. Ben was part of the team who acted successfully for Probuild in this matter and outlines a range of complex issues, including how Principals and Superintendents should ensure that a contractor’s claims are assessed fairly; the consequences that ca
Complexity Theory - How It Can Help Us Think About Risk In Construction
Stepping back from a process to see the complex interactions happening between all of the parties can lead to insights that could prevent potentially catastrophic consequences. The failure of a pedestrian bridge at Florida International University led to 6 fatalities. In this talk, Sean explore the failures in the design, peer review and construction phases of the project, and the need for investi
Is NEC4 the Answer to Australia’s Broken Standard form ?
Is the Australian industry’s Standard Form broken? If so, why and can it be fixed? The training and learning involved to build confidence in a new industry contract should be considered when making changes. Scott Alden presents his talk “When opportunity knocks: Is NEC4 the Answer to Australia’s Broken Standard form ?” This talk was voted by attendees as one of the Top 3 highlights of our national
Collaborative Contracting - where are we now, and why ?
The past, present and future of collaborative contracting models. One of the audience-selected highlights of our national conference “Getting Risk Right”, held in Hobart, Tasmania in May 2022. Sean Kelly and Yazmin Judd focus on the results of an anonymous industry survey which was completed by public and private sector employees, lawyers, engineers, consultants, contractors and subcontractors. Se
The role of the Legal System in Failures - The UK Post Office Scandal (Part 3)
An exercise in highly paid lawyers dancing on the head of a pin. We deep dive into the roles the law, the lawyers and the courts played in this scandal. This wasn’t a case of a few bad apples, the whole system was stacked against the Subpostmasters. The system silenced, suppressed and hid information and nothing like justice was achieved. At some point the overriding duty to the court owed by lawy
Learning from IT Failures: Horizon, Bugs, and Chinooks - The UK Post Office Scandal (Part 2)
In the opening I introduced that the Horizon software was the main deliverable of a billion pound PFI project let by the Post Office. The contract was awarded in May 1996 to Fujitsu who won the job because of their winning offer to bear the software development costs in exchange for 8 years guaranteed transaction fee every time a customer of the Department of Social Service used their new swipe ca
The Witch Trial of our Times - UK Post Office Scandal (Part 1)
The UK Post Office Scandal – Megaprojects, IT Systems and the Law This story is about the most widespread miscarriage of justice in English history. The scale of this story exceeds the witch trials of the 16th and 17th century. This story is relevant to every construction lawyer in Australia because it is a story rooted in how we deliver major projects, how we think about technology and its reliab
Tackling Human Rights Risks in the Australian Construction Sector. 2022 Conference Keynote by Dr. Natalie Galea
Valuable insights into the health and wellbeing of those working in the Australian construction industry and what legal practitioners can do to improve the status quo. Dr. Natalie Galea presents the keynote for our 2022 national conference “ Getting Risk Right”, held in Hobart, Tasmania in May 2022. Fully titled “I would like to see my son more than I see my site manager: tackling human rights ris
FIDIC - Where the bloody hell are you?
For those who missed it, this podcast is a recording of our recent webinar featuring Kiri Parr, Tony Barry and Rob Nelson-Williams. In it, they discuss the internationally renowned and widely used FIDIC suite of Contracts and their potential for wider adoption in Australia. This podcast is for reference purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. You s
Has the construction industry finally got a burning platform for change?
Jon Davies, CEO of the Australian Constructors Association, discusses the significant challenges facing the construction industry and ACA's plan to help fix them. --- This podcast is for reference purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. You should always obtain legal advice about your specific circumstances. The views expressed in these podcasts ar
BYO Coffee Cup. Seriously.
Lucy Greenwood, international arbitrator, diversity champion and green arbitration advocate shares her insights on the impact of arbitration on the environment and how we can drive sustainable change. In this episode, Melissa Yeo, Chair of the Society's Communications Sub-committee, sits down with Lucy Greenwood to discuss arbitration, its impact on the environment and how we can drive sustainable
Stage management and other things you didn't know you needed to think about
This episode is Part 2 of Melissa Yeo's discussion with Petrina Macpherson and Matthew Hickey on eHearings and eMediations and why they have given us all #onemorethingtothinkabout This podcast is for reference purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. You should always obtain legal advice about your specific circumstances. The views expressed in th
Remember to wear pants – and other useful tips for navigating online hearings
In this podcast, Melissa Yeo sits down with Petrina Macpherson of Minter Ellison and Matthew Hickey of Level Twenty Seven Chambers to discuss eHearings and eMediations and why they have given us all #onemorethingtothinkabout This podcast is for reference purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. You should always obtain legal advice about your speci
Mind the Gap - the new duty of care
In this podcast, Aiden Davey, Dr Matthew Bell and Kiri Parr sit down with Melissa Yeo to discuss the new duty of care introduced in the NSW Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 and the significant consequences it might have on the construction industry. This podcast is for reference purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. You should always o
Cyber Hygiene In the Era Of COVID-19
They say if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. In the current landscape that means putting your valuable data in the hands of criminals. In this podcast, Brendan Read and Vishka Peiris of Korda Mentha discuss Cyber Hygiene during Covid-19. Brendan is a former detective from the Queensland Police High Tech Crime Investigation Unit. He is highly experienced in investigating criminal and civil ma
Gold Digger: What Are Your State Security Of Payment Recourses
A practical summary of what was, is and might be when it comes to securing payment for construction projects of all sizes and at all stages of development in the era of COVID-19. Presented in the SoCLA webinar by Matthew Hickey and Bianca Kabel of Level Twenty Seven Chambers in Brisbane, Australia. This podcast is for reference purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be r
Episode 21: DRBs: Cheap insurance for real time dispute resolution
Stephen Callaghan of Stephen Callaghan Consulting Pty Ltd sits down with Melissa Yeo to discuss Dispute Resolution Boards, how they work, what parties can expect and why they are likely to become more popular in the future. The Society is working hard to bring you regular podcasts so be sure to subscribe to the SCL Australia Podcast to be alerted when new episodes become available. We hope you en
Episode 20: Let the Tears Be Not Yours: the Case for Diversity, Collaboration and Active Risk Management on Construction Projects
Insights into construction contracts, risk management and how to deliver a successful project. Kevin Pascoe, engineer and the Principal Project Manager, APAC Building and Infrastructure for Jacobs sits down with Melissa Yeo, Chair of SoCLA's Communications Sub-Committee. Kevin's career spans 25 years and includes projects in Australia and around the world. His paper, "Incorporating Active Risk Man
Episode 19: It All Changed On-Site. Or Did it…?
If you have ever wondered whether your construction Contract can be varied by what happens on site, or how contractor claims are treated and whether your entire agreement clause is effective; this episode is for you. Michael Trim and Claire Schneider of Level Twenty Seven Chambers share their insights on these questions as well as recent developments in the law at an event which took place on 7 Au
Episode 18 - Lessons from Success and Failure in Major Construction Projects
On Melbourne Cup Day in November 2017, the Society was fortunate to have Adrian Hughes QC of 39 Essex Chambers in London, attend to share lessons from success and failure in major construction projects including the New Berlin Airport, the Scottish Parliament and Wembley Stadium. The breakfast event, kindly hosted by Corrs Chambers Westgarth, drew a large crowd of industry professionals who gather
Episode 17 - Trouble with the Neighbours
In October 2017, the Society was fortunate to have Philip Britton, visiting professor of King’s College in London and Senior fellow of Melbourne Law School attend at SoCLA events around Australia to present his paper, Trouble with the Neighbours: Construction, Disruption and Damages. The events, which were kindly hosted by a variety of generous sponsors, drew many industry professionals who gath
Episode 16 - So You Think You're Rational?
Have people ever seemed to act inconsistently to you? Why do you think people are incredibly open and flexible one day, but very focused and structured the next? Why do you think some people are infuriated by things that seem insignificant to you? This episode podcast explores two key systems in our brain: (un)creatively named System I and System II. By understanding how these systems work togethe
Episode 15 – Grenfell Tower and Construction Regulation
On 14 June 2017, a shocked world watched a tragedy unfold in the west of London. When the smoke cleared from the fire at the Grenfell Tower, 71 people were found to have perished. Whilst the specific causes of the fire are still being investigated, there is no doubt that the recent installation of polyethylene-core façade cladding was a major contributor to its reduced survivability; in turn, the
Episode 14 – Don’t Let Them Take You Alive!
Sean Brady, SCL Australia Director, interviews Kiri Parr, Arup Principal and Legal Counsel, on how we need to disrupt the construction industry. Have clients given too much power to their lawyers? Where are we as a construction industry? Where are we headed? What are the impacts of mega projects on the everyday working lives of our people, and what are the biggest disconnects between how we th
Episode 13 - Private Certification and Defective Building Materials
At the recent SCL National Conference, Director Ian Bailey AM SC discussed the topical issue of private certification and defective building materials with Alisa Taylor, Partner at Meyer Vandenberg Lawyers in Canberra. Ian and Alisa discuss the need to get a unified approach across Australia to address the issues encountered by the industry in building regulation. If you missed out on attending t
Episode 12 - Construction Project Failures: Will We Ever Learn?
When an aircraft crashes, or there is a near-miss, the airline industry rushes to learn the lessons so as to keep planes flying safely across our skies. Why doesn’t the construction industry take the same approach to project failures? In this podcast, Jaclyn Smith is joined by her fellow SoCLA directors, Dr Sean Brady (Brady Heywood), Matthew Bell (Melbourne Law School) and Kara Vague (Downer) to
Episode 11 - Construction Law: Fostering Harmony or Collisions?
Laws are supposed to keep things in order. How, then, do they get so complex that they cause headaches - or worse - for the construction industry? In this podcast, Jaclyn Smith is joined by her fellow SCL Australia directors, Matthew Bell (Melbourne Law School), Dr Sean Brady (Brady Heywood) and Laina Chan (3 Wentworth Chambers). They focus on construction industry security of payment laws: brough
Episode 10 - In Conversation with Kara Vague
Kara Vague is the current Chair of the Society of Construction Law Australia, having had an extensive involvement spanning a number of Committees over the last few years. In this interview, Director Jaclyn Smith (@jaclynlindsay) asks Kara to reflect on her career and time with the Society, and share some of the current and upcoming activities. For those looking to get in contact with Kara: Twitte
Episode 9 - Technology Assisted Review & Construction Disputes
Jaclyn Smith, Director of SCL Australia, interviews Andrew Stephenson (Partner at Corrs Chambers Westgarth) and Craig Macaulay (Executive Director at KordaMentha Forensic) on updates to predictive coding and technology assisted review, and what this means for construction disputes. This podcast is for reference purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as s
Episode 8 - Hot Jungle to Hot Seat
Melissa Yeo, Director of SCL Australia, interviews Wendy MacLaughlin, Senior Vice President of HKA Global, about her journey to becoming an internationally sought after construction programming expert, her advice for people working in the construction disputes space and the key features of the new SCL Delay and Disruption Protocol. This podcast is for reference purposes only. It does not constitut
Episode 7 - Proportionate Liability and The Allocation of Risk
Raisa Conchin and Elizabeth Conlan discuss how to manage the pre-allocation of risk in the era of proportionate liability. Raisa Conchin is a Partner of Wotton + Kearney and Elizabeth Conlan is a Senior Associate of Wotton + Kearney. Kindly sponsored by Baker McKenzie, this SCL event was held on 8 March 2017 in Brisbane. This podcast is for reference purposes only. It does not constitute legal ad
Episode 6 - Learn the Rules, Get in the Game
In this episode Melissa Yeo sits down with Teagan Dowler, the author of the newly released book Rules of the Game - Women in the Masculine Industries. Teagan is also the founder of the Blue Collared Woman, a community that supports the development of initiatives to achieve greater diversity and inclusion within the engineering, resource and construction industries. Melissa and Teagan talk about t
Episode 5 - The New AS11000: Interview with Ian Bailey SC
In this episode , we hear from two Directors of the Society of Construction Law Australia. Marianne Rose, Commercial Manager (Mouchel) interview Professor Ian Bailey SC (Wentworth Chambers) to gain insight into some of the key features of the new AS 11000. Representatives from the Society of Construction Law joined with other leading construction industry associations to draft AS 11000. AS 11000 i
Episode 4 - Alex Hartmann: Diversion of Strip Out Waste
In this episode of our podcast series, we meet Alex Hartmann, Partner at Baker & McKenzie, who presented at the recent Society of Construction Law Australia National Conference. The Conference brought together lawyers and construction industry professionals to discuss ‘Building Australia’s Future.’ Alex presented on what happens to office waste when offices are stripped out. There are 25,000 tonn
Episode 3 - Kiri Parr: Building The Better Pitch
In this episode of our podcast series, we meet Kiri Parr, Regional Legal Counsel, Arup, who presented at the recent Society of Construction Law Australia National Conference. The Conference brought together lawyers and construction industry professionals to discuss ‘Building Australia’s Future.’ Kiri speaks on the significant challenges of delivering successful projects and looks at some of the co
Episode 2 - Ashley Brinson: Innovation of Opportunities
In this episode, we meet Ashley Brinson, Executive Director of the Warren Centre. Ashley delivered the keynote address at the recent Society of Construction Law Australia National Conference. The Conference brought together lawyers and construction industry professionals to discuss ‘Building Australia’s Future.’ Ashley speaks on the innovation of opportunities, and looks at how can we improve and
Episode 1 - Introduction to the SCL Australia Podcast
In this introductory episode, we introduce you to the Society of Construction Law Australia podcast. The Society provides a forum for industry participants and thought leaders to connect and together initiate positive change in the construction industry for the benefit of the construction industry and public as a whole by influencing changes to legislation, policy and practice. Be sure to subscrib
