Construction, civil and infrastructure briefs

Plasterboard asbestos alert, Downer briefing on Defence work opportunities, Mackay lagoon repairs and a $2.2 million contract win for a Rockhampton business are among this week's construction, civil and infrastructure updates. Geoff Williams, Betta Group. Betta Group wins Shoalwater Bay work Rockhampton-based Betta Group has signed a $2.2 million major works subcontract with Laing O'Rourke to deliver mechanical services at Shoalwater Bay. The Orcoda subsidiary is expected to deliver the work on the Defence project over approximately 18 months. “We are looking forward to working with the team at Laing O'Rourke on this project and winning more work with them as our relationship develops," Orcoda managing director Geoff Jamieson said. "Geoff Williams, general manager of Betta Group, will have my full support in delivering on this project. Geoff and his team at Betta are very professional and have an excellent reputation for delivering on major projects.” Downer Defence contracts briefing in Townsville Downer Defence will be hosting an industry briefing in Townsville on Wednesday, October 20, to discuss opportunities for suppliers in electrical, carpentry, plumbing and general construction up to $2 million. These works will be required from Gladstone to the Torres Strait and west to Mount Isa. An information briefing will be delivered, followed by networking and an opportunity to talk to Downer staff. The breakfast event will be held from 7am at the Townsville RSL on Charters Towers Rd. RSVP sue.mcgready@downerdefence.com.au Council floats concepts for Mount Isa lookout upgrade Mount Isa City Council is seeking feedback on residents' preferred design for the revitalisation of the John Campbell Miles Memorial (City) Lookout, with people now able to choose between two concept designs. The council is proposing to revitalise the City Lookout over the next few years to create a vibrant, exciting space for locals and tourists alike. The upgrades are anticipated to include a new ramp to the west lookout; a vehicle turnaround loop; more parking spaces, including disabled parking; lookouts facing north, south, east and west; picnic lawn areas; new furnishings and shelters; and exercise loops. The full Proposed Mount Isa City Lookout Revitalisation document, as well as the survey people can use to pick the concept design they prefer, can be found on the council’s website at www.mountisa.qld.gov.au/homepage/314/city-lookout-concepts. The survey will be open until mid-November 2021. Peak cement industry group in decarbonisation pledge Forty of the world’s leading cement and concrete manufacturers have joined forces to accelerate the shift to greener concrete by pledging to cut CO2 emissions by a further 25 per cent by 2030. It follows the announcement in September that the Global Cement and Concrete Association had become the first global ‘heavy’ industry accelerator for the UN’s global Race to Zero. GCCA members account for 80 per cent of the global cement industry volume outside of China, and also include several large Chinese manufacturers. GCCA chief executive Thomas Guillot said concrete was the world’s most used building material and provided the foundation for renewable energy transition, resilient infrastructure and new homes around the world. “Global cooperation on decarbonising concrete is a necessity, as countries developing their infrastructure and housing will be the biggest users of concrete in the coming decades," he said. The group now needed governments around the world to work with its and use their huge procurement power to advocate for low carbon concrete in their infrastructure and housing needs, he said. Links Drive upgrade planned over next 12 months A key transport link connecting the industrial areas of Woree and White Rock in Cairns will be upgraded under a $2.3 million project. The 700m section of Links Drive will be widened and strengthened to ensure it can continue to be used safely by through traffic, from B-doubles to cyclists. Kerb and channel, and driveway cross overs will also be repaired, along with new drainage infrastructure and improved lighting. Cairns Regional Council has received $980,000 from the Australian Government’s Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program (HVSPP) Round Seven program, towards the cost. To align with the project, the council will bring forward the first stage of a new water main needed to meet future demand. The road and water improvements are to be completed by September 2022. New pavement assessment report from Austroads Austroads has published a report which proposes a nationally consistent approach to assessing the impact of Performance Based Standards (PBS) vehicles on pavements. The report presents a seven-step pavement assessment review process, including a checklist which has been designed to prompt road managers to consider common concerns associated with determining access on local government roads. The process would allow for most PBS access applications to be approved based on the information contained in the application, understanding that most PBS vehicles cause no more pavement wear than traditional heavy vehicles. applications. The report highlights key findings to compliment the proposed pavement assessment review process and further support road managers, particularly those working in local government. Download the report at: Investigation of Pavement Assessment Methodologies for Performance Based Standards Access Update on Bluewater Lagoon, Mackay repairs Mackay Regional Council has completed investigations into structural issues at Bluewater Lagoon and has put a plan in place to reopen the facility in late November. Local contractor WHF Group Pty Ltd has been engaged to complete patch work to the lagoon surface and Interflow is carrying out repairs to the main circulation line. The roof of the plant room is also being replaced.Mayor Greg Williamson said the patch work was a short-term solution to temporarily repair leaks in the lining of the surface. He said this would allow the Bluewater Lagoon to be reopened for the Christmas school holidays and give council staff time to organise a long-term solution to repair the surface of the lagoon and main circulation line.“The scope of this work is currently being finalised and will be put to tender later this year, with work scheduled to be carried out during the winter seasonal closure in 2022,” he said. Asbestos alarm for USG Boral plasterboard products Plasterboard manufacturer USG Boral has issued a warning on potential asbestos contamination in some fire-rated plasterboard products. Tests indicated low levels of asbestos contamination in Chinese-sourced vermiculite samples at the company's Camellia site in Sydney, USG Boral managing director Australia and New Zealand Tony Charnock said. Vermiculite is used in small quantities in the company's specialist fire-rated plasterboard products. “We have stopped using Chinese-sourced vermiculite across all of our products, and the existing stock of vermiculite will be removed safely, under the guidance and advice of consultants who specialise in hazardous materials," he said. “Meanwhile, we have suspended sales of our fire-rated plasterboard products and directed distributors to stop selling those products while testing continues. “USG Boral is co-operating closely with health and workplace authorities to ensure the safety and well-being of our staff, customers and the community.” Construction union the CFMEU said the issue confirmed its repeated warnings that imported building products, particularly those from China, may not be safe. "We have seen too many instances of building supplies that are manufactured or sourced in poorly regulated markets like China failing basic safety requirements or exposing workers or end customers to unnecessary risk,” CFMEU national construction secretary Dave Noonan said.

Construction, civil and infrastructure briefs

Industry Queensland

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