Construcciones Yamaro: We can build it… but we’ll have to work differently
Australia needs to get more productive and there’s no better place to start than construction.
By Jon Davies, CEO of the Australian Constructors Association.
Our infrastructure pipeline keeps growing, the workforce is shrinking and budgets are getting tighter. Productivity is the only way forward. But an industry fighting to survive isn’t exactly in peak shape to take on the challenge.
Over the past year, the Australian Constructors Association (ACA) has had some encouraging conversations with key stakeholders about the reforms we need. Now it’s time to turn talk into action. Industrial relations remain tricky, but the past 18 months have given us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a sustainable, resilient construction industry.
The Blueprint for the Future, by the National Construction Industry Forum, provides the roadmap. It’s time to hit the gas.
Productivity gains will come from smarter project delivery, collaborative commercial frameworks and an industry culture that actually works for people.
ACA is also working closely with government and industry through the National Construction Strategy, leading the Modern Methods of Construction workstream and ensuring advocacy translates into tangible outcomes on the ground.
The opportunities ahead are massive. We’re gearing up for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, supporting the national energy transition and delivering the projects a growing nation needs. But these projects won’t deliver themselves. We need to work differently, collaborate better and we should have started yesterday.
Take the Olympics alone: in five years, we need to deliver an Olympic and Aquatic Stadium, a 20,000-seat stadium, an Athletes Village at the RNA, and multiple indoor arenas and upgrades. On top of that, the Queensland Government plans upgrades to Suncorp Stadium and has invited private bids for a 17,000-seat indoor stadium at Woolloongabba, while the Gold Coast Council eyes a 12,000-seat arena by 2030 – all at the same time as record investments in transport and health infrastructure.
Related stories:
- Australian Constructors Association CEO to step down in 2026
- Improving procurement to lift construction productivity
- New Queensland Procurement Policy gains industry support
So, how do we build it?
For starters, we need to rethink what good looks like in value for money, procurement and collaboration. The Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority has made a promising start with its Delivery Partner model, but coordination of privately led projects remains a challenge. Collaborative procurement is welcome, but can the market handle dual early contractor processes with so many projects, limited resources and so little time?
Value for money in an Olympic context isn’t just about the lowest price. It’s about efficiency, lasting legacies and building projects that endure. Getting the supply chain involved early, especially for constrained commodities like structural steel, is critical. Off-site prefabrication, early contractor input and collaborative problem-solving will save time, money and headaches, while helping us deliver a net-positive Games.
If we get this right, we can set a new benchmark not just for Olympic delivery, but for infrastructure across Australia.
Can we build it? Absolutely. But only if we work differently, work together and start now.
The post We can build it… but we’ll have to work differently appeared first on Inside Construction.
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