Business Law Library & Tracker
Construction & Trades
Security of payment, construction contracts, progress claims, adjudication and trade-business compliance.
Sources last reviewed 8 June 2026
Main law guides
297
Acts, regulations and codes worth reading first
Topics
22
Plain-English clusters
Published case explainers
496
Selected cases with a business lesson
Tracked updates
110
New, amended & reviewed
Plain-English explainers, not legal advice. Use the linked official source for section-level detail, and get advice for your situation.
Get legal helpMain laws
Building and Construction Industry (Security of Payment) Act 2021 (WA)
Building and Construction Industry (Security of Payment) Act 2021 (WA)
Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999 (NSW)
Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999 (NSW)
Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 2002 (Vic)
Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 2002 (Vic)
Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 2009 (ACT)
Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 2009 (ACT)
Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 2009 (SA)
Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 2009 (SA)
Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 2009 (Tas)
Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 2009 (Tas)
Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act 2017 (Qld)
Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act 2017 (Qld)
Construction Contracts (Security of Payments) Act 2004 (NT)
Construction Contracts (Security of Payments) Act 2004 (NT)
Dangerous Goods (Road and Rail Transport) Act 2008 (NSW)
Dangerous Goods (Road and Rail Transport) Act 2008 (NSW)
Dangerous Goods (Road and Rail Transport) Act 2010 (Tas)
Dangerous Goods (Road and Rail Transport) Act 2010 (Tas)
Dangerous Goods Act 1985 (Vic)
Dangerous Goods Act 1985 (Vic)
Dangerous Goods Act 1998 (NT)
Dangerous Goods Act 1998 (NT)
Dangerous Goods Safety Act 2004 (WA)
Dangerous Goods Safety Act 2004 (WA)
Dangerous Substances Act 1979 (SA)
Dangerous Substances Act 1979 (SA)
Dangerous Substances Act 2004 (ACT)
Dangerous Substances Act 2004 (ACT)
Electrical Safety Act 2002 (Qld)
Electrical Safety Act 2002 (Qld)
Electrical Safety Act 2022 (NT)
Electrical Safety Act 2022 (NT)
Electricity (Consumer Safety) Act 2004 (NSW)
Electricity (Consumer Safety) Act 2004 (NSW)
Electricity Act 1945 (WA)
Electricity Act 1945 (WA)
Electricity Safety Act 1998 (Vic)
Electricity Safety Act 1998 (Vic)
Gas Safety Act 1997 (Vic)
Gas Safety Act 1997 (Vic)
Gas Standards Act 1972 (WA)
Gas Standards Act 1972 (WA)
Occupational Licensing Act 2005 (Tas)
Occupational Licensing Act 2005 (Tas)
Plumbers and Drainers Licensing Act 1983 (NT)
Plumbers and Drainers Licensing Act 1983 (NT)
Plumbers Licensing Act 1995 (WA)
Plumbers Licensing Act 1995 (WA)
Plumbers, Gas Fitters and Electricians Act 1995 (SA)
Plumbers, Gas Fitters and Electricians Act 1995 (SA)
Plumbing and Drainage Act 2011 (NSW)
Plumbing and Drainage Act 2011 (NSW)
Plumbing and Drainage Act 2018 (Qld)
Plumbing and Drainage Act 2018 (Qld)
Transport Operations (Road Use Management - Dangerous Goods) Regulation 2018 (Qld)
Transport Operations (Road Use Management - Dangerous Goods) Regulation 2018 (Qld)
Utilities (Technical Regulation) Act 2014 (ACT)
Utilities (Technical Regulation) Act 2014 (ACT)
Building Act 1993 (NT)
Building Act 1993 (NT)
Building Act 1993 (Vic)
Building Act 1993 (Vic)
Building Act 2016 (Tas)
Building Act 2016 (Tas)
Building Services (Registration) Act 2011 (WA)
Building Services (Registration) Act 2011 (WA)
Building Work Contractors Act 1995 (SA)
Building Work Contractors Act 1995 (SA)
Construction Occupations (Licensing) Act 2004 (ACT)
Construction Occupations (Licensing) Act 2004 (ACT)
Home Building Act 1989 (NSW)
Home Building Act 1989 (NSW)
Queensland Building and Construction Commission Act 1991 (Qld)
Queensland Building and Construction Commission Act 1991 (Qld)
Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW)
Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW)
Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 (Tas)
Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 (Tas)
Planning Act 1999 (NT)
Planning Act 1999 (NT)
Planning Act 2016 (Qld)
Planning Act 2016 (Qld)
Planning Act 2023 (ACT)
Planning Act 2023 (ACT)
Planning and Development Act 2005 (WA)
Planning and Development Act 2005 (WA)
Planning and Environment Act 1987 (Vic)
Planning and Environment Act 1987 (Vic)
Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016 (SA)
Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016 (SA)
Environment Protection Act 1993 (SA)
Environment Protection Act 1993 (SA)
Environment Protection Act 1997 (ACT)
Environment Protection Act 1997 (ACT)
Environment Protection Act 2017 (Vic)
Environment Protection Act 2017 (Vic)
Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994 (Tas)
Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994 (Tas)
Environmental Protection Act 1986 (WA)
Environmental Protection Act 1986 (WA)
Environmental Protection Act 1994 (Qld)
Environmental Protection Act 1994 (Qld)
Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (NSW)
Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (NSW)
Waste Management and Pollution Control Act 1998 (NT)
Waste Management and Pollution Control Act 1998 (NT)
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth)
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth)
Environment Protection Act 2019 (NT)
Environment Protection Act 2019 (NT)
Tracker
- New8 June 2026
Dangerous goods and dangerous substances laws added
The legislation library now covers dangerous goods and dangerous substances regimes across NSW, Queensland, Victoria, WA, SA, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory. This gives warehouses, manufacturers, labs, farms, retailers, hospitality operators, builders, importers and logistics businesses a clearer place to understand classification, packaging, placarding, transport documents, emergency information, storage, handling, licences, notices and incident records.
Environment, Waste & PollutionConstruction & TradesFood & Product ComplianceEmployment & WorkplaceContracts & CommercialConsumer Law & Trading - New8 June 2026
Licensed trades and utility safety laws added
The legislation library now covers key licensed-trades and technical-safety regimes for electrical, plumbing, drainage, gasfitting and utility work across Australia. This gives trade contractors, builders, fitout teams, landlords, franchise groups and small businesses hiring contractors a clearer place to understand licence classes, certificates, inspections, incident records, regulator notices and handover evidence.
Construction & TradesPlanning, Building & Local ApprovalsEmployment & WorkplaceContracts & CommercialConsumer Law & TradingBusiness Registration & Operations - New8 June 2026
Building and trade regulation laws added
The legislation library now has a state and territory building-regulation cluster covering builder and trade authorisation, fitout projects, permits, inspections, certifiers, handover records and contractor due diligence. This is designed for builders, tradies, landlords, tenants, franchisors and small operators opening or renovating premises.
Construction & TradesPlanning, Building & Local ApprovalsCommercial Leases & PropertyContracts & Commercial - Case8 June 2026
Current NSW business sale, lease and payroll cases added
This batch adds official NSW explainers for business sale finance adjustments, lease assignment consent, clinic confidentiality and restraint disputes, statutory demands, rural planning approvals, construction payment claims and payroll tax grouping. The practical theme for small businesses is documentation: write the deal clearly, keep the evidence, and handle consent, payment, tax and exit processes before they become court problems.
Contracts & CommercialCommercial Leases & PropertyEmployment & WorkplaceCompanies & StartupsConstruction & TradesPayroll & Employer Payments - New7 June 2026
Planning and premises approval coverage added
Businesses can now browse the core planning and premises approval laws for every state and territory, plus the federal Premises Standards for building accessibility. The pages focus on leases, fitouts, changes of use, development approvals, signs, access, building checks and local authority conditions.
Planning, Building & Local ApprovalsCommercial Leases & PropertyConstruction & Trades - New7 June 2026
Environment and waste compliance coverage added
Businesses can now browse core environmental compliance laws for the Commonwealth, every state and territory, and the NT's separate waste and pollution control law. The pages focus on premises, projects, waste, noise, pollution incidents, approvals, contractor controls and regulator notices.
Environment, Waste & PollutionCommercial Leases & PropertyConstruction & Trades - Case7 June 2026
Current product, governance and restructuring cases added
Business owners now have richer selected-case explainers for product safety claims, restricted-purpose funding, company reinstatement, restructuring deeds, shareholder litigation planning, director duties, construction contracts, misleading loan promises, fuel advertising and consumer guarantee claims after resale.
Consumer Law & TradingCompanies & StartupsContracts & CommercialConstruction & TradesFinance, Payments & SecurityInsolvency & Restructuring - Reviewed2012 Act
Fair Work (Building Industry) Act 2012 history added
This repealed building-industry source belongs in Fair Work history because construction-sector workplace regulation has changed names, bodies and enforcement settings over time. Small construction businesses should not rely on it as current law. It is useful context when reviewing older contracts, compliance notices or disputes that refer to the earlier building-industry framework.
Employment & WorkplaceConstruction & Trades
Cases
Chambers v Broadway Homes
If a business settles a workplace dispute and brings someone back into the business, the new employment terms need to be written down clearly. Pay, role, duration,...
Fair Work Ombudsman v New Switch Electrical
A Fair Work compliance notice is not background admin. If it is ignored, the business can face penalties and compensation orders for the employee entitlements that...
Hanna v Kore
Construction payment claims need to match the contract stage and the evidence. A builder may obtain an adjudication certificate, but later proceedings can still...
Kutti Bay v Rattlejack patent amendments
Patent drafting and enforcement strategy need to be settled early. If a business loses a patent construction or validity fight, later amendments cannot be used as a...
South32 v Siemens discovery dispute
If your business uses related companies, overseas specialists, shared personnel or subcontractors to deliver a project, do not assume their records sit outside your...
The Owners - Strata Plan No 87231 v 3A Composites
Product and building-safety disputes are rarely won by pointing at a product category in the abstract. If a business wants to rely on a product claim, warning claim...
Wang v Creation Homes QLD
Construction disputes are won on the contract, payment notices, dates and records. AI-polished pleadings or dramatic allegations will not replace evidence about...
Mann v Paterson Constructions
Construction contracts should make pricing, stages and variations clear. If a contract is terminated after repudiation, the contract price can still shape or limit...
Probuild v Shade Systems
Security of payment adjudications are designed to be fast and hard to unwind. Principals and contractors need to raise jurisdictional objections promptly and treat...
Southern Han v Lewence
Security of payment claims depend on statutory timing. Contractors and principals should check whether a valid reference date or current statutory trigger exists...