Key Facts:
- 450 local and international government and industry leaders
- Construction is more than 7% of GDP and employs more than 1.3 million people
Australia's construction industry has warned the nation will struggle to meet its housing, infrastructure, energy and defence targets unless productivity improves, urging governments and industry leaders to accelerate the adoption of proven delivery approaches.
The Australian Constructors Association (ACA) Foundations and Frontiers forum is being held at the Hyatt Regency Sydney today, and brings together government, project owners, contractors, consultants and suppliers to examine project successes and explore how they can be scaled across the industry.
It features NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey and Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison alongside leaders from government, construction, infrastructure, engineering, technology and the supply chain. The event is focused on identifying actions that can lift productivity and improve project delivery outcomes across Australia.
Discussions throughout the day will draw lessons from projects including Western Sydney International Airport, the New Bridgewater Bridge, Atlassian Central and Grange University Hospital in Wales, as well as exploring data centre investment, modern methods of construction, procurement reform, design productivity, collaboration and industrial relations reform.
Opening Foundations and Frontiers 2026, ACA President Annabel Crookes called on governments to stop treating productivity as an academic problem to study but instead need to get on with adopting and scaling the proven successes that already exist.
"A better industry won't be built by endlessly analysing what is broken. We need to become just as good at studying success—understanding why it works, what conditions made it possible, and how we replicate it at scale," said Ms Crookes.
"There are project teams, delivery models and partnerships already showing us what is possible. Our job is to be curious about those examples, learn from them and turn exceptional practice into business as usual.
"Construction has become very good at producing pockets of excellence. The challenge is ensuring they don't remain isolated examples. To lift productivity, and deliver the infrastructure Australia needs, best practice cannot remain exceptional.
"Construction productivity is a national economic priority. If we can improve the way projects are delivered, we'll build more homes, complete more infrastructure and get better value from every taxpayer dollar invested.
"That's good for industry, but more importantly, it's good for Australia."
About us:
The Australian Constructors Association is the only representative body for contractors delivering vertical and horizontal construction projects, as well as undertaking infrastructure asset management. Our members construct and service the majority of major infrastructure projects built in Australia every year. Our goal is to create a more sustainable construction industry.
