Serious shortages spark major project blowout fears

Victorian construction projects are facing serious time and cost blowouts due to a shortage of sand and rock.

Projects including level crossing removals, and construction of the Airport Rail and the North East Link could be impacted.

Chief executive of the Australian Constructors Association, Jon Davies, says the shortages are “absolutely” hitting the industry hard.

And the solution isn’t as simple as taking some sand from the beach.

“What a lot of people don’t know is that sand can’t be used in concrete because it’s out there, it’s been weathered in the wind and those sand particles then become very rounded which is no use for concrete at all, it just doesn’t give a bond,” he told Ross and Russel.

Sand for construction comes from sources like river beds.

“As you can imagine those sources are pretty limited and require extraction permits,” Mr Davies said.

“Rock obviously comes from quarries, and if we don’t licence more quarries and keep up the pace with all of that then there will be a shortage.”

Mr Davies is calling on the construction industry to become “far more efficient with the resources we’ve already got”.

“There’s a huge productivity opportunity.”

Press PLAY below to hear more about the serious shortages hitting