n plain terms the industry is bursting at the seams. The stakeholders from within the industry have been grappling with the many questions arising from the changing market. What does all this mean for those attempting to deliver a project? Do alliance contracts deliver better outcomes? Is having early contractor involvement beneficial in overall terms or are we better off reverting to lump sum contracts with inflexible risk allocation?

APIA, in recognition of these issues, organised an industry first, one day forum to discuss what contracting forms the pipeline world was currently utilising. The event took place in Brisbane on Wednesday 23 July with a higher than expected turnout of 83 attendees. Presentations given by a number of leading industry experts covered the many different aspects of contracting. This was followed by a panel discussion of what may be appropriate for APIA’s members to consider when undertaking future construction works.

Graeme Hogarth of Hogarth Project Management Services started the day by discussing ‘Project Delivery Risk Allocation for Best Outcome’. He was followed by Stephen Callaghan of Stephen Callaghan & Associates, who expanded on ‘Fast Track Negotiation for Gas Infrastructure Projects’. The day saw a number of representatives from major law firms present, with Jim Feehely from DLP Phillips Fox clearing up some myths and misunderstandings in his presentation on the ‘Essential Features of a Project Alliance Agreement’. Well-known APIA member Stephen Dykes from Gemseekers International provided the argument for ‘ECI as a Contracting Strategy’, while Michael Earwaker, representing Clayton Utz, outlined the ‘Different Contracting Forms for Different Needs’. Minter Ellison’s Ian Briggs explained the ‘Reasons for Selection of the Western Pipeline Alliance’ and John Clarke, on behalf of ANZ Infrastructure Services, provided an overview of ‘Conditions and Expectations from Current Capital Markets’.

These speakers obviously engaged their audience as a panel discussion covering the issues raised in the morning presentations occupied the entire afternoon, in what was an environment of positive and constructive debate between owners, developers, contractors and other stakeholders. The Chair of the APIA Contractors’ Committee Mark Twycross summed up the event by stating that the forum had been an excellent step forward for the industry and a great base from which to generate more discussion in the quest to find the ‘perfect contract’.