International Construction Law Review
BOOK REVIEWS
DOUGLAS S JONES
Understanding Australian Construction Contracts. By Ian H Bailey, SC, and Matthew Bell. Sydney: Lawbook Co, 2008. ISBN 978–0455–22593–7. 257 pp., including Appendices and Tables. AU$74.95.
The study and practice of Australian construction law has been enhanced by this publication. Ian Bailey and Matthew Bell are the Co-Course Directors for Melbourne University’s Construction Law Post Graduate Programs and as such are well familiar with the practice and theory of Australian construction law.
This book seeks to build upon existing writings by providing a comparative analysis of four Australian Standard Forms of Contract, namely, two Australian Standard Forms of Contract AS2124:1992 and AS4000:1997, the form of contract jointly published by the Royal Australian Institute of Architects and Master Builders Australia ABICMB–1 2003 and the Property Council of Australia PC1 1998.
The value of the analysis which the authors undertake is that they look at the way in which these standard forms deal with the key issues which arise in construction and which are necessarily dealt with in construction contracts. They deal with 33 issues ranging through contract documents, bills of quantities, the responsibilities of both the principal and the principal’s representatives and include the usual major issues such as variations, insurance, extensions of time, liquidated damages and completion.
In a number of areas which are dealt with in quite some detail by the standard forms, comparative tables are used to provide the reader with an
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