NT development: CDU delays opening of new city campus

Charles Darwin University has tried blaming workers for the latest delay in its CBD campus, but unions are having none of it. Read what happened.

The opening of Charles Darwin University’s long-delayed $250m CBD campus has been put back again.

In a statement released on Friday morning, University Vice-Chancellor Professor Scott Bowman tried to blame trade unions for the delay.

Local builders Halikos were awarded the building contract in October 2021.

Professor Bowman’s statement said industrial action taken by Electrical Trade Union members employed with Nilsen, which subcontracts for Halikos, had caused a delay in the handover of the building to CDU.

The ETU dismissed the charge.

Halikos Group's managing director Shane Dignan, Professor Scott Bowman and Assistant Education Minister Senator Anthony Chisholm at the 2023 topping out ceremony.

NT Organiser David Hayes said any delays in the handover had occurred long before the ETU launched limited industrial action on January 24.

“They’re grasping at straws trying to blame us for that,” Mr Hayes said.
“In what other jurisdiction in Australia does it take over two years to build a nine-storey building.”

Halikos managing director Shane Dignan said timeline adjjustments were due to industrial action, not safety issues. Chief Minister Eva Lawler said she was “frustrated” by the delay.

The CDU building’s so-called topping out ceremony, originally scheduled for late 2022, eventually took place in June 2023.

The University statement began with an attack on workers for taking industrial action.

“Union industrial action over enterprise bargaining negotiations is slowing down electrical contractors, resulting in a delay to the completion of the new Charles Darwin University Education and Community Precinct,” it said.

“Electrical Trade Union members at Nilsen, the electrical subcontractors to Halikos, are involved in industrial action, which has caused a delay in the handover of the building to Charles Darwin University.

“The delay in handover means that the opening of the building, which was scheduled for July 2024, will be postponed.”

It said the building “will be open” later in 2024, with teaching planned to commence in summer semester.

“It is extremely disappointing that the opening of the new (precinct) has to be delayed,” Professor Bowman said. “A delay in the handover compromises our ability to start teaching in second semester, and we are now planning for teaching to start in summer semester.”

Charles Darwin University’s CBD campus is delayed again. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Mr Hayes said ETU employers had been on campus since November 2021 and said the project had “been plagued by interruptions”, many of those due to safety concerns. He said union members on site had begun a limited industrial action late last month in support of their EBA, consisting primarily of work bans and a single one-hour stoppage.

He said the project had a history of delays, including the actual building structure, which was between nine-months and a year behind schedule.

Originally intended to be taking students at the start of 2024, the university announced last year the opening had been set back until July.

Mr Hayes said there had been continual last-minute changes in the building saying the library, which is currently under construction, “had constant design changes which prolonged the project”.

He said concerns about concrete silica from floor-grinding had resulted in NT WorkSafe officers intervening and up to 150 workers with tools and materials were trying to access the building from only two functioning elevators out of the four on site.

“Halikos and CDU trying to blame Nilson or our members for delays is a long way off the mark and merely an attempt to deflect the myriad problems the project has experienced,” Mr Hayes said. “This is an opportunistic grab to deflect from their own incompetence.”

Shane Dignan said the industrial actions, not safey issues, had caused the delay.

“The CDU project is navigating through some adjustments to its timeline due to industrial action that has temporarily affected the productivity of our electrical contractor, and subsequenltly influencing the project’s completion schedule,” Mr Dignan said. “It’s important to note that Halikos places an enormous importance on safety, actively addressing any challenges that emerge in a timely manner.

“This approach is standard for projects of such magnitude and intricacy. We want to clarify that these schedule adjustments are not tied to any safety concerns being left unaddressed.”

Ms Lawler said she was confident the university and builder would complete the project as soon as possible.

“I get frustrated when projects are delayed, but I know CDU and Halikos Constructions are working hard to get this done as soon as possible,” she said. “The new CDU city campus is an outstanding addition to our skyline.” .

Comment has been sought from Halikos and NT WorkSafe.