The $2 billion Connections Project is the largest irrigation modernisation project in Australia. Funded by the Victorian and Commonwealth Governments, the project’s aim is to save water through improved water delivery and irrigation services.

Maddocks’ cross-disciplinary team drew from its strong track record on advising multi-faceted large scale linear infrastructure projects in regional Australia.

The Client

Goulburn-Murray Water (GMW) is Australia’s largest rural water corporation.

As a statutory corporation, GMW manages, stores and delivers water through approximately 10,000 km of delivery and drainage infrastructure to more than 25,000 active customers in northern Victoria.

Our Role

Since 2015, Maddocks has advised GMW on the Connections Project to modernise its irrigation infrastructure in central Victoria.

As a linear infrastructure project extending over considerable distances, the matter required the Maddocks team to carefully manage a large number of stakeholders with diverging and competing priorities, including local governments, community groups, landowners and businesses.

The project involved new linear pipeline and irrigation infrastructure as well as remediation and modernisation of existing brownfield assets. Projected to conserve 429 gigalitres of water annually, the project represents a forward-thinking environmental strategy, and one which will enhance operational efficiencies and improve the productivity of irrigators in the context of climate change.

Our team’s advice on the project included:

• contract documents (including an Early Contractor Involvement structure)
• RFT documentation, review and assessment of tenders, advising the tender evaluation team and negotiations with shortlisted tenderers
• Commonwealth funding requirements
• provide ongoing advice across industrial relations, stakeholder issues, land access, planning and environment, claims management, dispute resolution and a myriad of project implementation issues.

Trusted advisers

Following the completion of the Connections Project, Maddocks was appointed as ongoing advisers for the evolution of the project, now rebranded as the GMW Water Efficiency Project. Our advice has included preparing, reviewing and negotiating construction contracts and transfer payment funding and implementation agreements with the Victorian and Commonwealth governments.

With our lawyers embedded within GMW’s project team, they work closely with its technical, commercial and internal legal team and other external advisers on the project. Our approach has involved:

• Preparation of a guidance package for the contract management team to assist them in proactively managing the key contract regimes, as well as a ‘toolkit’ of contract delivery resources such as contract process flowcharts, templates and proforma notices.

• Advising on the development and implementation of systems for the receipt, notification and responses to payment claims under the Security of Payment legislation.

• Advising on resolution strategies and responses for contract claims.

• Regular consultation with GMW’s delivery team, advising on progress of the project and emerging issues to ensure a strategic and consistent approach throughout.