Governance versus politics construction contractors are caught between

The New South Wales government adds to the inherent chaos of the construction industry with its incoherent policy and poor project owner practices. Problems such as regulatory “noise”, inexperienced construction bureaucrats, consistent cost blowouts, and significantly increased infrastructure spending create a two-tier system, i.e., those without political power. This results in misaligned dynamics. This paper analyses available information about Australia's NSW governmental actions and their effect on its construction industry with two well-established frameworks. Differences in the vision of political parties are a significant factor, as well as regulatory capture of the bureaucracy by special interests and the inherent conflict of interest in a regulator that also builds. This research adds to the body of knowledge by assessing New South Wales's governance history and project management practices. Further investigation of the dynamics of construction bureaucracies acting as project owners and regulators is needed.