This final article in this series, deals with disagreement.
The latest Build Magazine, published by BRANZ on 1 February 2019, has a nice article by AMINZ Executive Director, Deborah Hart, on construction disputes.
Not for the first time this year, I have on my desk a government contract which suggests that, despite their recent assurances to the contrary, the Government has not learned its lesson as a good contracting party. The contract in question contains a completely unrealistic and unjustified transfer of risk; not because it's a good idea, but because they can.
The time is now right, it seems to me, for greater use of the independent neutral - (1) peer reviewing; (2) probity auditing; and (3) disputes boards. Sometimes an independent, experienced voice is required to curb half baked and ill considered tendencies.