Most Victorians are surprised to learn that when a new home is constructed, or significant plumbing works are carried out on an existing property, there is generally no independent inspector physically checking whether the plumbing work has been done correctly before an occupancy permit is issued.

Bastion Legal represented an Aboriginal family affected by one of Victoria's most tragic residential fire incidents in recent years.

Ms O’Connell owned two residential properties in Windsor, Victoria, and engaged Lentelle Pty Ltd under separate domestic building contracts to redevelop the properties. Disputes subsequently arose concerning defective building work, leading Ms O’Connell to terminate the contracts and commence proceedings against the builder in the County Court of Victoria in late 2022.

he case of Hipworth v VWA revolves around the claim of Rosemary Hipworth, who sought leave to bring proceedings against the Victorian WorkCover Authority (VWA) for damages related to pain and suffering, as well as pecuniary loss.

In Fahey v VWA, the plaintiff, Mr. Fahey, sustained a right shoulder injury from a traumatic scapular fracture, which caused ongoing pain, reduced range of motion, and physical limitations. The injury led to significant challenges in both his professional and personal life. While he returned to work full-time, his role was modified to accommodate his restrictions, which included lifting limitations and avoiding tasks that required significant use of his right arm.

Mr. Chandler, the plaintiff, suffered a work-related injury to his left knee in October 2018, which led to a fall that exacerbated pre-existing shoulder conditions. He experienced significant ongoing pain in both shoulders, with his left shoulder condition deteriorating over time. Despite extensive treatment, including surgeries, physiotherapy, and pain management strategies, Mr. Chandler's left shoulder pain remained severe, significantly affecting his daily life.

Bastion Legal is proud to be featured in Melbourne Heritage Interiors, released in October 2025. Our offices at the heritage-listed Mitchell House reflect Melbourne’s rich architectural and cultural history.

Bastion Legal’s Dean Charalambous recently contributed to an ABC News investigation uncovering widespread failures in Victoria’s plumbing-insurance system. The report shines a light on families whose homes have been left uninhabitable after defective plumbing works, only to discover that the insurance meant to protect them is either inadequate, incorrectly issued, or denied altogether.

ASIC’s focus shifts each year based on emerging risks. The 2023 through 2025 priorities reflect growing concerns over consumer harm, fairness in insurance and finance, and robust market operation. 

Bastion Legal’s Dean Charalambous recently featured on the Site Inspections YouTube channel with Zeher Khalil in a two-hour investigation uncovering how families were left devastated by forged contracts, invalid insurance, structural defects, and no protection when their builder failed them.

Dean Charalmbous joined Zeher Khalil on the Site Inspections podcast to dive into the world of construction law and homeowner rights. In this episode, we unpack some of the complexities around construction insurance and what homeowners need to know during the building phase.

A recent ABC News investigation has highlighted serious concerns about Melbourne-based Baba Building Group after the Victorian Building Authority issued a public warning about alleged defective and non-compliant work. The investigation reported cases of homes being left incomplete, built outside the approved permit, or occupied before they were safe or certified.

In this episode of Site Inspections, we look at a case where homeowners were allowed to move into their properties without an Occupancy Certificate (OC), even though the works were incomplete and non-compliant.

In Troise v Blue Key Properties Pty Ltd (Building and Property) [2025] VCAT 9, Anna Maria Troise and Luciano Troise (“the owners”), entered into a domestic building contract with Blue Key Properties Pty Ltd (“the builder”), for the construction of a residential property. A dispute arose regarding the completion of the building works, specifically related to the issuance of a conditional occupancy permit.

Mr. Elisha was employed by Vision Australia Limited (“Vision Australia”) as an adaptive technology consultant. In March 2015, he was involved in allegations of serious misconduct, specifically related to aggressive behaviour. These allegations were in relation to Mr Elisha’s conduct during his stay in a hotel in rural Victoria amidst his work duties (“the incident”).

In Pafburn Pty Limited & Anor v The Owners – Strata Plan No 84674 [2024] HCA 49, the Owners Corporation of a residential strata building in North Sydney initiated legal action against Pafburn Pty Limited (“the head contractor”) and Madarina Pty Ltd (“the developer”). The Owners Corporation (“the applicant”) alleged that both parties breached the statutory duty of care under section 37 of the Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 (NSW) (“DBPA”), resulting in construction defects.

The owners submitted the claim that Meldan failed to ensure  that the works were carried out with reasonable care and skill, not that the Meldan itself  had failed to carry out the work in such a manner, the VCAT determined that the claim was not apportionable…

A critical independent review conducted by Weir Legal and Consulting has revealed the continual failures within the Victorian Building Authority (VBA), highlighting its inability to protect homeowners from defective and incomplete construction…

The case of Hayden Norman v Transport Accident Commission arose from a claim by Hayden Norman (“the plaintiff”), against the Transport Accident Commission (“TAC”) (“the defendant”) under the Transport Accident Act 1986 (Vic). The claim related to injuries sustained by Norman while he was a passenger in a car driven recklessly by a friend. Norman sought compensation on the basis that the driver’s negligence caused the accident.

On 13 April 2023, the respondents made an application pursuant to section 77 of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 1998 (Vic) that this proceeding be struck out and the matter referred to the Supreme Court of Victoria.