Geoffrey Hansen

As Head of the Australian Construction and Infrastructure Disputes Group, Geoff’s deep experience with a range of premium clients has included some of the region’s largest and most high profile projects.

Geoff has particular experience with disputes on major Public Private Partnership (PPP) infrastructure projects particularly in recent years in the transport sector.

Geoff is currently advising Transurban with respect to disputes on the West Gate Tunnel project.

Geoff’s experience includes advising:

• the Aegis Correctional Partnership consortium in various disputes arising out of the $400m+ Hopkins Correctional Facility PPP project in Ararat, Victoria.
• Samsung C&T, the EPC Contractor, on the $8 billion Roy Hill greenfields iron ore Project in relation to various disputes
• The D&C Contractor for the Operations, Trains and Systems contract which is part of Sydney’s $8.3 billion North West Rail Link Project
• The D&C Contractor (Thiess/Degremont JV) on contentious issues on the $3.5 billion Victorian Desalination Project. Our role covered a number of complex work streams and encompassed multiple dispute resolution processes
• A major global defence client in relation to claims and contractual issues on the $8 billion Air Warfare Destroyers (AWDs) project. The claims involved complex engineering and delay and disruption issues. Geoff assisted his client with the negotiation of a successful outcome
• The Rubicon/Sea Production Group in disputes regarding the Puffin oil field, including Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and international arbitration proceedings
• acting in a major domestic arbitration in respect of claims made under the Material Adverse Effect provisions of the Melbourne CityLink toll road concession, which involved analysis of traffic, engineering and financial modeling
• Pilkington Australia in litigation in the Supreme Court of Victoria arising from the major upgrade and refurbishment of a glass manufacturing and production facility
• Olex Australia Pty Ltd in litigation in the Supreme Court of Victoria arising from the failure of industrial equipment
• InterOil Limited in an international arbitration regarding the Napa Napa oil refinery project in Papua New Guinea. This matter involved complex engineering and delay and disruption issues, and was successfully resolved prior to hearing
• A principal in respect of claims made by multiple contractors arising from a substantial upgrade of a pulp manufacturing facility
• acting in Federal Court proceedings arising out of the construction of a food processing facility
• Uecomm Limited in respect of disputes arising from the design and construction of a fibre optic telecommunications network in Perth
• Shell in an adjudication and subsequent litigation in the Supreme Court of New South Wales concerning the upgrade of an oil refinery
• OneLink Transit Systems Pty Ltd in respect of contractual disputes regarding the development of the Automated Fare Collection System Project
• acting in arbitration proceedings concerning the remediation of a contaminated site in Melbourne. This matter ultimately settled through a carefully structured facilitation process
• A principal in relation to claims arising from the design and construction of a water treatment plant
• acting in litigation in respect of claims arising from a major residential tower development

Background

Geoff holds a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts from Monash University in Melbourne.

Market Recognition

The ‘Best Lawyers’ guide has consistently listed Geoff as a leading litigation, alternative dispute resolution and construction/infrastructure partner in Australia for a number of years.