Introduction

The Public Works Act 1981 (PWA) is a balancing act.  It has to balance the rights of an individual against the needs (rights) of the public.  As such it is probably never going to satisfy either of these sides totally.  Inherent in the PWA is this tension. 

However, how the PWA's provisions are used by the parties involved can help lessen that tension. 

The PWA is drafted to provide a balance between the individual rights and the public's needs.  To get the full benefit of this balance, each party's advisers must be conversant with those provisions and know how they work in practice. 

The booklet aims to provide the information to assist advisers in enhancing their ability to achieve this balance.