Mr. Robert Watt:

There can be a counterclaim if there is a breach of contract. I am not involved in the day-to-day details of the contract, so members of the NPHDB are probably best placed to answer those questions. For there to be a counterclaim, one must demonstrate that there has been a breach of contract, and that the delay is due to contractual failure as opposed to external factors. I presume the contractor will argue that external factors have impacted upon its ability to deliver the contract.