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- Infrastructure Australia has released its 2021 Australian Infrastructure Plan today, advocating for a new wave of infrastructure reform
- Infrastructure Australia chief executive Romilly Madew says the plan outlines the reforms that will underscore future economic growth in Australia
- The plan outlines key opportunities, including supporting growth in areas other than our major cities, such as rural towns and northern Australia
- It also advocates for investing in revolutionary technologies to provide cheap, long-term infrastructure services
From a pandemic to floods, from cyber-attacks to increasing migration to the regions, the last few years have been a tumultuous time for Australia’s infrastructure system.
A new report is now advocating for growth outside of large cities, affordable and sustainable infrastructure and improving transparency.
Infrastructure Australia released its 2021 Australian Infrastructure Plan today, advocating for a new wave of infrastructure reform to fully utilise the Australian Government’s unprecedented $110 billion infrastructure investment and drive the national COVID-19 recovery.
The 2021 Plan outlines a 15-year blueprint for Australia’s infrastructure sector to promote economic development, maintain and improve our standard of living, and increase the resilience and sustainability of our critical infrastructure.
Infrastructure Australia chief executive Romilly Madew said the plan outlined the reforms that will underscore future Australian economic growth.
“It is focused on identifying the actions required to deliver infrastructure for a stronger Australia and support our national recovery from the still-unfolding COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.
“Building back better requires collective action from governments and industry, which combines both investment and reform. We have seen significant investment in the infrastructure sector since the start of the pandemic, but to drive the next phase of the national recovery, we need to pursue reforms that unlock the full benefits of stimulus spending.
Ms Madew said infrastructure investment is at record levels across Australia, demonstrated by the Australian Government’s historic $110 billion infrastructure commitment.
“The 2021 Plan highlights the importance of leveraging this investment through targeted reform to deliver better infrastructure services for our communities,” she said.
The plan outlined key opportunities, including supporting growth in areas other than our major cities, such as rural towns and northern Australia and investing in revolutionary technologies to provide cheap, long-term infrastructure services.
Property Council chief executive Ken Morrison said that the plan placed a welcome emphasis on the infrastructure needs of our developing cities and the importance of the built environment in transitioning the economy to net-zero emissions.
“The Australian Infrastructure Plan throws down the gauntlet to governments on how to plan infrastructure in our cities,” he said.
“The recipe is to use infrastructure as the backbone to creating high amenity, high liveability places across our cities. You don’t create great cities by disconnecting infrastructure planning from urban outcomes and this report recognises this.”
