Discussion Paper 1: Australia’s Future Infrastructure Requirements

Summary

The Academy is pleased to comment on Discussion Paper 1: Australia’s Future Infrastructure Requirements.

The Academy suggests three complementary Strategic Priorities:

• Address climate change as a real driver in shaping economical and social development;
• Identify and deal with the impacts of climate change on physical infrastructure;
• Emphasise mathematics, science and technology in the nation’s schools and build the pool of technically qualified professionals in infrastructure areas.

The Academy notes herein and renews the eight key recommendations from its 2006 National Symposium, New Technology for Infrastructure – the World of Tomorrow.

The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) welcomes the opportunity to provide a submission on Discussion Paper 1: Australia’s Future Infrastructure Requirements.

The Academy strongly supports the view taken by Infrastructure Australia that “infrastructure does not matter for its own sake: it matters because infrastructure can play a fundamental role in determining whether Australia meets its economic, social and environmental goals”.

The Academy suggests that Infrastructure Australia consider adding the following complementary ‘Strategic Priorities’ to those provided in the Paper:

• Address climate change as a real driver in shaping economic and social development;
• Identify and deal with the impacts of climate change on physical infrastructure³;
• Emphasise mathematics, science and technology in the nation’s schools and build the pool of technically qualified professionals in infrastructure areas.

The Academy believes that Australia must develop its infrastructure to be a leading player in a world economy against a background of expanding trade, a sustainable environment, climate change, growing population and an improved standard of living. It must achieve this within the dual limitations of a small population and a large continent. Advantage can be taken from the increasingly sophisticated technology available for implementation, management and communication. However, the environment in which development takes place is not static. Increasing population, climate change and natural disasters are examples of challenges to planning future infrastructure in Australia.