Infrastructure Australia Audit Report

Public and private sector provision of infrastructure that productively supports the economic, environmental and social needs of Australians and Australian businesses requires a comprehensive and connected Australian Infrastructure Plan.

The Audit is a valuable review of Australia’s infrastructure needs and demands and is an essential step in planning and delivering the nation’s future infrastructure.

Effective infrastructure planning is a critical issue for Australia, particularly as our population continues to grow. Infrastructure is vital for driving productivity, underpinning prosperity and our way of life. Its construction and use impact on all aspects of our society and environment.

ATSE agrees with several of the Audit’s key findings and agrees that major reforms are needed to improve the way we plan, finance, construct, maintain and operate infrastructure to ensure it can underpin gains in Australia’s productivity in the decades ahead, and contribute to economic growth.

ATSE is pleased to see that all of the recommendations outlined in the ATSE Infrastructure Position Statement ‘Infrastructure to meet Australia’s future needs’ also feature as key findings within the Audit. These recommendations include: commit to robust long term infrastructure planning; ensure effective infrastructure development and delivery; implement best practice, wholeof- life infrastructure management; and, use existing infrastructure as effectively as possible. A copy of the Position Statement accompanies this submission.

However, the Audit raises some important issues which deserve further attention and these issues are discussed in this submission.