Why It’s the Last Chance for Infrastructure Australia

By Garry Bowditch, for The Financial Review.

In the modern life cycle of government agencies, Infrastructure Australia (IA) has done well to secure a second life with the Abbott government. The challenge now is to deliver more tangible results, as it might be its last chance to do so.

IA has witnessed in its lifetime a dramatic escalation in the cost of infrastructure in Australia, making it one of the most expensive jurisdictions in the world to build mega-projects. As a result taxpayers have suffered poor value for money for each dollar spent. Surprisingly there has been little focus on this by IA.

Read the rest at The Financial Review.

Governments Challenged to ‘Go Back to Basics’ on Infrastructure Planning

SMART has prepared a Green Paper entitled “Infrastructure Imperatives for Australia”. The paper sets out aims a way forward for planning, provision and investment in the future infrastructure needs of Australia and addresses a number of key principles that successive governments have overlooked.

This Green Paper and the associated recommendations endeavour to capture the challenges and opportunities identified to ensure a better infrastructure future for our country. Continue reading

Should users pay the toll for Australia’s infrastructure problem?

Garry Bowditch writes for The Conversation:

By Garry Bowditch

Australia spends more on infrastructure today than at any stage in its history. Yet governments are unable to meet demand and don’t expect ever to do so. What can governments do to keep up with escalating demand and community expectations for infrastructure?

Continue reading