Election infrastructure spending needs to be prioritised, industry body calls
An updated list of prioritised infrastructure projects has an industry head calling for government to make ‘the smart decision’ and not to deviate from the list.
The Infrastructure Priority List, published on Thursday by Infrastructure Australia, ranks various infrastructure projects around the country by level of importance; any new infrastructure spending should stem from projects already listed, according to Ken Morrison, Property Council of Australia’s CEO.
“The strength of IA’s Priority List is its evidence-based, no-nonsense assessment of the projects that really matter in boosting productivity and the liveability of our cities and regions,” Mr Morrison said.
“These are the projects that must be the priority for an incoming federal government after the next election – and the ones on which their infrastructure pledges are assessed by the electorate,” Mr Morrison said.
“The IA Priority List is Australia’s best insurance against white elephants, boondoggles and pork barrel projects that might deliver a few votes but which don’t do anything for efficiency, productivity or liveability.”
According to the Infrastructure Priority List, the projects ranked high priority are:
In NSW:
- Upgrading the M4 Motorway between Parramatta and Lapstone;
- Sydney Metro rail network: City and Southwest
- Western Sydney Airport
In Victoria:
- Upgrading the M80 Ring Road
- Stage 2 of the Monash Freeway Upgrade
- The North East Link
In Queensland:
- Brisbane Metro public transport upgrade:
In Western Australia:
- The extension of the Yanchep trainline
The majority of the projects listed are focused on public transport, aimed at reducing congestion, with 121 separate projects.
“As IA says, it’s not just a matter of keeping pace with demand – we need to get ahead of the game through smarter decision-making, forward-thinking and planning and prioritising strategic investments,” Mr Morrison said.
“Our independent adviser to government on our infrastructure priorities has done the hard thinking about which projects need support.
“Now it’s up to government to make the smart decisions and get on with the task of building for a growing nation.”
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