1.1 In May 2005, Stephen Smith, the then Shadow Minister for Industry, Infrastructure and Industrial Relations, announced the Australian Labor Party's (ALP) intention to create a nationally led and coordinated authority to work with the States and Territories to identify and achieve the most effective outcomes for nationally significant infrastructure, titled Infrastructure Australia.38Two years later, the ALP's 2007 National Platform and Constitution reiterated the ALP's intention to establish Infrastructure Australia as an independent statutory authority to assist in the planning and coordination of Australia's infrastructure needs. 39 In the lead‐up to the 2007 Federal Election, the ALP subsequently made a commitment to establish Infrastructure Australia within 100 days of being in government, if elected (that is, by 12 March 2008). 40
1.2 In response to this election commitment, on 21 January 2008, the then Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government announced that the Government had approved the establishment of Infrastructure Australia, as a statutory advisory council to be made up of 12 members representative of industry and all levels of government.41 As part of this announcement, the Government indicated that Infrastructure Australia's first Infrastructure Priority List would be completed within 12 months, following an audit of the nation's infrastructure shortfalls.
1.3 The Infrastructure Australia Bill was introduced into the House of Representatives on 21 February 2008. In the second reading speech for the Bill, the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government indicated that a lack of infrastructure investment in Australia was reducing Australia's productivity, and adversely affecting Australian families and businesses. In respect of addressing Australia's infrastructure needs, the Minister identified the need for:
• coordinated decision‐making between all levels of government and all sectors of the economy;
• certainty in planning and evaluation processes; and
• objective decision‐making based on long‐term need, not short‐term political interests.
1.4 In his second reading speech, the Minister indicated that Infrastructure Australia would help address these needs. Specifically, it would provide a 'strategic blueprint' for the nation's future infrastructure needs, to be implemented by the Commonwealth in partnership with the States and Territories and in consultation with the private sector and local government. In this context, the Minister emphasised that Infrastructure Australia was a new approach to the provision of public infrastructure.
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38 Stephen Smith (then Shadow Minister for Industry, Infrastructure and Industrial Relations), Announcement of Infrastructure Australia, Media Release, 12 May 2005.
39 Australian Labor Party, National Platform and Constitution 2007, April 2007, page 72. This followed the release of the Report of the Australian Labor Party Inquiry into the Financing and Provision of Australian Infrastructure, April 2007, which also recommended the establishment of a national infrastructure advisory council.
40 Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Infrastructure Australia Bill 2008, Second Reading Speech, House of Representatives, 21 February 2008.
41 The Hon Anthony Albanese MP (Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) and the Hon Kevin Rudd MP (Prime Minister), Rudd Government to dramatically overhaul national infrastructure policy, Joint Media Statement, 21 January 2008.