5.41 In April 2009, the Office of the Infrastructure Coordinator advised ANAO that, at its 27 March 2009 meeting, the Council:
finalised the Infrastructure Priority List and agreed that a copy of the final Infrastructure Priority List be forwarded to the Minister with cover note of transmission noting that a more detailed letter of transmission would be provided following supplementary work on a number of projects. The List contained a list of nine priority projects and 27 pipeline projects.
5.42 Accordingly, on 27 March 2009, the Infrastructure Coordinator (under delegation from the Council) provided the Minister with the Final Priority List.154 This timeframe was consistent with the Council of Australian Government's request that the Final Priority List be provided by March 2009. However, the List was not published at that time.
5.43 On 7 May 2009, an updated Final Priority List, together with an outline of the process adopted and details of further work that had been done, was provided to the Minister by the Chairman. It now included a 28th pipeline project (see further at paragraph 5.24).
5.44 The Final Priority List was released by the Minister on Tuesday 12 May 2009155 within a document titled National Infrastructure Priorities: Infrastructure for an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable future. Specifically the document:
• stated that nine 'priority' projects had been identified and should be considered for funding from the Building Australia Fund (together with a tenth project, being the Ipswich Motorway);
• stated that 28 'pipeline' projects had been identified for which further project development and analysis was required before Infrastructure Australia could make a final recommendation; and
• included a table titled 'Infrastructure Priorities'.
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154 The Minister was advised that a transmission letter from the Chairman would be provided in due course together with supplementary information on the Northbridge Rail Link, Mornington Peninsula and Northern Link projects.
155 The Hon Anthony Albanese MP (Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government), Investing in the Nation's Infrastructure Priorities, Media Release, 12 May 2009.