The New South Wales Public Accounts Committee's report Infrastructure and Management and Financing in New South Wales defined 'infrastructure' as follows:33
Infrastructure comprises the physical assets required to satisfy the public's need for access to major economic and social facilities and services. It may be divided into two broad types:
Economic infrastructure comprising roads; railways; ports; airports; dams and reservoirs; water headworks, water treatment and reticulation facilities; telecommunications and post facilities; and power generation facilities.
Social infrastructure comprising schools and other education facilities; hospitals, clinics and other health facilities; housing; recreational facilities and law and order facilities.
The principle characteristics of infrastructure facilities are:
• they have high initial capital costs;
• they are time-consuming to build;
• they have long lives; and
• they exist to support other economic and social activities, not merely as an end in themselves.
This definition is comprehensive because it includes economic as well as social aspects, and it outlines common characteristics.
The Victorian Government's Partnerships Victoria policy applies to the provision of public infrastructure and related ancillary services that involve private investment or financing:34
The term 'infrastructure' can extend beyond physical assets to encompass major information technology procurements. In this context, 'related ancillary services' may encompass accommodation services arising out of the infrastructure, building-related services such as maintenance and some support services.
The Partnerships Victoria Guidance Material, Practitioners' Guide defines infrastructure as fixed capital assets such as schools and hospitals, that support the provision of services. Infrastructure can also refer to a network of reticulated services such as roads, energy services, rail and airports.35
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33 Public Accounts Committee, New South Wales, Infrastructure Management and Financing in New South Wales, Vol.1: From Concept to Contract - Management of Infrastructure Projects, July 1993, p.4
34 Department of Treasury and Finance, Partnerships Victoria, June 2000, p.4
35 Department of Treasury and Finance, Partnerships Victoria Guidance Material, Practitioners' Guide, June 2001, p.151