Preface

Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) are increasingly being used to procure public infrastructure world wide. New South Wales (NSW) has been using the PPP model as a form of procurement for over two decades. Since the inception of PPPs in the mid 1980s, there has been significant policy development to assist PPP procurement.

In 2008 the Australian Government announced a new, national approach to planning, funding and implementing the nation's future infrastructure needs. In April 2008, the Infrastructure Australia Act 2008 came into effect paving the way to establish Infrastructure Australia (IA).

A strategic blueprint for our nation's future infrastructure needs will be developed by IA, in partnership with the states, territories, local government and the private sector. IA will provide advice to Australian Governments about infrastructure gaps and bottlenecks that hinder economic growth and prosperity. IA will also identify investment priorities, policy and regulatory reforms, which will be necessary to enable timely and coordinated delivery of national infrastructure investment.

On 29 November 2008, the Council of Australia Governments endorsed the National Public Private Partnership Policy and Guidelines. All Australian State and Territory Government agencies will now apply the National Policy and Guidelines. The National Policy and Guidelines effectively replace previously existing policy and guidelines in those jurisdictions.

The development of the National Policy Framework involved a cooperative effort by all Australian jurisdictions. As part of this process, NSW Treasury prepared this information paper to facilitate the harmonisation process, by documenting the evolution of PPP policy in NSW.

Michael Schur
Secretary
NSW Treasury
March 2009