Infrastructure Australia will be seeking feedback and public comment on the issues raised in the Audit, which it will consider in developing the Australian Infrastructure Plan. Following this period of consultation the Plan will be released later in 2015.
The 15-year Plan will outline a suite of recommended reforms as well as a comprehensive up-date of the nation's list of priority large infrastructure projects.
It will address the key challenges raised by the Audit, including:
Productivity - national productivity levels need to be increased through regular strategic investment in economic infrastructure
Population - huge population growth, particularly in our major cities, will necessitate the delivery of new and renewed infrastructure
Connectivity - modernised infrastructure networks and gateways are needed to link businesses, boost trade and improve access to workplaces
Funding - reforms are essential to increase the total pool of funds made available for infrastructure, especially by facilitating private investment
Competitive Markets - national infrastructure markets must operate to improve investment decisions and give consumers choice
Governance - integrated planning, transparent project selection, and stakeholder consultation are essential, and all have to improve
Sustainability and Resilience - we will need to cut environmental impacts and improve resilience, using new technology to run our infrastructure better
Regional - we must see how infrastructure improvements can enhance local service standards and facilitate rural and regional growth
Indigenous - across the nation we can do more to achieve equity and close the infrastructure gap faced by remote communities
Best Practice - a uniting theme is how to pursue best practice procurement and delivery, and encourage whole-of-life asset management.