The Commonwealth Government has increased its transport infrastructure allocation to the states, and state governments are also planning further infrastructure construction as an aid to economic recovery.
Ministers appear to be planning to further relax their already-lax standards. Their communique after the Transport and Infrastructure Council meeting in June 2020 illustrates their intention to over-ride infrastructure bodies or water down their role where possible:
Ministers... [discussed] their commitment to delivering their existing infrastructure pipelines... ensuring sufficient resources are deployed to move projects through assessment processes and into construction faster by targeting administrative bottlenecks. Ministers further agreed to work together to harmonise and streamline processes to clear the way for an infrastructure-led recovery to Australia's current economic condition, including consideration of infrastructure bodies' processes and environmental approvals.137
While ministers have the responsibility and the power to make investment decisions, they should make them with due care and diligence. They should not mislead people about what is really being promised.
____________________________________________________________________________
137. Transport and Infrastructure Council (2020).