1. Transport - the great enabler. Transport shapes communities, so Australia must build, operate and maintain transport infrastructure that supports the places Australians want to live, work, play, visit and invest in. There must be consistent national movement and place standards to set a clear and transparent framework for achieving the expected funding outcomes.
2. Regional connectivity - making the case. Improving the local accessibility of Smaller Cities and Regional Centres will support their economic diversification and sustainable population growth, adding weight to the case for progressive faster rail improvements. Integrated into a 'hub-and-spoke' network, regional passenger transport services can do a better Job of connecting rural and remote communities to essential services in larger centres.
3. Door-to-door journeys - part of the norm. With more people walking, cycling or using a micromobility device as part of their daily travel routine, prioritising and accelerating investment in active travel will pay health dividends for individuals and create less congested urban communities. Demand-responsive services that are fully integrated into the public transport ecosystem will significantly improve access for people with disability. Providing demand-responsive public transport and connected pathway networks in the early days of new suburbs can break the link between greenfield development and car dependence and build critical mass for public transport.
4. Valued supply chains - connected markets. Targeted improvements will leverage new data and technology to enable smoother supply chain access to key domestic markets and export gateways, reducing operator costs.
5. Staged outcomes - based on strategic place-based goals. Working within an overarching vision, the staged development of major transport corridors and networks can establish a sustainable transport culture and ensure mobility services keep pace with user needs.
6. Connected, autonomous, electric and shared vehicles - the revolution is happening. Bringing forward new mobility technologies means redesigning cities and towns to make electric vehicle recharging easy and commonplace and road networks ready for connected and autonomous fleets.
7. Pricing overhaul - all modes, for a more efficient network. A fair pricing regime will visibly dedicate transport revenues to transport outcomes and protect disadvantaged users from an undue cost burden. It will pass on to road users the direct costs of transport infrastructure and services and the external costs of their travel choices, such as emissions, collisions and congestion. Distance-based road-use pricing reforms for all vehicles could build on current heavy vehicle initiatives and other proposals by individual jurisdictions and be incrementally rolled out nationwide.