1.2 Recommendation

Attract growth to Smaller Cities and Regional Centres while maintaining quality of life by enhancing local identity, leveraging social infrastructure and improving digital and economic connectivity to Fast-growing Cities and neighbouring regions.

Proposed sponsor: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications 

Supported by: Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources

When this should impact:

Where this should impact:

1.2.1 Identify infrastructure needs by developing a regional strengths and gaps infrastructure prioritisation framework, supported by a classification of the geography of regional Australia.

Proposed lead: Infrastructure Australia

Supported by: State and territory infrastructure departments, Regional development bodies

Build the infrastructure pipeline by identifying and prioritising regional infrastructure gaps, based on existing regional development strategies across government, and industry and community consultation. 

Proposed lead: Infrastructure Australia 

Supported by: State and territory infrastructure departments, Regional development bodies

Inform investment priorities by undertaking regional infrastructure needs assessments on a rolling basis. 

Proposed lead: State and territory infrastructure departments 

Supported by: Regional development bodies

Attract and retain residents and businesses by identifying and sequencing appropriate infrastructure requirements according to local community characteristics. 

Proposed lead: State and territory planning departments 

Supported by: State and territory infrastructure departments, Regional development bodies

1.2.2 Benchmark performance of Smaller Cities and Regional Centres by defining a consistent set of urban data for provision by state, territory and local governments as a condition for funding projects identified by the needs assessment. 

Proposed lead: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications 

Supported by: Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics

Inform urban policy by publishing the data within the National Cities Performance Framework and Progress in Australia's Regions dashboard. 

Proposed lead: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications

Monitor performance through bi-annual reporting on trends.

Proposed lead: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications

1.2.3 Support employment and population growth in Smaller Cities and Regional Centres by identifying and delivering enabling infrastructure. 

Proposed lead: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications 

Supported by: Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics, state and territory infrastructure departments, state and territory transport departments

Inform business case development for major projects by analysing data about settlement patterns (including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander settlement patterns), employment availability and variety, business locations and housing and infrastructure access. 

Proposed lead: State and territory planning departments

Identify transport options by reviewing current and future movement between Smaller Cities and Regional Centres and Fast-growing Cities. 

Proposed lead: Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics 

Supported by: State and territory transport departments and Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications

Support efficient planning and delivery by taking a staged approach to connectivity, identifying enabling infrastructure projects and accessibility improvements, basing decisions on current and forecast movement and embedding changes in land use and planning decision-making. 

Proposed lead: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications 

Supported by: National Faster Rail Agency

Facilitate more Australians living within three hours of an aviation gateway connected to a Fast-growing City by using movement data to prioritise investment in regional airport infrastructure. 

Proposed lead: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications

Support pandemic recovery by developing industry strategies for sectors that will deliver employment opportunities and growth. 

Proposed lead: State and territory industry departments

Support growth and incumbent industries in each region by establishing a framework to sequence infrastructure investment based on industry-specific, place-based infrastructure needs assessments. 

Proposed lead: Infrastructure Australia 

Supported by: Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources

1.2.4 Ensure existing and planned digital infrastructure will meet the changing requirements of users in Smaller Cities and Regional Centres by reviewing infrastructure rollout plans.

Proposed lead: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications 

Supported by: NBN Co

Address capacity constraints in high-growth Smaller Cities and Regional Centres by targeting investment at established data-intensive industries. 

Proposed lead: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications 

Supported by: NBN Co

Support greater wholesale and retail competition by facilitating greater sharing of physical infrastructure and infrastructure corridors servicing regional centres. 

Proposed lead: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications 

Supported by: NBN Co, state and territory transport departments, state and territory planning departments