The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been devastating. They have also provided an opportunity to do things differently as Australians move to a new normal.
This country is well-placed to take advantage of opportunities in the post-pandemic recovery phase. Compared to other OECD countries, Australia's infrastructure networks have been relatively resilient, and service providers rapidly adjusted their operations to meet community needs.
Being able to continue infrastructure construction across major projects has been a key source of economic activity and employment during the pandemic.
Australia's governments should seize on the current opportunities for reform.
The 2021 Plan maps out practical ways to move beyond traditional design of many infrastructure services while meeting the needs of all Australians.
Across the infrastructure sectors and the cross-sector strategic focus areas, Infrastructure Australia has identified pragmatic steps that can and should be taken now to usher in a new era for infrastructure enabled productivity and quality of life.