To unlock the full potential of Australia's diverse geographies, we must harness the identity and uniqueness of each place. This will enable targeted and holistic infrastructure investment decisions that build on a location's competitive strengths and reduce place-based disadvantage.
" Australia is a landscape of interconnected yet diverse places. "
Australia is a landscape of interconnected yet diverse places. Highly urbanised, Fast-growing Cities, Smaller Cities and Regional Centres act as hubs for their local economies, supporting a far-flung network of smaller communities. These places are often separated by vast geographic distances.
Infrastructure Australia's approach to place aims to reflect and celebrate this context. It recognises geographic diversity as a national strength and core to Australia's identity.
Place Place is best defined in collaboration with local people to identify a geographical area that is meaningful to them on an economic, social, governance or environmental level. In regional development settings, a 'place' might be a region or a larger area where economic, social governance or environmental trends interact (for example, South East Queensland).1 At a localised level, a place might be a suburb or area that crosses defined administrative boundaries, but where locals feel connected to what happens there (such as border communities).2 Infrastructure Australia has identified four geographic types that frame the Plan's place lens (see Table 1.1). |