Make infrastructure a sector of choice
Government departments and agencies, and industry employers all have a role to play in changing industry culture and developing workforce capability and capacity. Government procurement and project management teams should be at the forefront of driving industry transformation. They can use government influence and buying power to positively address the cultural challenges and behaviours that dominate the infrastructure sector.
Private organisations need to accelerate cultural reform by becoming model employers and improving relationships with the education sector and their future workforce. This could involve identifying, attracting and developing skills that are in short supply, managing workloads to avoid burnout and doing more to attract a diverse workforce.
Addressing capability, capacity and cultural challenges will help ensure a more equitable, productive and sustainable sector.
| 3.1 Recommendation Improve industry productivity and value for money by having a coordinated project pipeline with a mature approach to procurement and risk management. Proposed sponsor: State and territory treasuries Supported by: State and territory infrastructure delivery agencies | ||||
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| 3.1.1 Improve industry capacity and capability by prioritising procurement and portfolio management and increasing pipeline transparency, certainty and confidence. Proposed lead: State and territory treasuries Supported by: State and territory infrastructure delivery agencies | |||
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| Ensure active management of project procurement within the pipeline and help industry to actively manage its capacity and risk exposure by strengthening portfolio management capabilities within the public service. Proposed lead: State and territory treasuries Supported by: State and territory infrastructure delivery agencies, state and territory public service commissions | |||
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| Develop a jurisdiction-wide, cross-sectoral infrastructure project pipeline that actively tracks progress of projects throughout their lifecycle while considering critical inputs, constraints and risks that influence their deliverability. Proposed lead: State and territory infrastructure bodies and state and territory treasuries Supported by: State and territory infrastructure delivery agencies, and asset owners and operators | |||
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| Provide annual jurisdiction-wide pipeline briefings that provide industry with a clear macro-level view of expected procurements and act as a forum to provide feedback on pipeline risk. Proposed lead: State and territory infrastructure bodies and state and territory treasuries Supported by: State and territory delivery agencies and industry representative groups | |||
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| Ensure future infrastructure investment and project delivery commitments are regularly reviewed and considered against the jurisdiction-wide, cross-sectoral infrastructure project pipeline and industry capacity forecasts. Proposed lead: State and territory infrastructure delivery agencies Supported by: Infrastructure Australia, state and territory treasuries, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications and industry representative groups | |||
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| 3.1.2 Create a step change in infrastructure productivity by industrialising the sector. Proposed lead: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications Supported by: State and territory treasuries and Business Council of Australia | |||
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| Develop and implement infrastructure productivity roadmaps supported by adopting modern methods of construction, including design reuse, standardised design elements, earlier supply chain involvement, digitalisation, modularisation, prefabrication, offsite construction, frame agreements and bulk procurement. Proposed lead: State and territory infrastructure bodies, state and territory treasuries Supported by: State and territory infrastructure delivery agencies and industry representative groups, such as prefabAUS. | |||
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| Create a positive change culture by ensuring public sector project professionals are empowered and the organisation leadership is incentivised to be innovative and adopt best practices. Proposed lead: State and territory public service commissions and the Australian Public Service Commission Supported by: State and territory infrastructure delivery agencies | |||
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| Create, embed and pursue sector-wide efficiencies by developing and implementing project processes, templates and assurance activities that prioritise industrialisation. Proposed lead: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications Supported by: State and territory infrastructure delivery agencies and industry representative groups, such as prefabAUS | |||
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| 3.1.3 Ensure the industry is a sector of choice for employees and can meet current and future workforce demands by introducing cultural reform that embraces diversity and inclusion. Proposed lead: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications Supported by: State and territory treasuries | |||
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| In partnership with industry, deliver a workforce attraction and retention strategy that navigates current workforce challenges and sets out tangible and achievable solutions that create a sector of choice for current and future talent. Proposed lead: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications Supported by: National Skills Commission and industry representative groups | |||
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| Foster a new model of collaboration between governments and industry by developing and implementing an infrastructure industry culture commitment and industry policy aimed at improving project delivery. Proposed lead: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications Supported by: State and territory infrastructure bodies, state and territory infrastructure delivery agencies, industry representative groups, inclusive of National Association of Women in Construction and Australian Constructors Association | |||
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| Embed the infrastructure sector culture commitment through existing social procurement frameworks and pre-qualification schemes. Proposed lead: State and territory treasuries Supported by: industry representative groups, inclusive of Social Procurement Australasia and Social Traders | |||
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| Improve the productivity and attractiveness of the sector by adopting and promoting a five-day working week, working hour limits, and job-sharing practices across the public and private sectors. Proposed lead: State and territory infrastructure delivery agencies Supported by: Industry representative groups | |||
Measuring progress
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| Transparent project pipeline Percentage of jurisdictions that have consolidated 10-year pipelines for projects and concessions over $20 million | ||
| Governance | Target: 100% | Timeframe: |
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| Modern methods of construction Percentage of projects that have incorporated modular construction methods | ||
| Economic | Target: Over 80% | Timeframe: |
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| Gender equality Female participation in construction on par with female total workforce participation rate12 | ||
| Social | Target: (2019) 47% | Timeframe: |
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