This is the first time the Australian Infrastructure Plan has included social infrastructure.
Its inclusion acknowledges the critical role these physical spaces and assets play in the nation's wellbeing and in making Australia a great place to live.
It also reflects the pressures on social infrastructure sectors, which will only increase as Australian communities continue to evolve and place greater demands on them.
Factors such as a growing and ageing population, life-changing events (such as bushfires, floods and the COVID-19 pandemic) and advances in technology are changing how people live and work.
These are just some of the complex considerations for today's social infrastructure planners that are addressed in the 2021 Plan.
It recommends how ongoing improvements to the planning, design, delivery and use of social infrastructure assets can contribute to a better quality of life for every Australian.