THE INFRASTRUCTURE PRIORITY LIST

The Infrastructure Priority List has a strong record of driving national investment and has become a key reference point for governments at all levels. Recently released with the latest updates, the Priority List reflects the national need for infrastructure investment to progress quickly, without jeopardising the quality of those investments.

The 2020 mid-year update to the Infrastructure Priority List features 12 new infrastructure proposals, added since the last publication in February 2020. These additions support the existing proposals on the list, establishing a comprehensive roadmap of the priority investments we need over the next 15 years.

The Priority List currently identifies 155 nationally significant infrastructure proposals, with 7 High Priority Projects, 21 Priority Projects, 37 High Priority Initiatives and 90 Priority Initiatives. This provides all levels of government with an evidence‑based list of infrastructure investment opportunities for the near, medium and longer term.

The Infrastructure Priority List is a living document, with new projects added as the Infrastructure Australia Board receives and assesses project business cases. To ensure the Priority List remains current, Infrastructure Australia is currently calling for submissions to the Priority List in order to maintain its comprehensive and robust nature. These submissions will be evaluated through the rest of 2020 and released in early 2021.

Infrastructure Australia CEO, Romilly Madew, said the Priority List had been updated in order to cast a spotlight on a number of new proposals and to also showcase the extended pipeline of investment, now worth more than $64 billion.

“Australia is planning its recovery from a rolling series of crises: drought, flood, the bushfires and now COVID-19. As we look forward, the focus is on delivery and as the nation’s infrastructure advisory body, we are continuing to improve our ability to move quickly to identify investments that will improve productivity — this is about expanding the pipeline, keeping the economy growing, helping to create jobs and attract investment.”

“The Priority List is a critical tool in recovery, as it directs investment to the infrastructure projects that will kick-start economic growth and have the greatest returns for all Australians.

“This is the first time we have formally released the Priority List mid-year, by doing so, we want to highlight the most recent priority proposals at a time when our infrastructure investment needs to progress quickly, without jeopardising the quality of those investments,” Madew said.

When compiling the February 2020 Priority List, Infrastructure Australia received a record number of submissions and continued to assess a number of the submissions that had merit but still required further information.

“We are continuing to assess a record number of projects and we’re encouraging jurisdictions to identify the infrastructure that will best lead a COVID recovery,” Madew said.

In addition to Infrastructure Australia actively supporting harmonisation and streamlining of infrastructure approval processes, Madew reaffirmed the critical role the Priority List plays in business case assessment.

“The Priority List has a strong record of driving national investment and has become a key reference point for all levels of government.”

“As more projects are accelerated, the Priority List will help support decision-making about Australia’s spending priorities by ensuring business cases for large projects include rigorous planning, evidenced based problem definition, options analysis and independent assessment.”

Since the beginning of the dual health and economic crisis, Infrastructure Australia’s advice has been to focus on a staged infrastructure recovery response, first by protecting and maintaining the existing pipeline of projects, then moving to mobilise new projects small and large, with industry reform also to be considered as part of long term recovery.

SOME OF THE HIGH PRIORTY PROJECTS AROUND THE COUNTRY

NSW — M12 Motorway
QLD — Queensland regional road network safety improvements
QLD — Brisbane northern suburbs corridor capacity
ACT — Australian Institute of Sport modernisation (AIS submission)
WA — METRONET: Morley–Ellenbrook Line Project

To view the full Priority list CLICK HERE

Via Infrastructure Australia