Infrastructure Partnerships Australia welcomes NSW State Infrastructure Strategy

Sydney

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Infrastructure Partnerships Australia has welcomed the release of the 2022 NSW State Infrastructure Strategy today.

“Infrastructure NSW has delivered a State Infrastructure Strategy that presents a thoughtful, level-headed plan that meets the challenges of today and prepares for the opportunities of tomorrow,” said Infrastructure Partnerships Australia, Chief Executive Adrian Dwyer.

“While it is critical that the overall quantum of infrastructure investment in NSW is maintained in line with the demands of population growth, governments have a responsibility to uphold value for taxpayers – so it is sensible that Infrastructure NSW has recommended a rebalancing of the program.

“In the face of challenging market conditions, its only sensible for Infrastructure NSW to recommend a rebalancing between megaprojects and medium-sized and smaller investments that can be delivered in staged programs.“ Ultimately, NSW needs a combination of megaprojects and small-scale projects alongside a portfolio of programs that sweat the assets we already have.

“As the State Infrastructure Strategy acknowledges, it is even more vital that taxpayer dollars are directed to the projects and programs that can deliver the greatest benefit in a constrained market.

“Infrastructure Partnerships Australia welcomes the acknowledgement that private capital and expertise continue to have an essential role in meeting NSW’s formidable infrastructure task.

“The recommendation that private investment in infrastructure be expanded through earlier engagement with the market, incorporating market input and expertise, and clarifying regulatory and policy positions is welcome.

“Infrastructure Partnerships Australia also welcomes the commitment to improve carbon accounting on
infrastructure projects.

“Australia needs to do better on quantifying, disclosing, and reducing embedded carbon in infrastructure projects – and adopting a standardised and transparent approach for carbon measurement and reporting is a welcome first step.

“As our report Decarbonising Infrastructure made clear, governments hold the biggest levers for reducing emissions embedded through construction, generated by asset operations, and left behind through waste.

“Governments must be prepared to purchase the low-carbon infrastructure outcome they want if they are serious about their commitments to net zero-emissions by 2050.

“Infrastructure Partnerships Australia also welcomes the recommendation that the NSW Government extend the Road User Charge on Electric Vehicles and develop a ‘roadmap’ for long-term reform of user contributions across road as well as public transport networks.

“Extending the road user charge alongside broader public transport pricing reform should be top of the
Government’s policy agenda if it wants to continue providing the high-quality services that we have all come to expect,” said Mr Dwyer.

Infrastructure Partnerships Australia is the nation’s industry think tank providing independent policy research focused on excellence in social and economic infrastructure.

Source: Infrastructure Partnerships Australia 

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