The Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Anthony Albanese, has released a report, Infrastructure Planning and Delivery: Best Practice Case Studies, which provides a resource to help governments and industry to optimize effectiveness in the development of infrastructure.

 

The report, requested by the Infrastructure Working Group of COAG, provides an analysis of six infrastructure projects and the principles they utilized in decision making. 

 

The six projects analysed were:

  • Port Melbourne Channel Deepening Project;
  • M7 Motorway, Sydney;
  • Northern Expressway, South Australia;
  • Southbank Institute of Technology, Queensland;
  • Tiger Brennan Drive, Northern Territory;
  • Southern Seawater Desalination Plant, Western Australia.

 

The report found that new infrastructure is more likely to deliver value for money and a good return to investors when proponents adopt the following common-sense principles:

  • Develop long-term plans and robust business cases;
  • Employ strong governance arrangements;
  • Choose their procurement model on the basis of project specifics and in accordance with established guidelines;
  • Transfer risk appropriately;
  • Carefully manage local and environmental impacts;
  • Remain open to learning the lessons of previous projects.

 

A copy of the report can be downloaded from: www.infrastructure.gov.au.