Infrastructure Australia
The Australian Government has announced a new, national approach to planning, funding and implementing the nation's future infrastructure needs.
The Infrastructure Australia Act 2008 came into effect on 9 April 2008 paving the way to establish Infrastructure Australia. A budget allocation of $20 million over four years has been provided to support the work of Infrastructure Australia.
Infrastructure Australia will develop a strategic blueprint for our nation's future infrastructure needs and - in partnership with the states, territories, local government and the private sector - facilitate its implementation.
It will provide advice to Australian governments about infrastructure gaps and bottlenecks that hinder economic growth and prosperity. It will also identify investment priorities and policy and regulatory reforms that will be necessary to enable timely and coordinated delivery of national infrastructure investment.
In the 2008-09 Budget the Government announced the establishment of a Building Australia Fund. Allocations from the Fund will be guided by Infrastructure Australia's national audit and infrastructure priority list.
Infrastructure Australia will be supported by an Infrastructure Coordinator, who will lead a small professional Office of Infrastructure Coordination within the Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government portfolio.