Overview

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Targeted investment in new and upgraded nationally significant infrastructure is crucial to advancing Australian Government policies aimed at boosting national productivity.
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2026 Infrastructure Priority List:  10-year priorities (consolidated)

High Productivity Freight Networks

10-year national priorities Location Investment timing
Enhancing rail network connectivity and productivity through the National Network for Interoperability
National interoperability of digital signalling and train control WA, SA, VIC, NSW, QLD, NT 2-4 year pipeline
New South Wales Inland Rail interface improvements NSW 2-4 year pipeline
Increasing intermodal capacity and connectivity
Melbourne intermodal terminal capacity VIC 5-10 year pipeline
Melbourne Outer Metropolitan Ring / E6 transport corridor  VIC 5-10 year pipeline
Northern Territory freight rail and logistics capacity improvements NT Investment-ready for Planning
South East Queensland intermodal terminal capacity QLD 5-10 year pipeline
Western Sydney Freight Line and Intermodal Terminal NSW 2-4 year pipeline
Improving productivity and reliability of road freight routes
Bruce Highway upgrade QLD 2-4 year pipeline
Burnie to Hobart freight corridor improvement  TAS 2-4 year pipeline
Enabling infrastructure for zero-emissions and high productivity freight vehicles in Victoria VIC 2-4 year pipeline
Hume Highway (Sheahan Bridge) upgrade NSW 2-4 year pipeline
Road access improvements for remote Western Australia communities WA Investment-ready for Planning
South Australia High Productivity Freight Vehicle Network – Future stages SA 2-4 year pipeline
Strengthening resilience and safety on key road freight corridors
Great Northern Highway improvements – Broome to Kununurra WA Investment-ready for Planning
Northern Territory road safety and connectivity improvements NT 2-4 year pipeline
South Coast Highway improvements – Albany to Esperance WA 2-4 year pipeline

Ports Capacity and Connectivity

10-year national priorities Location Investment timing
Expanding port capacity
Westport (Kwinana port development) WA 2-4 year pipeline
Increasing port connectivity
Melbourne Airport Rail  VIC 2-4 year pipeline
Port of Brisbane freight rail improvements QLD 5-10 year pipeline
Western Sydney Airport fuel pipeline NSW 2-4 year pipeline
Westport enabling infrastructure (Anketell Road upgrades) WA Investment-ready for Delivery
Transforming strategically significant ports and maritime precincts
Common user infrastructure at the Middle Arm Precinct  NT Investment-ready for Delivery
Lefevre Peninsula growth infrastructure – Osborne Precinct SA Investment-ready for Delivery
Port of Burnie capacity TAS 2-4 year pipeline
Western Trade Coast enabling infrastructure – Henderson Precinct WA Investment-ready for Delivery

High Capacity Transport for Growing Cities

10-year national priorities Location Investment timing
Expanding high capacity public transport networks
Adelaide public transport improvements SA 2-4 year pipeline 
Brisbane Metro expansions  QLD 2-4 year pipeline 
Canberra public transport improvements ACT 2-4 year pipeline 
Gold Coast public transport capacity and access  QLD 2-4 year pipeline 
Ipswich to Springfield transport capacity (South East Queensland) QLD 5-10 year pipeline
Melbourne Suburban Rail Loop East VIC Investment-ready for Delivery
Melbourne Suburban Rail Loop – Future stages VIC 5-10 year pipeline
Perth rail network planning (East Wanneroo Rail Link, Perth metropolitan orbital rail route) WA 5-10 year pipeline
Sydney rail connection between Tallawong and St Marys NSW 2-4 year pipeline
Sydney rail connections from Bradfield to Leppington and Macarthur NSW 2-4 year pipeline
Salisbury to Beaudesert rail connection (South East Queensland) QLD 2-4 year pipeline
The Wave (Sunshine Coast mass transit) QLD Investment-ready for Delivery
Optimising and upgrading existing public transport assets and networks
High Capacity Signalling – Melbourne VIC 2-4 year pipeline
High Capacity Signalling – Perth (METRONET) WA 2-4 year pipeline
High Capacity Signalling – South East Queensland (ETCS)  QLD 2-4 year pipeline
High Capacity Signalling – Sydney (Digital Systems Program) NSW 2-4 year pipeline
Hobart transport network improvements  TAS 2-4 year pipeline
Melbourne rail upgrade program – North VIC 2-4 year pipeline
Melbourne rail upgrade program – West VIC 2-4 year pipeline
Perth rail lines capacity WA 2-4 year pipeline
Strengthening intercity passenger rail connectivity
High Speed Rail – East Coast future stages QLD, NSW, ACT, VIC 2-4 year pipeline
High Speed Rail – Newcastle to Sydney NSW Investment-ready for Planning
Sydney-Canberra rail connectivity and capacity NSW, ACT  2-4 year pipeline

Secure, Sustainable Water for Growth

10-year national priorities Location Investment timing
Diversifying urban water supply
Darwin region water supply (Adelaide River Off-Stream Water Storage) NT Investment-ready for Planning
Perth and south-western coast water security WA 2-4 year pipeline
Securing water for the economy
Northern South Australia productive water security SA 2-4 year pipeline
Ord-East Kimberley irrigation expansion WA, NT 2-4 year pipeline
Paradise Dam improvement project QLD Investment-ready for Delivery
Werribee water system reconfiguration VIC Investment-ready for Planning
Modernising wastewater treatment
Bolivar Wastewater Treatment Plant capacity  SA Investment-ready for Planning
Launceston Sewerage improvement program TAS Investment-ready for Planning

Delivering Net Zero and a Clean Energy Economy

10-year national priorities Location Investment timing
Storage for grid stability and energy security and reliability
ACT renewable energy storage enhancement  ACT Investment-ready for Planning
Northern Territory remote community power generation program NT 2-4 year pipeline
Enabling infrastructure for REZ development
Enabling infrastructure for Renewable Energy Zones – Ports of Adelaide/Geelong to South-West REZ SA, VIC, NSW 2-4 year pipeline
Enabling infrastructure for Renewable Energy Zones – Port of Gladstone to Central Queensland QLD 2-4 year pipeline
Enabling infrastructure for Renewable Energy Zones – Ports of Newcastle/Brisbane to New England REZ NSW, QLD 2-4 year pipeline
Enabling infrastructure for Renewable Energy Zones – Port of Newcastle to Central-West Orana REZ NSW 2-4 year pipeline
Transmission networks to connect renewable energy with consumers
National Electricity Market connectivity QLD, NSW, VIC, TAS 2-4 year pipeline
North West Interconnected System connectivity  WA 2-4 year pipeline
South West Interconnected System connectivity WA 2-4 year pipeline
Delivering infrastructure for economy-wide decarbonisation
Enabling infrastructure for NSW Zero Emissions Buses – Future stages NSW Investment-ready for Planning
Enabling infrastructure for South Australia Zero Emissions Buses  SA 2-4 year pipeline
Whyalla industrial precinct enabling infrastructure SA 2-4 year pipeline