Matt Dillon
According to the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA), the 2021 Infrastructure Priority List is a welcome step towards a resilient, inclusive and low-emissions future.
Infrastructure Australia has added 44 new proposals to its $59 billion investment roadmap across transport, energy, water, waste, telecommunications and social infrastructure.
“We are pleased with the clarity of criteria used to assess potential infrastructure projects and the sharper focus on world-class infrastructure that delivers social, cultural, environmental and economic value to our communities,” says ISCA CEO Ainsley Simpson.
Projects on the Priority List are advanced proposals that have fully developed business cases assessed by Infrastructure Australia’s independent board. Projects remain on the Priority List until delivery or constructions begins.
Ten projects have moved off the Priority List and are now in the construction phase. Nine of the 10 projects are pursuing third-party verification of their social, environmental, cultural and economic benefits using ISCA’s IS Rating Scheme.
“By embedding sustainability into decision-making at the earliest stages of projects we can consider whole-of-life outcomes of infrastructure,” Simpson says. “We have clear evidence that sustainable infrastructure projects not only deliver better environmental outcomes, but also maximise social, cultural and economic benefits.”
Independent analysis suggests infrastructure projects rated under the IS Rating Scheme could deliver up to $2.40 in benefit for every dollar spent.
New projects on the list will address the international competitiveness of Australian ports, new energy sources and water scarcity.
More than half of the investment opportunities on the 2021 Priority List are focused on regional communities.
Leave a Reply