Regional Australia InstituteRegional Australia Institute
  • About us
    • What is Regional Australia?
    • Our Staff
    • Careers
    • Board
    • Research Advisory Committee
    • Research Fellows
    • Corporate
  • News & Media
    • Media Releases
    • Move to More – RAI’s National Awareness Campaign
    • Stories of people who have #madethemove
    • Blogs
    • Regional Jobs Update
    • Newsletters
    • Editorials
  • Research & Policy
    • What COVID-19 means for regions
    • Current Project Agenda
    • Strengthening Liveability: a toolkit for rural and regional communities looking to grow
    • Migration Work
    • Policy
    • Publications Library
    • Regional Jobs Vacancy Map
    • Job Vulnerability Data Tool
    • Great Small Cities Data Tool
    • MOVE Tool
    • [In]Sight
  • Events & Programs
    • Regions Rising
    • Regional Australia Council 2031
    • Regional Activators Alliance
    • Lightbulb Moments
    • Pathfinder Initiative
    • Innovate with nbn Grants Program
  • Regional Australia Hub
  • Our Partners
  • Contact
  • Subscribe for updates

The 2016 Australian Infrastructure Plan: What does it mean for regional Australia?

The 2016 Australian Infrastructure Plan: What does it mean for regional Australia?

Blogs, Great small cities Great Small Cities, Policy April 20 2016

Following the February 2016 release of the Australian Infrastructure Plan outlining 93 ‘High Priority’ and ‘Priority’ infrastructure initiatives for the nation, Regional Australia Institute (RAI) General Manager Policy and Research, Kim Houghton questions the government’s commitment to overcoming infrastructure constraints in regional Australia.

The Australian Infrastructure Plan supports the companion document The Infrastructure Priority List and sets out the results of a national infrastructure audit undertaken in 2014-15, and has recommendations to drive “… improvements in the way we invest in, deliver and use our nation’s infrastructure.”

The Plan covers metropolitan and regional Australia, with the regional coverage stretching across high population regions close to the east coast capitals, through inland Australia and out to remote parts of WA and the NT.

This looks like good news for regional Australia. But what happens when the rubber hits the road?

The analysis and recommendations in the Plan are weighted towards the four largest mainland state capital cities, as they are expected to account for almost three-quarters of projected population growth through to 2031.

In all, 32 of the 93 priority initiatives are directed at relieving urban congestion in these four cities. Sixteen priority initiatives are directed to improving road and rail connections within these four cities, and another five initiatives to protection of corridors for future transport infrastructure in these cities. All up, of the 93 priority initiatives, 53 are pitched at resolving current problems in our four biggest cities and trying to mitigate the impact of future congestion problems.

Thirty-one initiatives are directed towards regional Australia, almost all of which focus on inland road and rail. There are just nine initiatives addressing the needs of regional towns and cities – it is as if our regional towns and cities don’t actually have any infrastructure constraints. The nine initiatives cover just five places: three east coast large cities – Gold Coast, Newcastle, Wollongong; as well as Hobart and Darwin.

While The Plan states that “Our smaller cities have many advantages … We should capitalise on the character and appeal of these cities to grow their populations” (pp6-7) it makes virtually no provision for advancing this aim. In fact, the first approach recommended for growing a regional city’s population is “… community-led campaigns to attract people to live and work …”. This suggests that lower population growth would be attributable to poor marketing by residents – which is bordering on insulting to the many regional cities that are strategically building a long term future. This approach is followed by two other suggestions: ‘transformative infrastructure’, which relates to only five places; and changes to the skilled migration program.

The Plan’s authors clearly had no understanding of the infrastructure constraints that are holding back the competitiveness (and attractiveness) of Australia’s regional towns and cities.

But it does make a strong case supporting the RAI’s calls for a new way of driving long term planning in regional cities. The Plan states that “…the importance of medium to long term metropolitan planning … has never been greater” and cites the worst examples of poor planning as:

• “Ad hoc delivery and implementation of metropolitan plans;
• A lack of integration within government departments and between different layers of government; and
• The politicisation of the process, resulting in plans wholly or partially being re-written following a change of government.

In future, consistent and integrated metropolitan planning should be a high priority for state and territory governments.”

This conclusion is at the heart of the RAI’s call for reform in the way regional city strategic planning is done and funded – as the ad hocery, politicisation and lack of integration is just as much an issue for our regional towns and cities as it is for the four largest capital cities.

The Australian Infrastructure Plan is long on support for concepts of regional involvement in infrastructure priority setting, on regional towns and cities playing a bigger role in Australia’s future, and on sharing the infrastructure costs between the existing largest cities and their regional alternatives. But it is very short on commitments to follow through.

The Australian Infrastructure Plan:

93 projects comprising: Metro Regional Notes
Capital City Urban Congestion 32 5 Regional cities, Canberra x 2, Gold Coast x 2 and Wollongong
Capital City “National Connectivity” 16 22 Regional roads & rail and Hobart
Capital City “Corridor Preservation” 5 2 Newcastle & East Coast High Speed Rail
Remote infrastructure 3
Other regional infrastructure 8 Hobart (UTAS) and Darwin (water)
TOTAL 53 40  

There are nine non-capital city urban infrastructure priorities for five places, and nothing at all for inland regional cities.


 

The Australian Infrastructure Plan includes some benchmarks and statistics likely to be useful to people in regional Australia looking to make a case for investment.  It quotes the Grattan Institute report Productive cities: Opportunity in a changing economy to list the proportions of jobs accessible to residents in the four biggest cities within a 45 minute commute (typically 30-50 per cent of jobs for inner city residents and only 10 per cent of jobs for outer suburban residents).  Congestion costs are also cited (from the Australian Infrastructure Audit in 2015) as running at $13.7 billion in 2011, forecast to increase to $53.3 billion by 2031.  Both these burdens (commute times and congestion costs) are neutralised in our regional cities.

Share this article:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
Want to leave a comment?
RAI Research Agenda 2016 – 2018 Four strategies enticing people to Make the Move to regional Australia

Related Posts

We’ve Summited!

Blogs, Event

Momentum gathers in regional labour markets

Blogs

Horizons: learn to showcase your region to the world!

Blogs, covid-19, Event

Regional Australia InstituteRegional Australia Institute
p 02 6260 3733
e info[at]regionalaustralia.org.au
Privacy Policy | Terms of use
© 2017 Regional Australia Institute
ABN 65 152 955 667
  • Subscribe for updates

HOME

ABOUT US
What is Regional Australia
Staff
Corporate
Careers

Work with us

Contact us

Tools and products
[In]Sight
Great Small Cities Data Tool
Pathfinder Initiative
Regional Online Heroes
Lightbulb Moments

Our work
Current Project Agenda
Policy
Blog
Publications Library

Media room
Media release
Media coverage
Events
Newsletters
XML Site Map | Website built by OPF Consulting
About Andrew McConville

Andrew McConville is the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA), a position he has occupied since April 2019.

As Chief Executive, Andrew is responsible for leading the Association and its members to be the effective voice the Australian oil and gas industry, building community trust and support, driving advocacy and engagement, developing the industry’s key policy positions and executing a strategy for growth of the Association.

Andrew is an advocacy and corporate affairs professional with more than 25 years’ experience across the oil and gas, agribusiness, banking and finance, FMCG and government sectors. 

Andrew holds a first class honours degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of New England, a Master of Science in Agricultural Economics from Oxford University and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

About Paul Cronin

Paul Cronin is the Head of Corporate Affairs at Aurizon. Aurizon is Australia’s largest rail freight operator and a top 100 ASX company. Each year the company transports more than 250 million tonnes of Australian commodities, connecting miners, primary producers and industry with international and domestic markets. Approximately 80% of Aurizon employees live and work in regional communities.

In his role Paul is responsible for Organisational Communications, Media, Stakeholder Relations, Brand and Sponsorships.

About Robert Musgrove

Since joining Bendigo and Adelaide Bank in 1987, Robert has held a wide and varied range of positions across the Group, from Customer Service Officer to playing a pivotal role in the development and expansion of the Community Bank® model. Robert is currently General Manager Corporate and Public Affairs, with responsibility for shaping and maximising the Bank’s position through external communications and championing its point of difference to all stakeholder groups. Robert and his team also have responsibility for Government and industry consultation, as well as the Bank’s early work in climate change action and E.S.G. reporting (environment, social, governance).

From 2006 Robert’s roles have included responsibility for the Bank’s key innovative partnerships, as Head of Group Strategy, and Executive Engagement Innovation, before leading the creation of the Corporate & Public Affairs division in 2018.

Robert is a director of the Bendigo Art Gallery, a director of Community Sector Banking, and a member of the Victorian Government’s Regional Partnerships group representing the Loddon Campaspe region.

About Grant Cairns

Grant’s team is responsible for serving and meeting the financial services needs of our rural commercial and agribusiness customers in over 70 locations across regional Australia.

Grant joined the Commonwealth Bank in 2005 and has broad experience across the Business and Private Banking (BPB) division. His leadership roles include heading up the Client Acquisition, Transaction Banking, Asset Finance and Industry Specialists teams. He has also held executive roles managing the Bank's Commercial Lending and Asset Finance products and portfolio.

Prior to joining the Commonwealth Bank, Grant worked as a General Manager within the McCarrolls Automotive Group. He started his career as an accountant at KPMG.

Grant has completed Australia's flagship Asia Leadership Program and holds a Bachelor of Commerce, Accounting and Finance as well as a Master of Applied Finance. He is also a Chartered Accountant.

Outside of work, Grant enjoys spending time with his young family, playing golf and reading.

About Eacham Curry

Based in Sydney, Eacham Curry is the Director of Government and Corporate Affairs for Expedia Group in Australia/New Zealand, spearheading governmental affairs and public policy strategy on behalf of Expedia Group’s ANZ portfolio of online travel brands such as Expedia, Wotif, Stayz and Egencia.

A champion of collaboration, Eacham forges close working relationships with government, regulatory bodies, industry, community and media stakeholders, and represents Expedia Group on key industry associations. As such, his voice helps shape the debate surrounding the travel, tech and e-commerce opportunities and landscape in ANZ. He is regularly spokesperson on public policy matters impacting Expedia Group’s business in ANZ.
• In 2020, he joined Australia Regional Institute’s (RAI) Council / Board
• Also in 2020, he was elected as the Foreign Company Representative Director to the Japan Association of Vacation Rentals (JAVR)

Eacham has extensive past experience in political and economic leadership a roles ANZ and in Asia. Prior to joining Expedia Group, Eacham was the Managing Director of Barton Deakin Government Relations in Western Australia, having established that operation in 2013. He joined Barton Deakin Government Relations after serving as a Chief of Staff across several portfolios, including Transport, Commerce, Finance and Small Business, in the Western Australian Barnett Government from 2008 to 2013.
Prior to relocating to Western Australia, Eacham held a variety of Federal government relations and political staffing roles for many years, and was a chief of staff and senior adviser to ministers in the Howard Federal Government across the Health and Ageing, Defence, Veterans’ Affairs and Family and Community Services portfolios. A veteran of 22 political campaigns he has also twice been a delegate for the internationally recognised Australian Political Exchange Council on delegations to China (2004) and New Zealand (2008).

About Robert Poole

Robert joined KPMG in February 2017 and is National Lead Partner – Food & Agribusiness. He works across the agri-business and food supply chain to help businesses build profit and growth; solve complex problems and harness new ideas. Robert has a team of food and agri-business specialists who work on projects across management consulting, risk, deals advisory support and enterprise.
He is also leader of the Operations Advisory team leader in Melbourne and is responsible for the day-to-day performance of a team of 110 people - working across multiple disciplines including financial services, supply chain, procurement and defence. He has successfully built a strong food and agri-business practice from scratch and placed KPMG as the number one professional services firm in the Australian food and agri-business sector.

About Gavin Williams

Gavin Williams is Chief Development Officer, Regional & Remote at NBN Co.

Mr Williams was appointed to the Chief Development Officer Regional & Remote in October 2019, bringing more than five years’ experience at NBN Co and 25 years within the telecommunication industry across Australia.

He has held leadership roles that have spanned engineering, product management, marketing and strategy disciplines across consumer, business and wholesale markets.

Prior to joining NBN Co, Gavin held positions in Optus, Telstra and was principal of an independent consultancy. He was a Board Director of Southern Cross Cable.

Mr Williams holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree (Hons) from the University of Melbourne and a Master of Business Administration from Macquarie University.

About Mark Ashburn

Mark leads stakeholder engagement for Prime Super. We have a national team of 20 (mostly regionally based) professionals who assist and inform employers and individuals on superannuation matters.

Prime Super has been a partner to regional Australians for more than 20 years. We are a high performing independent super fund owned by our nearly 130,000 members. The fund is open to all and our mission is to ensure every member has the opportunity to enjoy the best financial retirement outcome they can expect from their lifetime of work.

About Ben Gursansky

Ben Gursansky joined Telstra in January 2019 as the Head of Rural and Regional Affairs.

Prior to joining Telstra, across 20 years Ben has held a number of senior policy and management positions within the agriculture sector and Government. This included working with Saputo Dairy Australia, Australian dairy processor Murray Goulbourn Co-operative Ltd, the SA Farmers Federation Grains Council, Australian Pork Limited and in management consultancy. Ben was also a policy adviser to the former Federal Minister for Regional Development, the Hon Simon Crean.

Ben holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Agriculture) with Honours from the University of Adelaide, a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from the University of New England, and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the Melbourne Business School.

About Graeme Wedderburn

Graeme has more than 30 years’ experience working in business and government at the highest levels. Before joining TransGrid in November 2018, Graeme’s career included Director of Specialised Capital Group, Westpac’s investment banking arm, General Manager, Government and Corporate Affairs with Origin Energy and consulting for business and governments in Australia and Asia with a range of firms including KPMG. In government, Graeme served in a number of roles including senior adviser to Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and as Chief of Staff for the longest continuously serving NSW Premier.

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.