More speed, less haste for Australian infrastructure

As we look to the future and make plans for recovery, increasing our investment in infrastructure is an obvious lever available to stimulate markets and create jobs. For the economy’s sake, we need to kick Australia’s infrastructure machine into high gear.

At RPS, our experience working with clients to define, design and manage the nation’s largest transport, health, water, energy and telecommunications initiatives has taught us a lot about how infrastructure can be fast-tracked. Our experiences have also taught us how important it is to never lose sight of the why.

Equitable, sustainable, accessible and productive communities that allow people to live well and succeed. This is what everyone involved in the infrastructure game should be striving for.

Infrastructure is not about building bridges or hospitals or schools. It’s about building assets that create value for cities. It’s about building assets that are valued by the people that need these essential services.

If prioritised, planned and delivered well, roads, dams and public housing projects are a mechanism through which Australia can generate shared value. Investment in them also generates the positive economic by-products that our nation so desperately needs—stimulus, jobs, downstream spending.

To generate shared value and move projects to shovel-ready faster, there’s no question that things need to change. And if we are serious about moving faster, it’s vital that we don’t leave rigour in the rearview.

In this series, we will be sharing practical insights on changes that can help accelerate infrastructure initiatives for the benefit of Australian communities, and the economy. In some cases, change needs to be focused on prioritisation and planning. In others it’s a question of procurement or engagement.

In all instances though, the changes we make must be about partnership—government, industry and the community coming together to deliver infrastructure with more speed, and less haste.