Infrastructure Australia’s list of priorities for 2021 include six projects labelled as ‘high priority’, while the overall plan has been met with support by South Australia’s Civil Contractors Federation.
The high priority projects identified are a new motorway and airport in Western Sydney, the next stage of Sydney’s Metro, the North East Link and an upgrade to the M80 Ring Road in Melbourne and the development of Brisbane’s Metro network.
Infrastructure Australia’s list is divided into four sections – high priority projects, priority projects, high priority initiatives and priority initiatives – and is used to shape government thinking and spending.
Five new projects and 39 initiatives have been added to this year’s list, while another 10 projects from last year’s list have already started construction.
Civil Contractors Federation South Australia chief executive Rebecca Pickering said the list had the highest number of new proposals for that state in its five-year history.
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Western Sydney’s M12 motorway is a new high priority project identified by Infrastructure Australia.
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She also welcomed the news that a submission by CCF SA had led to some projects being added to the list, while hoping that plans such as clearing South Australia’s road backlog would become a reality and deliver economic benefits.
“The Federation has been advocating for this for several years and future Budget allocations could see a large improvement in SA’s road safety, while creating jobs in our State and building our local economy,” Pickering says.
“Earthmovers, road constructors, pipelayers, road maintenance, traffic control, mobile plant operators and other civil business are digging deep for South Australia to deliver these projects, and the industry’s uptake of new civil apprenticeships is evidence of this.
“Government agencies must engage with industry immediately to plan the delivery of these projects and those already listed as part of the record $16.8 billion committed in principle by government to SA’s future infrastructure needs.”
National and state-based projects and initiatives feature on the priority list; however its release was met with disappointment by the National Farmers Federation for the absence of any regional projects being labelled as high priority.
“Regional Australia needs transformational infrastructure, just like the Western Sydney Airport development, to finally capture all the benefits and economic potential of our regional communities and economies,” NFF president Fiona Simson says.
“The NFF also acknowledges Infrastructure Australia’s efforts in identifying regional initiatives; however they need to be fully-costed and shovel-ready.”