Today the Commonwealth Government released the first Infrastructure Australia audit of northern Australia’s infrastructure.
The audit outlines the region’s current infrastructure asset base and its potential long-term needs. Its findings affirm the Commonwealth’s objective to further develop the north and to encourage greater levels of private sector investment in infrastructure in northern Australia.
It found that the population in northern Australia is projected to grow more quickly than Australia as a whole, at 1.8 per cent a year, compared to 1.6 per cent in the broader population.
At this growth rate, northern Australia will be home to around 1.77 million people by 2031, while upper estimates place up to 2.1 million people in our north.
The Commonwealth will work with northern jurisdictions to develop a pipeline of critical infrastructure projects — roads, rail, water, electricity, ports and communications — to cater for the growing population and deliver economic growth.
The right mix of infrastructure investment, delivered in the right place at the right time will be critical to providing a strong future for northern Australia.
It will also ensure northern businesses and communities are better connected, both across the north and with growing international markets to Australia’s north.
Reforms being undertaken to improve infrastructure planning, project appraisal and selection will complement the work of the audit.
This work will assist in allocating funding to infrastructure projects that return the highest benefits to communities for a stronger and more prosperous northern Australia.
8 May 2015