Foreword I am delighted to introduce the latest edition of Future Building, the journal of Australia’s infrastructure sector. Infrastructure is now a welcome and common feature in public policy debate – and with a federal election due on 14 September, this will increasingly be the case. It is critical that the election debate focus, in large part, on the reasons for Australia’s stagnant productivity. This will necessarily demand a careful consideration of the policy options that exist to reform Australia’s infrastructure markets. The efficiency of Australia’s infrastructure services, particularly transport and utilities, is a key underpinning of Australia’s global competitiveness. Reforms to infrastructure markets therefore offer the opportunity to see a return to a strong, positive improvement in economic productivity and national prosperity. During 2013, IPA will be a strong advocate for investment in nationally significant transport infrastructure projects (which result from an objective prioritisation process and transparent business cases), and we will champion marketbased policies that encourage fresh investment in areas like energy and water. IPA will also be encouraging the major political parties to support regulatory and tax environments that make the delivery and operation of major projects feasible in the coming decade. In the context of the coming election, this edition of Future Building details the proceedings of Infrastructure Partnerships Australia’s Partnerships conference, which was held late 2012 in Melbourne. Partnerships is the most significant gathering of business, policy and political leaders from across the nation. Each of our speakers provided generous and honest views about the reforms that must be considered, resolved and implemented if we are to see meaningful and sustained progress toward a better Australia.
I trust that you will find this edition both relevant and thought-provoking, and I would welcome any feedback that you may have. In the meantime, my best wishes for a successful 2013.
The Hon Mark Birrell Chairman, Infrastructure Partnerships Australia
Volume 3 Number 2
1779_Future Building v302.indd 3
futurebuilding
3
3/25/13 12:44 PM
