Catherine Carter |
Friday, 4 June 2010 12:01 AM |
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As we said when the ACT Budget was handed down in May, when announcements about the forward capital works program were made in conjunction with details about future land release, we strongly support the provision of such works to support the rollout of new homes sites.
But we were concerned that much of the capital works program announced in earlier budgets (worth $153.9 million) remains unspent.
While the ACT Government has some ideas about future community assets, the failure to spend the full amount allocated each year demonstrates ongoing systematic problems in their delivery.
We need to lose existing bottlenecks and impediments to capital works development, and we need to use more private sector resources to ensure that the full amount appropriated each year is spent in that year, especially for critical infrastructure.
This first ACT Infrastructure Plan contains snapshots of the current situation for health, education, transport, housing, community services, justice, land development and planning, water, energy, even culture and the arts.
But capital works take time to deliver, and to be ready when they are needed they must be planned and funded ahead of time.
A longer-term set of priorities needs to be included – specific priorities with anticipated start and completion dates and funding requirements. The time line should span the next 20-30 years.
And it would be helpful to include, as we requested in last March's roundtable on the subject, some explanation of the methodology used in prioritising those capital works.
The criteria for deciding such priorities should include assessments of their social, economic and environmental benefits. Such methodologies have been used in successful infrastructure planning overseas and would certainly be helpful here.
The Property Council made a submission to the government outlining a suggested methodology two years ago.
The Property Council has been calling for an infrastructure plan for several years, and we have the expertise to offer research, suggestions and practical aid to assist the government and help transform this start into an actual workable plan for Canberra's future. We will continue our advocacy on this very important issue.
Click here to view the Chief Minister’s media release.
Click here to view the ACT Government Infrastructure Plan 2010
Click here to view the Property Council Infrastructure Priorities Report 2008
Catherine Carter |
Friday, 4 June 2010 12:01 AM |
Add Comment
