• Infrastructure Australia’s inaugural Commissioners
• Sustainability in Infrastructure
• Infrastructure Australia’s reform agenda
• Family Friendly Workplace

Infrastructure Australia’s inaugural Commissioners

Infrastructure Australia welcomes the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King’s appointment of our three inaugural Commissioners.

Minister King has named Tim Reardon as our new Chief Commissioner, and Clare Gardiner-Barnes and Dr Gillian Miles as our two Commissioners. 

Mr Reardon has overseen one of the nation’s largest infrastructure pipelines as the former Secretary of Transport for NSW, before going on to lead the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet.

Ms Gardiner-Barnes brings extensive experience from across the public sector, having held senior roles across NSW, Queensland and the NT, while Dr Miles brings more than 30 years of experience working across government at a national, state and local level, including as the Chief Executive Officer and Commissioner of the National Transport Commission.

Ms Gardiner-Barnes will be Acting Chief Commissioner until Mr Reardon commences on 1 October.

The appointment of Commissioners represents the culmination of months of work, the fulfilment of our new legislated operating structure, and the beginning of a new chapter for Infrastructure Australia. 

Under their leadership, the agency is well-placed to deliver on its strengthened mandate as the Australian Government’s expert independent infrastructure advisor, committed to the economic, environmental and social prosperity of all Australians.

We extend our thanks to outgoing interim Chief Commissioner Gabrielle Trainor AO for her leadership and support over the years, including as a Chair and Director of the former IA Board.

You can read the Minister's announcement by visiting: Government names commissioners to lead Infrastructure Australia | Ministers for the Department of Infrastructure

Sustainability in Infrastructure

We recently published our Embodied Carbon Projections for Australian Infrastructure and Buildings report.  

For the first time, we now have a baseline of the amount of upfront embodied carbon the nation’s infrastructure and buildings pipeline is forecast to produce in the five years from 2022-23 to 2026-27. 

We found that these emissions, which come from materials production, transport, and the construction process, are expected to produce a total of 247 megatonnes of CO₂e over the period.

Our research shows that by 2026-27, we can achieve a 23 per cent reduction in these emissions by switching to lower-carbon building materials and production processes and a more considered use of the steel that goes into building an asset.

This research follows on from our work to model national emissions values for use in economic appraisals, including cost-benefit analyses, providing consistent parameter values to compare both infrastructure projects and policy options.

The emissions values, which are based on modelling of the least-cost approach to achieve Australia’s legislated emissions reductions targets, are a tool to be used to measure the social impacts of greenhouse gas emissions in infrastructure proposals.  

At a time when the nation is invested in achieving Australia’s emissions reduction targets, Infrastructure Australia is delivering rigorous research to help work towards a more sustainable and green future.

Infrastructure Australia’s Reform Agenda

Annual Statements

The first editions of our Annual Statements were published in April. The Annual Budget Statement reported on current infrastructure challenges and provided recommendations on the types of infrastructure proposals to be considered during Budget processes. The Annual Performance Statement reported on the outcomes being achieved in relation to the Australian Government’s Infrastructure Investment Program, which funds land transport projects.

We welcome feedback on the statements to inform development of the next editions, which are now underway. We are keen to discuss sectoral themes, identify and profile best practice case studies, and report on performance outcomes that can be considered for inclusion in the next editions of the statements. 

A National Planning and Assessment Framework and peer review process 

Infrastructure Australia now uses outputs from jurisdictional assurance reviews to supplement and streamline our own evaluation processes. We encourage proponents to include independent gateway (or equivalent) reports with their submissions to Infrastructure Australia so we can leverage their work and reduce duplication. 

We will be engaging with stakeholders on the development of the National Planning and Assessment Framework and welcome contributions from interested parties. 

Post-Completion Evaluations

Infrastructure Australia has been tasked with evaluating completed projects against the Australian Government’s Infrastructure Policy Statement, and other expectations, to identify any potential enhancements to project selection and assessment methodologies. We are committed to working collaboratively and sensitively with states and territories to provide aggregated views of learnings from project planning and delivery.

We’ve commenced development of a framework to guide this work and will consult with relevant stakeholders to ensure it is fit for purpose. To support this work, we would welcome the opportunity to review any post completion reviews that can be shared with Infrastructure Australia. To discuss this further, please contact mark.oreilly@infrastructureaustralia.gov.au. 

Family Friendly Workplace

Infrastructure Australia is proud to be officially certified as a ‘Family Friendly Workplace’ by UNICEF Australia and Parents At Work in recognition of the agency’s strong workplace culture and support for its people.

The agency now joins a select group of businesses and organisations recognised as providing a Family Friendly Workplace based on policies designed to provide a flexible, supportive and inclusive workplace that empowers people to be open about their needs.

To read more about our Family Friendly Workplace, click here.

Moving Forward

We will continue to keep you informed as we progress through the reform process. Should you wish to discuss any of the above, please contact us at engagement@infrastructureaustralia.gov.au.