KEYWORDS: INFRASTRUCTURE VICTORIA

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The Victorian government announced the new Infrastructure Victoria Bill 2015 (Vic) on 23 June 2015. The legislation received Royal Assent on 8 September 2015. It will establish Infrastructure Victoria, a statutory authority that will provide the government independent expert advice about Victoria's infrastructure needs and priorities. It will also establish a new strategic infrastructure planning process in Victoria. Infrastructure Victoria is expected to be operational in late 2015.

Infrastructure Victoria

The Infrastructure Victoria Act 2015 (Vic) (Act) will establish Infrastructure Victoria, a statutory authority that will provide the government independent expert advice about Victoria's infrastructure needs and priorities to support improved social, economic and environmental outcomes for the State.72

In the words of a media release by Premier Daniel Andrews, Infrastructure Victoria "will be tasked with ensuring Victoria's immediate and long-term infrastructure needs are identified and prioritised based on objective, transparent analysis and evidence." 73

Infrastructure planning process

The infrastructure planning process includes:

  • the release and periodic update by Infrastructure Victoria (without government approval) of a 30-year infrastructure strategy following public consultation on a draft;
  • a requirement for the Victorian government to respond formally to the strategy, setting out major projects, policies or reforms that it intends to pursue;
  • a requirement for the Victorian government to prepare and release a five-year infrastructure plan in response to Infrastructure Victoria's plan;
  • an annual assessment by Infrastructure Victoria of the government's specified priorities and progress on the five-year infrastructure plan; and
  • formal recognition of the ongoing strategic infrastructure planning undertaken by departments and agencies (termed "sectoral infrastructure strategies"), including a supporting role for Infrastructure Victoria when requested.74

Independent expert advice and research

The Act also provides that the relevant Minister may request written advice on infrastructure matters such as government or private sector proposals and intergovernmental submissions.75 Infrastructure Victoria will thus have a potential support role in assessing business cases for major infrastructure proposals.

Finally, Infrastructure Victoria will independently conduct and publish its own research on infrastructure issues such as improving the measurement of benefits, financing and funding models, and policy and reform issues for infrastructure projects.76

http://www.legislation.vic.gov. au/Domino/Web_Notes/LDMS/ PubStatbook.nsf/51dea49770555ea6ca2 56da4001b90cd/BD607CD483D6B566CA 257EBA0018B659/$FILE/15-038aa%20 authorised.pdf

Footnotes

72 Section 7
73 Media release dated 23 June 2015 available at http://www.premier.vic.gov. au/building-better-infrastructure-forjobs-and-growth
74 Section 8
75 Section 44
76 Section 8

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