The State Infrastructure Strategy 2022 has just been released presenting a 20-year vision of Queensland’s infrastructure. The plan sets out the state’s objectives for infrastructure and the priority actions that will drive the future.
Queensland’s Division Committee President Marie Gales says, “It’s great to see the Queensland Government putting thought into the future of the industry and its plans to build a longer-term capital infrastructure plan. It also discloses the challenges and opportunities that will be faced over the next two decades.
“I am pleased to see the recognition of the workforce capacity issues that come with an increase in infrastructure spending,” Marie says. “This echoes the work that Engineers Australia undertook in March this year in the Engineering skills—supply and demand discussion paper.”
Engineers Australia was also involved in the initial consultation process in June 2021, providing nine recommendations to support the Queensland Government to develop the strategy. The submission was informed by ongoing work within Engineers Australia’s infrastructure workstream and members of the Queensland Division.
Senior Policy Advisor Michael Bell says “it is pleasing to see many of the priority areas within the strategy, including a focus on collaboration for improved infrastructure outcomes, and sustainability and resilience.
“Engineers Australia advocates for governments at all levels to work collaboratively,” Michael says. “The alignment and integration of the Queensland State Infrastructure Strategy with work undertaken by other levels of government [Commonwealth and local governments] will help to deliver stronger outcomes for the people of Queensland.”
The strategy outlines five infrastructure focus areas including:
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Renewable energy superpower
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Building a Brisbane 2032 legacy
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Connecting our regions
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Creating liveable communities
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Driving infrastructure performance.
Marie says “it is great to see the document has included a focus on people through affordable housing; continuing the State’s path to a treaty with First Nations Peoples, place-based transport planning, and optimising the legacy opportunities of Brisbane 2032.
“Overall, however, the document should go further in detailing actions that will make real progress on addressing the impacts of the climate change emergency or the rapid transition to net zero emissions.”