As economies grow and populations expand, so too does the scale of demand on the infrastructure that supports daily life.Improving infrastructure networks can be a hugely expensive task. New railways, roads, desalination plants, power stations and broadband connections can cost hundreds of millions, and often, billions of dollars. At the same time, their impact is equally huge: transforming neighbourhoods and cities; underpinning water security; and powering our homes, factories and offices.Getting the delivery of such infrastructure right is therefore an issue of real importance. Cost overruns can run into hundreds of millions of dollars; a poorly specified project can fail to meet the objectives set out for the investment. As a result, improving infrastructure delivery is now a key priority for governments and government agencies across Australia.Whilst there have been many highly successful deliveries of infrastructure in Australia’s recent history, there are still lessons to be learned. With stakeholders demanding greater transparency and placing additional scrutiny on infrastructure decisions, Governments are rightly very keen to ensure that investment outcomes do not fall short of expectations.
