Ministerial Statement: New board to guide infrastructure spend

[Fares_Fair]

Deputy Premier, Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning
The Honourable Jeff Seeney

28/06/2012
New board to guide infrastructure spend

The Newman Government has met another key commitment in its 100 Day Action Plan after the newly established Infrastructure Queensland group met for the first time today.
Deputy Premier and Infrastructure Queensland chairman Jeff Seeney said Queensland was facing a serious deficit of critical infrastructure, which was vital to the State's continued growth, prosperity and reducing unemployment.

"This government knows the scale of the task ahead, but we also know that we have a responsibility to Queenslanders to manage the State budget and be prudent with taxpayer's money," Mr Seeney said.

"Infrastructure Queensland is an advisory group drawing expert advice from highly regarded private sector representatives and heads of key government departments to drive the State's infrastructure projects.

"Infrastructure Queensland will provide advice to the State Government on long-term planning and priorities for infrastructure and help the government make the hard choices that need to be made.

"That means we need to look at the ways we plan and prioritise infrastructure, and get it right.

"This government will deliver the right infrastructure at the right cost for Queensland, when and where it is needed the most."

Infrastructure Queensland is made up of prominent experts from the private sector, including:

• David Thomas, partner with Minter Ellison Lawyers
• Paul Fennelly, director of Infrastructure Originations with Hastings Fund Management
• Warren Traves, Operating Centre Manager for South East Queensland with GHD
• Russell Smith, CEO of the Port of Brisbane Corporation
• Leith Boully, Chair of the Wide Bay Water Corporation
• Robert Row, Queensland CEO of the Civil Contractors Federation
• Dr Michael Regan, Professor of Project and Infrastructure Management from Bond University
• Paul Clauson, CEO of the Infrastructure Association of Queensland
• Greg Hallam CEO of the Local Government Association of Queensland.

[ENDS] 28 June 2012

[#Metro]

This is the problem - are any of these planners? Are we going to see huge amounts of concrete purchased only to run 2 trains / hour on it or 4  buses per hour?

[Stillwater]

From their qualifications and positions, it would appear this this group will explore options for infrastructure (hospitals, athletic stadiums, water supply grids, oh, and by the way, transport) that maximises the financial input of the private sector in a partnersihip arrangement with government.  That means the best infrastructure project is one where the private sector will pay 100 per cent of the cost, and so on down the line.

A privately funded hospital will be touted by the Premier as 'urgent' infrastructure.  A project where the government is required to put in 50-60 per cent of costs will become ' an important project to be achieved in the medium to long term.'

[Jonno]

There is no balance whatsever ever.  Planning, environment, sustainability.  What a concretefest!!!