Strategic infrastructure plan for South Australia: 2010 discussion paper

• Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure

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Report image: Strategic infrastructure plan for South Australia

26 November 2010This discussion paper has been prepared to assist public consultation on an update of the state's infrastructure plan, released in 2005.

South Australia’s first infrastructure plan, released in 2005, has guided significant progress in tackling the challenges identified at that time. More than 80 per cent of the priority projects listed in the plan have been completed or are underway and the South Australian Government’s infrastructure spending is at record high levels.

As the Australian economy recovers from the global financial crisis, we face new and emerging challenges and opportunities arising from strong population growth and ageing, technological change, industry growth and diversification, including the development of the mining and defence sectors, and the need for adaptation and mitigation measures to address climate change.

The State Government has released the 30-Year Plan for Greater Adelaide (a volume of the South Australian Planning Strategy) to tackle these challenges by guiding where people live and work and the management of land use, while conserving our environment.

Recognising the importance of integrating land use and infrastructure planning, a review of state infrastructure priorities is now timely, guided by the new volumes of the South Australian Planning Strategy.

This discussion paper has been prepared to assist public consultation on an update of the state’s infrastructure plan. It presents an overview of the achievements, challenges and opportunities in the 14 infrastructure sectors covered in the 2005 plan. It also provides an outline of the long term global and national economic, social and environmental trends which are expected to shape the way in which South Australia develops and the long term strategic priorities to guide infrastructure development over the next 10 to 15 years and beyond.

The new edition of the plan will clearly identify priorities for private and public investment and policy effort by governments to address nationally significant policy issues. It will set out infrastructure priorities from a whole-of-state perspective and specific initiatives, with associated timeframes, to address infrastructure needs. These initiatives will include new investment opportunities, as well as options for deferring costly capital expenditure by better managing demand. Innovative ways to make better, more efficient use of existing infrastructure assets through the ‘smart’ application of communications technologies will also be explored.