This report argues that Australia should revamp how it selects major transport projects, so that governments can better know which new roads and railways are worth building and avoid squandering billions of dollars of public money on the wrong projects.

This report argues that road congestion charges should be introduced in Sydney and Melbourne, as both cities face traffic gridlock in the future unless decisive action is taken to manage congestion.

Overview Construction of Hong Kong’s metro railway was funded solely from the sale of development rights around stations. Close to one third of London’s CrossRail is being funded by levies on nearby businesses. ‘Value capture’ is back in fashion, and the calls are growing louder for Australia to tap into these seemingly wonderful revenue streams.

How wonderful, you might think, that the Australian government is in furious agreement with its independent infrastructure advisory body on how to tackle the country’s present and looming infrastructure challenges. Of Infrastructure Australia’s 78 recommendations in its Infrastructure Plan, the federal government opposes only three outright. But, in reality, the government has ducked some hard...

Over the past fifteen years, Australian governments have spent $28 billion more on transport infrastructure than they told taxpayers they would. The cost overruns amounted to nearly a quarter of total project budgets. Western Australia’s Forrest Highway between Perth and Bunbury cost nearly five times, and New South Wales’ Hunter Expressway cost over four times...