1. Infrastructure Partnerships Australia Convenes Partnerships 2018 in Melbourne 2
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IN THIS EDITION 1. Infrastructure Partnerships Australia convenes Partnerships 2018 in Melbourne 2. Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas opens Partnerships 2018 with address on infrastructure delivery and population growth 3. Respected leaders panel discusses populism and microeconomic reform 4. Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack addresses Partnerships 2018 5. Panel discusses the role of waste to energy in solving Australia’s waste crisis 6. Panel explores the evolution and relevance of social license in infrastructure 7. Panel discusses the impacts of Electric Vehicle uptake on consumers, government and industry 8. Panel discusses the Cape Town water crisis and how to prepare for future challenges 9. Shadow Minister for Infrastructure Anthony Albanese delivers closing keynote address Home About us Contact 1. Infrastructure Partnerships Australia convenes Partnerships 2018 in Melbourne The annual Partnerships conference was held in Melbourne last Friday with a selection of senior political, public sector and business leaders. Delegates attended from across the infrastructure sector to explore a range of key market reform, procurement and delivery challenges in Australia and internationally. This year’s speakers and panellists covered a wide range of topics and emerging infrastructure issues. These included discussions on the impact of declining trust and rising populism on micro economic reform and the growing relevance of social license in infrastructure delivery and operation. The audience heard from Australia’s foremost political leaders on their priorities for the infrastructure sector. The conference covered the policy challenges of climate variability and population growth in water management. Delegates also heard about the opportunities emerging with waste to energy facilities and the rise of Electric Vehicles. Figure 1: Partnerships 2018 was convened in Melbourne Source: Infrastructure Partnerships Australia A full list of speakers and panellists in order of appearance is listed below: Opening address: Hon Tim Pallas MP, Treasurer of Victoria Respected leaders (panel): Rt Hon Sir Bill English, Former Prime Minister of New Zealand Dr Kerry Schott AO Patron, Infrastructure Partnerships Australia Tony Shepherd AO Patron, Infrastructure Partnerships Australia Hon Alan Stockdale AO, Former Victorian Treasurer, Consultant – Maddocks, and Adrian Dwyer, Chief Executive Officer, Infrastructure Partnerships Australia (moderator). Keynote address: Hon Michael McCormack MP, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Waste to energy (panel): John Bradley, Secretary, Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Preet Brar, Chief Financial Officer, Veolia Gayle Sloan, Chief Executive Officer, Waste Management Association of Australia, and Christopher Voyce, Executive Director, Macquarie Capital (Pre-panel address and moderator). Social license (panel): Henry Byrne, Group Executive, Corporate Affairs, Transurban Ashley Jarquin, General Manager, Corporate Affairs and Marketing, John Holland Group Natalie Malligan, Head of Cities, Australia and New Zealand, Uber, and Jodie Brough, Partner and Office Head (Sydney), Newgate Communications (moderator). Electric Vehicles and road funding (panel): Nick Hudson, Director, Economics and Policy, Infrastructure Partnerships Australia (Pre-panel address) Peter Colacino, Executive Director Policy and Research, Infrastructure Australia Fiona Orton, Future Grid Manager, TransGrid Dr Allison Stewart, Project Director, Infrastructure Victoria, and Adrian Dwyer, Chief Executive Officer, Infrastructure Partnerships Australia (moderator). How to avoid a water crisis (panel): Karen Shippey, Chief Director, Environmental Sustainability, Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Western Cape Government, South Africa (Pre-panel address) Terri Benson, Managing Director, South East Water Sue Murphy, Chief Executive Officer, Water Corporation of Western Australia Michael Wandmaker, Managing Director, Melbourne Water, and Dr Jim Bentley, Managing Director, Hunter Water Corporation (moderator). Closing keynote address: Hon Anthony Albanese MP, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development Shadow Minister for Tourism. Infrastructure Partnerships Australia thanks our generous sponsors for their support and investment in Partnerships 2018, the nation’s premier infrastructure conference. 2. Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas opens Partnerships 2018 with address on infrastructure delivery and population growth Victorian Treasurer and Minister for Resources, Tim Pallas MP, opened Partnerships 2018 by providing an overview of Victoria’s population growth challenges and the pipeline of infrastructure projects currently in procurement and under delivery in the state. In opening his keynote address, Mr Pallas said that with “the distance between the comparative populations of Melbourne and Sydney [reducing] by about 25,000 people a year…the challenges for the state are multifaceted”. The Treasurer outlined that the Victorian Government was responding to these challenges with a credible and long- term strategy for the state’s infrastructure. Adding to his comments, Mr Pallas made clear that industry should consider the infrastructure investment surge underway in Victoria the new normal and not simply a boom and bust cycle of investment. Mr Pallas also outlined the importance of sequencing this infrastructure investment across the state. He remarked that sequencing investment would ensure there is enough industry capacity and resources to build the state’s pipeline of projects. For example, staging the delivery of Melbourne Metro, West Gate Tunnel, North East Link and the Regional Rail Revival program will be critical in ensuring these projects can be delivered on time and on budget. The Treasurer went on to discuss the Government’s priorities for improving the supply of skilled labour into the infrastructure market through the vocational training and education system. In the recent State Budget, the Victorian Government allocated funding for 30 free TAFE courses across construction and engineering to meet the growing skills gap in the infrastructure supply chain. In addition, funding was allocated for a further 30,000 TAFE places to ensure Victorians are well-equipped to partake in the infrastructure needs of their State. Figure 2: Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas MP providing opening address Source: Infrastructure Partnerships Australia In discussing the funding base for the infrastructure investment surge, Mr Pallas pointed to the Government’s Asset Recycling programme, including the $9.7 billion lease of the Port of Melbourne. Mr Pallas also explained that the recent $2.85 billion leasing of Land Use Victoria, has boosted the Government's capacity to fund additional infrastructure projects. On the Westgate Tunnel Project, Mr Pallas highlighted that the current Westgate Bridge was initially built to carry 40,000 vehicles per day, but now carries about 200,000 per day. Once completed, the project will deliver a new tunnel under Yarraville, widening of the West Gate Freeway and a bridge over the Maribyrnong River. An alternative route to the West Gate Bridge and direct access to the Port of Melbourne will also be provided as part of the project. On Level Crossing Removals, Treasurer Pallas spoke about the benefits of the programme, outlining its value in addressing suburban road congestion, separating pedestrian, car, and train traffic and enabling more frequent train services. He added that the programme is on track to remove 50 level crossings by 2022. The programme has been delivered alongside power and signalling upgrades enabling the State to run new rolling stock across the network. Mr Pallas emphasised that infrastructure development is intergenerational. He remarked that we need to think “beyond ourselves and our aspirations…in order to ensure that the wealth, the capacity and the wellbeing of this community is assured”. When reflecting on this point, he acknowledged that projects, such as the Melbourne Airport Rail Link and the Suburban Rail Loop, are not intended to be completed within a single term of government. He said that they are long-term projects that require long-lasting commitment, regardless of who is in office. In concluding his remarks, the Treasurer made the point that Australia would be “better served” if politics was removed from infrastructure project selection. Mr Pallas added that partnerships between government and industry to enhance “creative thinking, skills and attitudes” and will be critical in meeting the challenges and opportunities presented by population growth. Relevant links View projects mentioned above on infrastructurepipeline.org back to top 3. Respected leaders panel discusses populism and microeconomic reform A panel of respected leaders convened to discuss populism and micro economic reform in Australia. The panel explored the role of trust in community acceptance of reform and the lessons learnt from Asset Recycling. The panel comprised: Rt Hon Sir Bill English, Former Prime Minister of New Zealand Dr Kerry Schott AO, Patron, Infrastructure Partnerships Australia Tony Shepherd AO, Patron, Infrastructure Partnerships Australia Alan Stockdale AO, Former Treasurer of Victoria Adrian Dwyer, Chief Executive Officer, Infrastructure Partnerships Australia (moderator). Infrastructure Partnerships Australia Chief Executive, Adrian Dwyer, opened the discussion by asking the