REGIONAL CITIES WORK TO SPREAD INFRASTRUCTURE LOAD

Regional Cities New South Wales (RCNSW) has taken a leading role in the Infrastructure New South Wales Strategic Infrastructure Review, recommending that the State considers spreading the infrastructure pipeline more broadly to ease capacity pressures.

RCNSW Chair Cr Mathew Dickerson explained that there are persistent challenges in the infrastructure market including escalating costs and the construction industry’s capacity to deliver given supply chain and skill constraints.

 “At RCNSW we believe we need to deliver the correct mix of projects – from roads and buildings to water and waste – to ensure the workload is better spread, to ease capacity issues and increase competitiveness,” RCNSW Chair and Mayor of Dubbo Regional Council Cr Mathew Dickerson said.

“Growing regional cities need the infrastructure investment but we need to consider the whole picture. There is no point building a new industrial estate if we have no housing for the workers,” Cr Dickerson explained.

RCNSW was one of a select group of stakeholders invited to participate in Infrastructure NSW’s Strategic Infrastructure Review, to ensure the $116.9 billion infrastructure program aligns with the new Government’s priorities and to ensure value for money and deliverability.

“RCNSW was pleased to have the opportunity to work proactively with Infrastructure NSW on what the State’s infrastructure pipeline should look like and how we can relieve some of the current blockages,” Cr Dickerson concluded.

A final report will be prepared for Cabinet by the end of the month as part of the State’s budget process.