Australia port planning to be simplified
Australian port infrastructure planning is to be streamlined as part of a government initiative to woo more private sector investment in ports.
Federal infrastructure and transport minister Anthony Albanese has announced plans to seek more transparent, consistent and efficient regulation for the ports sector.
Confirming the government’s belief that private equity will be a central part of ongoing port investment, Mr Albanese said government policy would be oriented towards providing the right investment conditions to convince investors to consider the merits of the port sector.
Stressing the new strategy will not be a one-size-fits-all approach, nor a federal takeover, he said: “It is not about new layers of bureaucracy over our critical commercial infrastructure. Rather, the strategy will drive better ports planning, and encourage all levels of government and the private sector to plan for port growth and related freight infrastructure.
“In metropolitan ports, where there is no shortage of competition for land use, this will require smarter planning of our cities and urban spaces to balance the needs of ports with the needs of communities.”
At the same time, the minister has initiated two reports from the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics, to pinpoint shipping and general freight growth over the next 20 years.
