<span class="" id="parent-fieldname-description"> Deputy prime minister and federal minister for infrastructure and regional development, Warren Truss, has called for a review of Infrastructure Australia (IA) with the introduction of a bill in Canberra last week. </span> <p>According to Truss, the bill, titled the Infrastructure Australia Amendment Bill 2013, is intended to strengthen the role of IA as an independent, transparent and expert advisory body through a change in its governance structure and through better clarification of its functions.</p><p>Truss voiced his support for IA, which was set up by the Labor government in 2008, but said the new government wanted a review of all major Commonwealth-funded projects, excluding defence projects.</p><p>“This government is committed to ensuring that Australia has the productive infrastructure we need to meet the challenges ahead,” Truss said.</p><p>“Australia’s future growth will be significantly influenced by our capacity to deliver more appropriate, efficient and effective infrastructure and transport. Investment in nationally significant infrastructure is central to growing Australia’s productivity and improving the living standards of Australians now and in the future.”</p><p>The bill received support from the industry infrastructure body, Infrastructure Partnerships Australia (IPA).</p><p>IPA’s chief executive, Brendan Lyon, said that there was a wide recognition that deeper skills and a clear mandate would equip IA to deliver better outcomes.</p><p>“The legislation will make IA a stronger organisation and equip it with the right accountabilities and expectations,” Lyon said.</p><p>“The bill moved today will equip the agency with a clearer structure and make it much more focused on advancing projects and reforms, in partnership with the states.”</p><p>Australian Logistics Council managing director, Michael Kilgariff, stressed that the review of IA should focus on improving freight efficiency.</p><p>“ALC has long called for an enhanced role for IA to ensure the right projects are being identified, prioritised and funded to improve productivity and efficiency in the freight logistics industry,” Kilgariff said.</p><p>“ALC believes IA should be the ‘productivity commission’ of infrastructure and needs to play a greater role in ensuring limited public funding for infrastructure projects is targeted at the right projects.”</p>
