From the Secretariat (Issue 77)

Security of Resources

DR ELIZABETH GIBSON, reports on the security of resources from the latest Victorian Civil Construction Industry Alliance meeting.

THE Victorian Civil Construction Industry Alliance, of which CMPA is a member, held a meeting at Engineers Australia, Melbourne in September 2014. There was an excellent program of speakers. However, Tim Pallas MP, Shadow Treasurer was unable to present at the meeting because he was called in to participate in a media conference convened to address the Opposition’s announcement regarding ‘the tearing up’ of the East West Link contract.

The first presentation was by the Hon Bruce Billson MP, Federal Minister for Small Business, Consumer Affairs and Competition Policy. The Minister stated the Government is facing an extraordinary challenge to sustain the economy and needs a 3% productivity improvement. The States need to sell assets to put more money back into infrastructure with a funding boost from the Federal Government. The Productivity Commission review recommended more private sector investment for infrastructure. Aggregated procurement processes are not necessarily good for SME which make up 95% of the economy and he is aware that de-bundling of projects should occur. The Government’s clear focus is on supporting small business and re-energizing private enterprise, for example, through reducing red tape.

John Merritt, CEO, VicRoads presented on the challenges facing VicRoads in keeping pace with community expectations whilst dealing with an engineering/technical culture that needs to be more customer focused. Priority will be given to rolling out the infrastructure planned under Plan
Melbourne; providing infrastructure which matches Victoria’s 1.8% population growth and giving a higher priority to road safety and the efficient movement of freight. John also made a decision to ban hospitality: ‘VicRoads doesn’t need to be dined to be nice’.

The final presentation was given by Hon Matthew Guy MLC, Minister for Planning. The priority of Government is for a pipeline of infrastructure growth to improve liveability and drive profitability; the importance on the Metro Rail Project which will free-up 30% of rail traffic through the CBD; the inappropriateness of constructing spur rail lines (e.g. Doncaster and Rowville) until increased rail traffic through the CBD can be accommodated and the Airport Rail Link which will come after the Metro Rail Project.

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