Infrastructure Victoria – more than just another voice.

Last week, and as widely covered in the mainstream media, Infrastructure Victoria released its most recent update to its 30-year infrastructure strategy.

So, who is Infrastructure Victoria? And what is the 30-year infrastructure strategy, and does it matter?

Infrastructure Victoria is a body set up by the Victorian Government to provide independent advice and recommendations on meeting the state's future infrastructure needs, as well as advice and research on more specific issues concerning public infrastructure policy.

Its key function is to provide a five yearly update to its 30-year infrastructure strategy for the state. This is what was released in draft form for further consultation and discussion last week.

It is important to note that although established by the Victorian Government, Infrastructure Victoria reports to Parliament, not government itself. This ensures its independence but also places it at a distance from the thinking and decision making of the government of the day.

So, if Infrastructure Victoria is not the actual voice of government - does it represent more than just the well-meaning views of another think tank on the periphery of public policy formulation in this state?

For players in the public policy space, The Agenda Group suggests that Infrastructure Victoria's work is well worth taking note of. It carries weight and importance and clearly has an impact on government decision-making.

Although the Victorian Government at a political and bureaucratic level will decide its own priorities, policies and funding choices informed by a range of considerations and needs, Infrastructure Victoria’s work and recommendations have always been close to the mark.

By its own account, Infrastructure Victoria ‘reviewed the recommendations in the 2021 strategy and found that the government has implemented or made progress on more than 80% of them’.

Infrastructure Victoria’s work is very well informed by input, research and thinking of stakeholders in and around government. The extensive endnotes to the 30-year draft strategy document give some sense of just how widely and deeply informed the report is.

This makes the strategy document and its inputs an excellent advocacy resource for organisations outside of government who support specific Infrastructure Victoria recommendations or align with the tenor of its work.

You can have your say on the draft strategy and proposed recommendations via the Engage Victoria website.

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This article was originally published on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/infrastructure-victoria-more-than-just-another-voice-theagendagroup-cedzf/