Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, acknowledges the ANAO report into the administration of Commuter Car Park projects within the Urban Congestion Fund.
The Department of Infrastructure has agreed to all of these recommendations.
The Morrison Government is committed to delivering the infrastructure our cities and regions need, to ease congestion and help get Australians home sooner and safer.
All infrastructure investment decisions made by the Australian Government are made based on an identified need in the community and in the context of the Government's total investments across each city, as well as investments already made by the state or local government.
The Urban Congestion Fund was established in 2018, with project sites selected to target high-priority growth areas and corridors, and to support broader urban development.
Upon being appointed to the Urban Infrastructure portfolio in late December 2020, Minister Fletcher instructed his Department to undertake a review of all Urban Congestion Fund projects.
Following this review, the Department of Infrastructure has already begun to take actions that align with the ANAO report's recommendations, including increased reporting frequency and quality, improved data management and enhanced project tracking.
Minister Fletcher said the Morrison Government was continuing to deliver critical infrastructure projects around the country including through the Urban Congestion Fund.
"The Morrison Government is getting on with delivering infrastructure projects that improve congestion and safety for commuters across Australia, making it easier for them to move around our capital cities and ensuring they get home quickly and safely," Minister Fletcher said.
"The $4.8 billion Urban Congestion Fund is one component of our record $110 billion 10-year infrastructure investment pipeline, which is helping to drive Australia's world-leading economic recovery.
"Under the Urban Congestion Fund we are delivering 177 individual packages of work nationwide including 43 commuter car parks. To date, 63 packages around Australia are already completed or under construction, with a further 56 expected to start construction this year. By the end of 2022, 90 per cent of all packages are expected to be completed or under construction."
It is normal practice in the delivery of infrastructure projects for there to be a significant lead time between the announcement of the project and construction commencing. This reflects the time required to move through the multiple stages involved in delivering infrastructure projects, including: the scoping phase to determine a preferred option and an estimated cost; the development phase to obtain planning and environmental approvals, conduct community consultation, property acquisition and pre-construction works; and the delivery phase involving construction.
