Up to government and industry to ensure opportunities in innovative infrastructure technologies not lost

The Standing Committee on Infrastructure and Communications has over the past week held public hearings for its inquiry into the role of Smart ICT in the design and planning of infrastructure.

The hearings have so far uncovered a range of innovative technologies that have the potential to make the design, planning and procurement of infrastructure more efficient and long-term management more effective. An example includes the Building Information Modelling (BIM) tool, which allows for the creation of intelligent, three-dimensional models that can be shared in the design, construction and management phases of infrastructure development.

Committee Chairman, Jane Prentice MP, said: "The new tools becoming available to government and industry have the power to transform the economic productivity of infrastructure development, making existing infrastructure more productive and new infrastructure more cost-effective.

"Australia is potentially on the cusp of a major transformation in infrastructure design and development, but it is up to government and industry to ensure this opportunity is not lost."

The Inquiry is still accepting submissions and has a flexible closing date. If your council is considering providing a submission, please email ic.reps@aph.gov.au for further information.

More information about the Inquiry's Terms of Reference, public hearings and submissions already received are available on the Committee website.