AHURI collaborates on new 2021 Australian Infrastructure Plan
New plan outlines social infrastructure priorities for the first time
16 Sep 2021
Infrastructure Australia has released the 2021 Australian Infrastructure Plan, which includes, for the first time, a chapter on social infrastructure, acknowledging the critical role social infrastructure—such as schools, hospitals, parks, community centres and social housing—plays in supporting the nation’s wellbeing.
The 2021 Plan encompasses nine chapters: place-based outcomes for communities; sustainability and resilience; industry productivity and innovation; transport; energy; water; telecommunications and digital; social infrastructure; and waste.
AHURI was pleased to partner with Infrastructure Australia on the development of the important new social infrastructure chapter. As such, the Plan affirms that ‘social infrastructure builds human capital (the collective skills, knowledge and experience of individuals that creates economic value) and social capital (the networks of relationships that enable society to function effectively)’, and recognises that ‘a robust, nationally consistent framework is required to capture and measure its real economic value and drive effective and balanced investment in facilities.’
Dr Michael Fotheringham, Managing Director of AHURI, said ‘Working with organisations to deliver evidence-based research findings and insights is an important part of what AHURI does, and we’re very pleased to have been able to contribute to the 2021 Australian Infrastructure Plan in a significant collaboration with Infrastructure Australia. It is also pleasing to see the wider community seeing the importance of social infrastructure, and in particular social housing, for the well-being of all Australians.’
In particular, the Plan addresses the shortfall in adequate social housing across Australia, emphasising that ‘The quality, supply and design of social housing across the country is inadequate’, and recommends that ‘there needs to be more investment to improve the standard of dwellings, address the growing shortfall and provide a greater range of housing types. Better financial cases for social and affordable rental housing must be tested and applied consistently.’
Dr Michael Fotheringham, Managing Director of AHURI, said ‘Working with organisations to deliver evidence-based research findings and insights is an important part of what AHURI does, and we’re very pleased to have been able to contribute to the 2021 Australian Infrastructure Plan in a significant collaboration with Infrastructure Australia. It is also pleasing to see the wider community seeing the importance of social infrastructure, and in particular social housing, for the well-being of all Australians.’
AHURI’s work with Infrastructure Australia continues a strong and growing partnership between the two organisations with Infrastructure Australia being an Official Conference Partner of the upcoming AHURI event – Uncharted Urban Futures: Australian Cities post pandemic.
The 2021 Australian Infrastructure Plan can be downloaded from Infrastructure Australia’s website.