Infrastructure WA

To ensure the timely and optimised delivery of infrastructure, review the effectiveness of existing and proposed infrastructure facilitation and coordination models within 5 years of operation and consider if alternate models should be established.

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 22 is fully supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

23. Improve the navigation of project approval processes by establishing a single digital government approvals system, including:

1. providing a single access platform that offers standardised, consistent and transparent information covering all WA Government infrastructure approvals processes, time frames, roles and responsibilities and supporting information required from the proponent

    

2. staging updates to the platform to create a single lodgement portal for all WA Government infrastructure approval applications that allows users to track progress, enables transparent reporting and facilitates sharing of consistent information across state agencies.

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 23 is partially supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

Streamline project approvals processes and reduce regulatory burdens by implementing a program to review and modernise relevant infrastructure approvals legislation and progress targeted amendments at least every 5 years.

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 24 is partially supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

25. Make best use of existing and planned urban infrastructure by preparing and implementing an urban consolidation action program, including:

1. identifying significant barriers to increasing urban consolidation and developing a clear roadmap that outlines intended outcomes, responsibilities and time frames
2. reviewing and adjusting policy settings to support infill locations, including liveability and amenity improvements, with particular focus on refining policy settings for public open space, public realm improvements, schools, utilities and public transport and the associated development contribution requirements
3. planning incentives that support infill development, encourage land assembly and create a stronger pipeline of development sites
4. implementing purchaser support where appropriate to facilitate increased infill development, such as further extension of the Off the Plan Duty Rebate Scheme for apartments and place-based approaches to building bonus grants and Keystart lending requirements
5. providing funding and support for development of precinct plans for key infill locations
6. identifying and prioritising infrastructure capacity upgrades and coordination needed to support infill development
7. transparently reporting progress (at least every 2 years) towards achieving infill targets set in Perth and Peel @ 3.5 million by local government area, taking into account relevant contextual factors.

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 25 is partially supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

26. Ensure adequate information on infrastructure servicing and operational costs informs decisions by embedding rigorous infrastructure appraisal in the planning decision-making framework, including:

1. underpinning future reviews of Perth and Peel @ 3.5 million and development of integrated regional plans with a thorough analysis of the capital and operational costs of infrastructure provision and the extent to which this is likely to be carried by the state government, including understanding the cumulative impact of demand that may stimulate major new investment, to inform the staging of greenfield development fronts and consideration of new development areas
2. staging and prioritising development fronts and identifying a clear implementation strategy in land-use plans, which is adhered to in decision-making, to ensure infrastructure is programmed, funded and delivered in the most efficient and effective manner
3. preparing costed and scheduled infrastructure servicing plans, where proponents seek to depart from staging plans, or are outside land identified for future development in the frameworks, to provide decision-makers with an understanding of the real costs (capital and operational) to state government to allow implications to be considered in land-use planning decision-making
4. ensuring rezoning proposals for greenfield land are considered in the context of land supply and demand.

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 26 is fully supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

27. Transform the Perth CBD and immediate surrounds (including locations adjacent to the Swan River such as Burswood and South Perth) by preparing a city opportunity plan that sets an agreed strategic framework, including:

1. developing a clear and compelling long-term vision for the city
2. identifying major precincts, other significant redevelopments and infrastructure that will contribute to city growth and activation, and consider: 
   • desired outcomes for initiatives and the synergies between them
   • interface opportunities and issues
   • staging
   • implementation requirements and responsibilities.

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 27 is fully supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

Establish the land use, infrastructure and environmental needs of each region by progressively preparing, in order of priority, 20-year integrated regional plans. The plans should be:

• modelled on Perth and Peel @ 3.5 million
• supported by a robust regional development framework (see Recommendation 19 in the Regional development chapter), along with evidence-based identification of strategic infrastructure needs to serve and support population change and economic growth
• refreshed at least every 10 years. 

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 28 is partially supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

29. Ensure a focus on state-significant precincts through greater government infrastructure coordination and investment, tailored governance models and land-use planning intervention by establishing and implementing state priority areas, including:  

1. developing and publishing a prioritisation framework, in conjunction with key stakeholders, to ensure consistency of approach and application to areas of greatest strategic need or opportunity
2. endorsing the framework and state priority area locations at a whole of government level to ensure sufficient carriage by state agencies and government trading enterprises
3. extending the redevelopment functions and powers of the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority Act 2011 to non-metropolitan areas during the Machinery of Government legislative review process to enable an additional method for urban, industrial and economic land project planning and delivery in regional state priority areas.

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 29 is not supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

30. Ensure the protection of strategic industrial land uses, infrastructure and resource inputs by: 

1. finalising and gazetting the draft State Planning Policy 4.1 - Industrial interface
2. reviewing the Environmental Protection Authority’s Guidance Statement 3 – Separation distances between industrial and sensitive land uses, to ensure alignment with the finalised State Planning Policy 4.1. – Industrial interface
3. protecting, preserving and maintaining flexible uses in key industrial sites, particularly inner-metropolitan areas
4. reviewing the effectiveness of State Planning Policy 2.4 – Basic raw materials and the updated State Planning Policy 4.1 – Industrial interface, after they have been operational for 5 years
5. updating and maintaining basic raw materials resource mapping to understand the impacts of extraction, changing land-use patterns and environmental restrictions.

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 30 (a,b,c,e) is fully supported; (d) is not supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

31. Facilitate and coordinate investment in industrial and technological precincts by:

1. prioritising the finalisation of land assembly, approvals, development contribution arrangements in precincts with fragmented land ownership and other preparatory works, as recommended in the Industrial Lands Strategy
2. applying existing state land-use planning system tools, such as improvement schemes and redevelopment schemes, in a more consistent and proactive manner to industrial and technological precincts of highest priority to the state
3. consistent with Recommendation 40 in the Infrastructure delivery chapter, establishing an assessment process for the funding of strategic enabling infrastructure that facilitates private investment
4. planning for the long-term land needs throughout the state, with a priority focus on additional heavy industrial land in the Perth metropolitan area, and completing investigations into the South West Advanced Manufacturing and Technology Hub.

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 31 is fully supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

Improve cross-sector outcomes and alignment and provide certainty for private sector investment by developing and implementing a shared-use policy framework and practical guidelines for multi-user infrastructure corridors and facilities. The framework and guidelines should encompass:

• planning
• land assembly
• access arrangements
• safety and operational requirements
• governance
• conflict resolution
• staging and funding alignment
• risk and liability management.

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 32 is partially supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

33. Provide for future infrastructure needs by identifying and securing strategic sites, including:

1. establishing a centrally coordinated, dedicated and recurrent fund for regional land acquisition
2. centrally coordinating strategic infrastructure site identification, matching state agency and government trading enterprise needs with government landholdings and enabling better use of the existing land asset base.

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 33 (a) is partially supported; (b) is fully supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

34. Improve infrastructure planning by establishing a single, agreed set of common planning assumptions for state agencies and government trading enterprises, including:

1. providing, at a minimum, assumptions on population, demographics, housing, economy, employment, human services use, utilities use, transport, land use and climate
2. setting out agreed data sets and guidance material for their application
3. embedding them in the Strategic Asset Management Framework’s Strategic Asset Plan and Business Case guidelines as required for use, or provide a clear rationale or an exemption where they have not been applied
4. updating them regularly and making them publicly available.

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 34 is partially supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

35. Improve 2-way public and private sector information sharing about infrastructure capacity by:

1. developing statements of opportunity to identify surplus capacity or constraints in public infrastructure networks, in collaboration with industry, to harness opportunities or address barriers
2. undertaking place-based assessments of future public and private sector infrastructure intentions, including public and private utility providers, to identify the cumulative impacts of large-scale investments on demand for services and infrastructure, as well as opportunities for greater coordination. An initial pilot should be conducted on the Pilbara region.

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 35 is fully supported. For further information please refer to the response document.

36. Support improved infrastructure planning and decision-making by:

1. establishing an appropriate mechanism to embed and communicate the required use of the Strategic Asset Management Framework, including the requirement for all state agencies and government trading enterprises to comply
2. ensuring that all business case decision-making is considered by the Expenditure Review Committee of State Cabinet, and that all business cases contain the full range of content, relevant to their project value, as required by the Strategic Asset Management Framework
3. providing a centralised fund to support development of prioritised business cases, with an increased emphasis on building public sector capacity in state agencies and centralised expert units
4. updating the Strategic Asset Management Framework’s Business Case Guidelines to require consideration of interrelated infrastructure needs beyond the primary investment with other state agencies and government trading enterprises, along with the full costs and benefits, through early engagement and integrated business cases
5. requiring a benefits management plan to be completed and ensuring Infrastructure WA undertakes a post-completion review for all projects and programs that are required to undergo Major Infrastructure Proposal Assessment
6. updating the Strategic Asset Management Framework’s Strategic Asset Plan and Business Case guidelines to strengthen requirements for state agencies and government trading enterprises to demonstrate consideration of this Strategy and other relevant strategic planning documents and how they have informed the development of all related strategic asset plan and business case content
7. ensuring strategic asset plans are at the centre of a robust and transparent annual process, involving:
   1. systematic analysis of all strategic asset plans on an individual and amalgamated basis by Department of Treasury and IWA
   2. undertaking analysis and preparing content to inform the annual 10-year state infrastructure program
   3. engagement by the Department of Treasury with all strategic asset plan–producing state agencies and government trading enterprises to provide feedback to assist in ongoing improvement.

WA Government response

The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 36 (a,b,d,f,g) is fully supported; (e) is partially supported; (c) is not supported. For further information please refer to the response document.