economy and environment function. They are also the greatest unknown from an infrastructure planning perspective. To stay relevant, Infrastructure Victoria’s 30-year strategy will be updated every three to five years. As circumstances change, so will our advice. Objectives THESE OBJECTIVES SET OUT WHAT THE STRATEGY IS AIMING TO ACHIEVE. THEY RECOGNISE THAT GOOD INFRASTRUCTURE IS NOT AN END IN ITSELF, BUT AN ENABLER OF BETTER SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL OUTCOMES. 1 Prepare for population change Victoria’s population is expected to grow from approximately 6.0 million in 2016 to approximately 9.5 million in 2046. There will be proportionally more elderly Victorians, households will get smaller and the majority of growth will be centred in cities, particularly Melbourne. Having the right infrastructure in place will be critical for accommodating this growth and meeting increased and differing demands for services and housing across Victoria. 2 Foster healthy, safe and inclusive communities Making our state a great place to live is about more than just accommodating growth. It is also about Victorians being and feeling healthy, safe and part of the community. All of these factors can be influenced by the quality, design and accessibility of infrastructure and services. 3 Reduce disadvantage People who face socio-economic and other forms of disadvantage may have less ability to participate in society and access resources. In Victoria, disadvantage is concentrated in certain areas and experienced most acutely by certain cohorts. Infrastructure can help provide better access to employment and educational opportunities and social services and activities for disadvantaged Victorians. 4 Enable workforce participation Participation in the workforce benefits both individuals and the wider economy. Over the coming decades, Victoria’s workforce participation rate is expected to decline, largely due to the ageing of the population. It is unlikely this decline can be reversed entirely, but infrastructure can play a role in connecting people to jobs and supporting a healthy, educated workforce. 5 Lift productivity Productivity growth is critical to improving living standards in the long term, particularly in the context of declining workforce participation. Productivity growth in Victoria has been
GOVERNMENT HAS A ROLE IN BOTH DRIVING AND ENABLING INNOVATION. Over the coming decades, state government will need to invest in technological solutions and remove barriers to private sector innovation. DIGITAL CONNECTIVITY IS THE COMMON LINK RUNNING THROUGH THE STRATEGY. The recommendations cover a range of different areas related to technology, but improving communications infrastructure across the state is a high priority. We know that technology will radically transform how services are delivered and infrastructure is used over the next 30 years, though exactly how this will unfold is yet to be seen. Driverless vehicles, 3D printing, advanced robotics and battery storage are just some of the innovations that are likely to disrupt Victoria’s infrastructure landscape over the coming decades. In developing the strategy, we’ve been particularly cognisant of the Victorian Government’s role in this area. Some recommendations are about state government providing technology infrastructure on its own or in partnership with others. This is particularly relevant when there are strong equity or economic grounds for government intervention or when technology can complement or provide an alternative to traditional bricks and mortar service delivery. Other recommendations are about state government removing regulatory barriers to enable private sector innovation. Examples of recommendations in the strategy with a strong technology focus include: Communications infrastructure Critical infrastructure control systems Driverless vehicles Education delivery through technology Health care delivery through technology High-capacity signalling Justice case management ICT system Major water supply augmentation Public transport real-time information See page 38 for a full list of recommendations and reference numbers. HOW TO NAVIGATE THE RECOMMENDATIONS Following the strategic framework set out on pages 8 to 14, the recommendations have been organised according to the needs, or challenges, they address. Some recommendations address multiple needs. In these cases, the recommendations are repeated, so that each need is self-contained and presents a full picture of the problem being addressed and the solutions being proposed. The strategy includes 137 recommendations, of which 52 appear under multiple needs. The recommendations under each need include the following elements:
Timeline 15.1 Incentivise waste minimisation and remove barriers to increasing waste recovery rates 15.1.1 Recycled materials in construction: 0-5 years (Changing behaviour/better use, statewide, water and waste) 15.1.2 Organic waste: 0-10 years (Changing behaviour/better use statewide, water and waste) 15.1.3 Waste pricing: 0-5 years (Planning/prioritisation or further investigation), 15-30 years (Anticipated completion of potential future project/reform) statewide, water and waste 15.2 Secure capacity for waste management 15.2.1 Landfill protection: 0-5 years (Changing behaviour/better use, statewide, water and waste) 15.2.2 Waste management sites: 0-5 years (Changing behaviour/better use, statewide, water and waste) Need 16 Help preserve natural environments and minimise biodiversity loss Meeting this need will help achieve objectives: 1. Prepare for population change 2. Foster healthy, safe and inclusive communities 7. Promote sustainable production and consumption 8. Protect and enhance natural environments 9. Advance climate change mitigation and adaptation 10. Build resilience to shocks Victoria’s national parks, state forests and other protected areas seek to preserve biodiversity and healthy ecosystems. Along with urban parks, they provide ‘ecosystem services’ such as water catchment and filtration and are part of Victoria’s environmental and cultural heritage. Pressure on these areas and other natural environments is expected to grow due to factors such as urbanisation, increased visitation, climate change and invasive pests. Victoria’s natural environments span national parks, state forests and other protected areas, urban green spaces, and private and public land. All have the capacity to contribute to biodiversity outcomes in Victoria. Biodiversity is important, both because of its intrinsic environmental value and because many of the products we use are derived from plants and animals. National parks are particularly important for protecting native ecosystems, providing essential services such as water purification, and enabling tourism and sporting and recreation activities, to support local economies and healthy living. Victoria is the most cleared state in Australia. Its natural environments and habitat corridors have, and will, come under pressure from population growth, development on the edges of urban centres, agricultural activity and climate change. The number of