11 June 2009
The new ‘NSW Transport and Infrastructure’ agency is welcome, but it will only be a success if there is a genuine integration of decision-making, according to the Urban Taskforce.
Were pleased that the government has taken this step, but its important that the mistakes of previous departmental amalgamations are avoided.
The easiest part is changing the letterhead the hardest part is getting the staff of the combined agency working together.
In a previous amalgamation the short-lived Department of Infrastructure and Natural Resources, was ungovernable due to warring fiefdoms.
Mr Gadiel said a key measure of the mergers success would be a simpler process for getting transport agency sign-off for new urban development.
The support of RailCorp and the Roads and Traffic Authority is often required before planning approval is given to residential, retail, commercial and industrial development near major road and rail corridors.
Government needs to bring the different rail, bus and road experts dealing with new urban development into a single team, Mr Gadiel said.
Too many development proposals have been lost without a trace in the rail and road bureaucracies.
If this new model delivers a genuine one-stop shop for industry, it will have our full support.
The Urban Taskforce is a property development industry group, representing Australias most prominent property developers and equity financiers.
For every $1 million in construction expenditure, 27 jobs are created throughout the broader economy. The construction activity made possible by property developers contributes $69 billion to the national economy each year and creates 709,000 direct jobs. The construction industry is Australias third largest source of employment.