In an Australian first for state governments, Treasurer Tim Pallas’s budget papers released this week announced it is actively exploring building information modelling (BIM) to improve project efficiency and outcomes. 

The government proposes to do this by working with relevant agencies to identify suitable projects to participate in a select pilot study. Based on results from the study, a staged plan for the implementation of BIM across infrastructure construction projects will be proposed.

International experience with BIM across the globe shows that it can improve the life of building assets through more effective post-construction management. Similarly, BIM has repeatedly demonstrated how significant amounts of time and money is saved during construction with clash detection enabling more materials to be confidently produced off site and installed without modification.

A productivity enhancing tool for the commercial building industry, moves closer towards full adoption. Taxpayers will be the primary beneficiaries.

One of the greatest failings of long term infrastructure planning in Victoria is the failure of political leadership.

As the last state election has clearly confirmed, Victoria’s infrastructure development system has degenerated to the point where long-term decisions are being either delayed or brought on in an imbalanced way. The debacle of the East West Link road project is the case in point.

After years of discussion and debate across two terms of government, nothing has been built, let alone started. If anything, the whole exercise demonstrates how easily public money can be squandered by politicians incapable of compromise or effective public communication.

With the community only left with sensationalist media reporting and political rhetoric as their guides for decision making, it is no wonder the project has been dumped so unceremoniously. In the end, the collateral damage is worsening congestion, a possible billion dollar loss to Victoria’s budget, insipid job creation and irreparable damage to the State’s economic credibility (sovereign risk).

In order to avoid this situation occurring repeatedly in the future, the decision making process needs a change of leadership. But unlike the revolving door leadership changes both major parties have engaged in over recent years, this one requires the public to seize control.

If our state is make sensible, accountable and long-sighted decisions about its infrastructure future, it needs to be at the heart of the decision making process. The best way to achieve this is by putting major infrastructure decisions to public referendum. A Swiss style referendum would enfranchise the public who deserve the right to be properly informed and decide how their state will be developed. Moreover, it would ensure that decisions are adherred to without the complication of elections and political opportunism.

To achieve this, Victorians should be regularly presented with key facts and projections by a dedicated infrastructure department. This department would propose which projects ought be considered and the order of their development. Armed with options for where Victoria could be in 20-30 years, a succession of referendums on key issues would decide how to proceed and in which order to do so. By drawing the public into the heart of the process, increased engagement would inject much needed purpose and accountability to an increasingly unpredictable system.

Infrastructure projects by definition take decades to plan and implement. Further, they require considerable investment and intensive private sector involvement in order to come to fruition. If we don’t get the process right for managing our infrastructure planning, we risk imperilling our State’s economic and liveability future.

Leadership challenges are always messy. And no one wants to fight. But surely the time has come for a change in how things are done. Infrastructure development takes place to improve the lives of the people. It’s time we all had a greater ownership of it.