Inland Queensland Roads Action Plan Creating jobs. Driving Productivity. Attracting Investment Glenys Schuntner IQ-RAP Secretariat RDA Townsville and North West Queensland Chief Executive Officer
Overview Background Approach Recommendations Why does IQ-RAP matter Next steps 2
Background Lack of a plan for the west Council resource challenges Planning gap with 15 year SIP Regional engagement RRTGs encouraged and financed RDA to help take initial steps to develop IQ- RAP partnerships, provide secretariat and engage consultants 47 partner organisations Working Group and Project Team Many more supporters 3
Approach IQ-RAP vision is to increase the quality and accessibility of the road network contributing to Australia s productivity, quality of life, safety and equity outcomes. IQ-RAP objectives: Improved safety outcomes Sustainable jobs Improved productivity for businesses along supply chains Enhanced competitiveness of exporters Improved infrastructure to support new private sector investment Resilience and more reliable connectivity for the delivery of goods and services 4
IQ-RAP goals are to: identify key transport routes linking markets and producers in the north and south of Australia, and west and east to ports and overseas markets identify key transport routes to provide strategic all-weather access alternatives to the coastal route resilient networks from the Gulf to the South-West to the East improve the safe, effective and efficient transit of freight efficient vehicles (FEV) Open up new tourism routes Improve the robustness of funding decisions 5
Multi-criteria analysis (MCA) of 16,000 km of inland roads assessed: Economic value Safety Strategic intent Access Social value To meet existing government Vision Standard, the MCA identified: 3,000 km of strategically important road requiring upgrade 300 bridges and culverts requiring upgrade Mix of national, state and local roads No gold-plating No blue sky 6
Recommendations: The IQ-RAP network: Eastern and Western Zones Prioritised works identified when to start and be completed Red = complete to vision standard within 5 years Yellow = complete to vision standard within 10 years Blue = complete to vision standard within 18 years 7
Prioritised projects into a program of works to maximise return on investment: Average $277 million / p.a. over 18 year program life 4 tranches to maximise strategic funding benefit Projects fell broadly equally by region and period RRTGs Strategic estimate in total $m Future investment $m in each period 1-5 yr 6-10 yr 11-15 yr 15-18 yr South West 694 86 343 265 Outback 903 106 337 410 50 North West 1,222 176 305 307 434 Bowen Basin, Rockhampton, Gladstone 964 220 424 320 Whitsunday 417 92 126 81 118 North Queensland 491 170 132 189 Far North Queensland 321 72 146 103 TOTAL 5,012 922 1,813 1,675 602 Based on 2015$/ North Queensland = funding partners Townsville and Charters Towers Far North Queensland = Mareeba and Tablelands 8
Scale of works packages: Modest few projects over $100 million Many small-scale local projects suiting local resourcing Many progressive widening, sealing, drainage programs over multiple years Photo courtesy of Mount Isa City Council 9
Why is IQ-RAP important? IQ-RAP Region: 19% of Australia s area 82% of Queensland s area Unemployment is very high and growing; population decline in many parts of the region Yet high economic contributor - Greater regional Queensland contributes 52% of Queensland s GSP, ie $150 billion p.a. ie nearly 10% of Australia s GDP IQ-RAP region = 33 funding partner councils Greater regional QLD = outside Greater Brisbane 10
IQ-RAP supports Australian and Queensland Governments objectives: Creates jobs Contributes to creating economic growth Enhances delivery of the Northern Australia agenda Improved infrastructure (and connectivity between northern, southern and export markets) Support the key industry pillars - food and agribusiness, resources and energy, tourism, defence Attract new investment Increasing exports Increasing productivity Photo courtesy of Isaac Regional Council 11
IQ-RAP aligns with Infrastructure Australia s Australian Infrastructure Plan, and Recommendation 4.1 in particular: State and territory governments should deliver long-term regional infrastructure plans. These plans should: Identify gaps in infrastructure networks and identify priorities to support productive regional industries; Be developed with involvement from all levels of government to help coordinate investments and remove duplication; Provide transparency for the private sector to allow for government funding to be leveraged and private investment to be maximised; and Assess the potential for regions to ease pressure on our largest cities. 12
IQ-RAP aligns with the State Infrastructure Plan Strategy The SIP identifies productivity as the top key challenge for Queensland. The SIP identifies the directions to go forward: Finding the right solutions: better planning and assessment The most effective funding and financing options available The most efficient procurement: lower costs for business. Getting the most from what we have: better use of existing assets Better engagement: understanding needs and setting expectations 13
IQ-RAP Aligns with TMR s Strategic Plan Organisation Alignment TMR TMR Strategic Plan We contribute to the government s objectives for the community by delivering a transport network that: Is customer centric Is efficient and affordable Considers the environment Responds to emergencies Is resilient Provides jobs Encourages economic prosperity Is prepared for the future impact from the actions of today Our customers Innovation - Lead for innovation to inspire new and different ways of doing things - Connect and partner with industry and community to design for the future Liveable regions and active cities - Integrate land use and transport to promote community cohesion, economic development and environmental sustainability - Promote and invest in active and public transport solutions that support broader community benefits - Prepare for the freight tasks of tomorrow - Protect, maintain and operate our network to ensure resilience and safety Contemporary workforce Sustainable funding Regulation 14
COAG Key Freight Routes QLD 2015/16 to 2018/19 Less than 5% investment in IQ-RAP s 82% of State http://transportinfrastructurecouncil.gov.au/publications/files/queensland_kfr_expenditure_investme nt_plan IQ-RAP requires investment of 0.2% of the GSP of the economy it supports IQ-RAP requires investment of the equivalent of 4% of the annual TMR budget IQ-RAP can deliver 15,000 FTE jobs IQ-RAP will ensure better safety outcomes IQ-RAP will provide significant productivity gains for all businesses IQ-RAP will catalyse new investment in rural industries including tourism IQ-RAP will ensure more resilient and better connectivity of communities for delivery of goods and services in severe weather events IQ-RAP can halt the decline in rural populations 15
However, IQ-RAP Challenges traditional road funding models: Funding attraction is based on increasing local capacity to resolve congestion and black spots rather than creating alternate routes to reduce demand SEQ focussed in most cases Most traffic is on the coastal strip so most money is spent there Coastal network is inefficient, impacted greatly by climatic events and off-limits to FEV Funding is competitive on a project-by-project basis with a limited strategic network-wide view IQ-RAP also challenges silo thinking 16
Next steps: Working Group new Chair and Deputy Chairs to be elected More than ¾ of Stage 1 funding partners have already paid funds for Stage 2 Finalise advocacy plan and budget for 2016-17 Consideration of new enquiries to join IQ-RAP On-going engagement with key stakeholders What is the IQ-RAP Working Group seeking: Recognition and reference by all governments to the IQ-RAP as a planning tool to support future road and broad transport planning, programs and funding decisions Consideration of broader economic and social benefits to increase funding to regional roads in Queensland Long term, bi-partisan commitments to regional roads as economic enablers 17
On behalf of IQ-RAP WG and 47 funding partners who are the regional leaders championing the case for long term sustainability of regional Queensland, thank you for your support and interest. For more details: IQ-RAP Secretariat c/ RDA Townsville and North West Queensland CEO Glenys Schuntner ceo@rdanwq.org.au 07 4410 3655 0417 198 284 18