Key Facts:
- Infrastructure planning across Australia must be supported by clear understanding of construction materials supply to avoid project delays
- Materials supply is identified as the largest non-labour supply risk to infrastructure delivery, particularly steel, quarry products and concrete
- Coordinated supply and demand analysis for construction materials is crucial for efficient delivery of national infrastructure projects
- South East Queensland faces potential supply shortages as demand for materials is expected to increase due to population growth and 2032 Olympics
- Lack of proper planning could result in project delays, higher costs and supply bottlenecks affecting national infrastructure development
Governments across Australia must ensure infrastructure planning is supported by a clear understanding of heavy construction materials supply or risk delays to the nation's infrastructure pipeline, Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia (CCAA) has warned following the release of Infrastructure Australia's latest Infrastructure Priority List.
The updated list identifies nationally significant transport, ports, water and energy infrastructure proposals recommended for consideration over the coming decade.
CCAA Chief Executive Officer Michael Kilgariff said the Priority List and Infrastructure Australia's latest Market Capacity Report together highlight the importance of understanding the materials needed to deliver major infrastructure projects.
"Infrastructure Australia's Market Capacity Report shows that supply of key construction inputs remains a major risk to infrastructure delivery, with industry identifying materials such as steel, quarry products and concrete as significant threats to project delivery," he said.
"Materials supply is the largest non-labour supply risk to infrastructure delivery, which is why governments need a much clearer understanding of the demand for heavy construction materials as infrastructure pipelines grow."
Mr Kilgariff said coordinated supply and demand analysis for heavy construction materials will be critical to ensuring the nation's infrastructure ambitions can be delivered efficiently.
"With a significant pipeline of projects identified across the country, governments must ensure infrastructure planning is supported by robust supply-and-demand studies for heavy construction materials," he said.
"Without this level of planning, governments risk delays, higher project costs and supply bottlenecks that could slow the delivery of nationally significant infrastructure."
"From transport corridors and port upgrades to renewable energy infrastructure and water systems, heavy construction materials are fundamental to delivering the infrastructure that supports Australia's productivity, housing growth and energy transition."
Previous Infrastructure Australia Market Capacity Reports have also highlighted the risk of supply shortages in key growth regions.
"In earlier Infrastructure Australia Market Capacity analysis, demand for quarry products, concrete and bitumen in South East Queensland was identified as likely to outstrip available supply without better long-term planning," Mr Kilgariff said.
"With South East Queensland experiencing rapid population growth and preparing for major infrastructure delivery linked to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, demand for heavy construction materials in the region is expected to increase significantly over the coming decade.
"That makes it even more important that governments undertake detailed supply and demand analysis for heavy construction materials so infrastructure can be delivered efficiently and without unnecessary delays."
About us:
About CCAA CCAA is the voice of Australia's heavy construction materials industry, an industry that generates over $15 billion annually and directly employs 30,000 Australians, with a further 80,000 employed indirectly. CCAA members produce most of Australia's cement, concrete, and aggregates, which are essential to the nation's building and construction sectors.
