COVID-19 has forced the hand of governments around the world to spend and spend big. Putting aside our health response, how we get Australians back to work in the quickest way possible is crucial to our recovery.

A key focus of the 2020/21 Federal Budget is on our infrastructure industry with states, local councils and regional Australians benefiting from major spending on roads, bridges, rail and community works. A catalyst for jobs and growth, it contributes around AUD137 billion to the economy each year equating to around 7.2 per cent of our total economic activity. In 2019, nine per cent of jobs in Australia were sourced directly from the construction industry.

The government has added an extra AUD14 billion to its 10-year infrastructure program for new and accelerated projects across each state which it has estimated will create 40,000 new jobs. Funding for shovel-ready projects includes an extra AUD1 billion for the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program, AUD2 billion nationwide for road safety projects and new AUD2 billion funding for water security and mitigation infrastructure.

In addition to this commitment, the Morrison Government has also pledged a further AUD1.5 billion towards Australia’s manufacturing industry with priority areas including space, recycling and clean energy projects, defence and resources technologies.

Getting the green light on a range of infrastructure projects across the country is vital for the creation of thousands of jobs needed to reduce the nation’s unemployment rate which currently sits at 7.5 per cent.

However, new projects that can take years to get to a shovel ready state, are often delayed by community opposition – as reported in Infrastructure Australia’s 2019 Audit revealing that AUD20billion worth of projects were cancelled or mothballed over the last ten years.

Confidence in the Stakeholder Engagement Process is Needed for Investment

Community opposition, red tape and slow approvals are all factors that impede our ability to move projects through to construction.

To address this, WSP has released the Online Community Portal which is designed to improve the effectiveness of community engagement.

The proprietary tool helps project shapers to engage with the community in a more contemporary user-friendly way by transforming technical information into a visually engaging, easy to understand format with 24/7 access.

Importantly, because of its digital nature, projects can be brought to life sooner through improved engagement and a better understanding of community needs which in turn enhances business cases and design integration in addition to assisting with the environmental approval process.

“We’re excited to be bringing the Online Community Portal to the market for the benefit of our clients and the communities in which we work, live and play,” says Guy Templeton, WSP’s President & CEO for Australia and New Zealand. “This easy to use tool provides clear lines of communication for all stakeholders via digital engagement with transparency and openness.

The portal facilitates access to information at any time and from anywhere, in line with modern expectations. This helps our clients, the asset owners, developers and operators of infrastructure and essential services to adapt and respond quicker to evolving scenarios.

This will assist more projects entering a shovel ready phase, creating jobs and supporting growth for the Australian economy.

Improve Data Utilisation and Create Greater Insight Through the Online Community Portal

“Our Online Community Portal combines planning studies, environmental approvals data, design specifications and general project information into one comprehensive digital platform,” explains Rebecca Davis, Director of Environment, Advisory & Digital. “It enables clients to build trust and confidence with communities by providing clear impact assessments and management procedures.”

Through a community centric approach, we can help create value for investors by providing a more efficient model through the approvals phase and deliver potential savings to operational expenses that enables a better financial return and improved outcome for investors and the community.

“To be ready for an uncertain future, digital innovations such as this can provide us with a more agile approach to infrastructure problems,” adds Rebecca. “By creating a more inclusive and community centric approach that is future ready, we can drive productivity and improve sustainability while optimising the planning, design and construction phase.