Infrastructure Australia Amendment (Independent Review) 2023

# Infrastructure Australia Amendment (Independent Review) Bill 2023 ## What it does This bill updates the rules for how Infrastructure Australia operates, making it clearer that the organisation's main job is to give independent advice to government about which infrastructure projects the country should invest in. It reorganises how Infrastructure Australia conducts its work—including audits of infrastructure needs, evaluations of projects, and creating priority lists—but the core mission stays the same. ## Why it matters Infrastructure Australia's recommendations influence billions of dollars in government spending on roads, rail, ports, and other major projects. Making the law clearer about its independence and functions helps ensure these recommendations are based on what Australia actually needs, rather than short-term political priorities. ## Key details - **The "independence" part**: The bill explicitly states Infrastructure Australia is meant to be the government's "independent adviser"—this is now written into the law, not just assumed. - **Timing**: Most changes take effect immediately after the bill gets Royal Assent, but changes to governance rules (Part 2) can be delayed up to 6 months while the government sorts out the details. - **What changes**: The bill removes outdated references (like COAG, a council that no longer meets) and reorganises sections about audits, evaluations, and priority lists, but doesn't fundamentally alter what Infrastructure Australia does.

🔒 Voting closed — this bill has been decided by parliament