Australia's current pipeline of major infrastructure projects is one of the largest in its recent history. The energy transition, expansion of road and public transport networks, the push to lift housing supply and investment in critical minerals and data centres have the potential to shape the strength and sustainability of our economy, both now and into the future.

But delivering on these projects is far from straightforward. Major projects are costing more, taking longer and too often delivering less than was promised. Construction productivity is now 7 per cent lower than it was in 1990.

When projects go undelivered, Australians miss out on the infrastructure necessary to support economic activity.

To understand what is holding back productivity in major infrastructure and where reform should be focused, CEDA, in partnership with WSP, convened a series of roundtables that brought together senior leaders from industry, government and investment across the water, energy, resources and public infrastructure sectors.

This paper summarises the key themes that emerged from our engagement and provides directions on where future policy and research efforts should be focused.

We heard that poor risk management practices, risk aversion, information asymmetries and opaque and contradictory procurement processes leave little room for developers and contractors to invest in productivity-enhancing tools and capabilities.

We also heard that these headwinds can be overcome. Early engagement between partners, programmatic procurement, and standardisation of contractual practices and some project elements can all facilitate greater efficiency in infrastructure projects.

Delivering on these priorities can help lift productivity in Australia’s infrastructure projects and build more of what Australians need.