If Australia is to avoid a future of congestion and constraint, we need to transform our infrastructure base. So Infrastructure Australia has produced its most comprehensive list of nation-shaping projects, with a record number of approved business cases. It's the infrastructure our nation needs, to boost quality of life and prosperity.

We have identified 100 major infrastructure proposals that have proven strategic merit and are of national importance. The Infrastructure Priority List features projects across the country that have been independently assessed to improve connectivity.

It is a guide for governments and the public on investing in assets like:

•     modern metro rail systems;
•     accessible and expanded ports and airports;
•     future capital city ring roads; and
•     protected corridors for high speed rail.

If we don’t act, costly bottlenecks and increasing delays will mean it takes longer for Australians to get to work or home, for our goods to reach ports and shops - and services we rely on from infrastructure utilities will decline.

Investing in nation-shaping projects allows us to tackle these problems and manage the great challenges Australia has in front of it, like huge population growth. Within 15 years there will be 30 million Australians and most will live in our four largest cities.

That's why the Priority List strongly features transformational plans like: Melbourne's Metro Tunnel; Sydney's 66km Metro rail; Brisbane's Cross River project; and redevelopment of Sydney’s Central Station. Australia’s largest cities should have ‘turn up and go’ public transport services - similar to New York, London and Berlin - and these projects can make that idea a reality.

At the same time we need to invest in efficient logistics networks and gateways that help us meet our other growth challenge: soaring international demand for Australian exports. Trade with our regional neighbours over the next 15 years will hit record heights, as Asia's middle class grows to two-thirds of the world's population.

In a strategic response, the Infrastructure Priority List supports rail and road proposals like: Inland Rail from Brisbane to Melbourne; Perth Freight Link; Murray Basin Rail; and major upgrades of Queensland's Bruce Highway. These projects will improve supply chains and help industry and farmers handle the expected 80% increase in the nation's freight task.

Urban and regional planning is a long game, so it is particularly pleasing to see projects from the List that will alter the destiny of their State. NSW, for instance, will always benefit from the ambitious WestConnex project, which tackles urban gridlock, and Victoria will score continued business and commuter wins from the on-going M80 Ring Road project.

Another visionary plan is to renew central Hobart by relocating the University of Tasmania's STEM Facilities into Hobart's CBD. A purpose-built and larger science faculty would drive an increase in domestic and overseas students and directly support urban regeneration. Given Hobart's population will grow far less than all other capital cities over the next 15 years, the University's expansion plan offers a welcome opportunity to boost economic activity and population levels in Tasmania.

Equally transformative are projects in the Western Sydney Priority Growth Area. The new Airport development, its transport links and the recently proposed Northern Road upgrade are on the Priority List. The last airport built like this was Tullamarine in the 1960's, on farmland outside Melbourne. Curfew-free, it energised the tourism and freight sectors, generating thousands of local jobs. Badgery's Creek can do the same for Western Sydney over coming decades.

Safeguarding options for future projects is also on our radar.

Highest priority should be given to protecting essential land corridors needed for long-term projects like High Speed Rail. Let's also protect corridors for rail and pipeline connections to Western Sydney airport and for Melbourne's outer metropolitan ring road.

Major financial investment in infrastructure will clearly be required to progress this infrastructure agenda. Funding constraints are the core challenge, because it is widely acknowledged that the combined level of public and private expenditure on infrastructure must grow. 

Spending by any government will always be impacted by other legitimate demands, particularly health and welfare. It is all the more reason to encourage decision-making on infrastructure that sees funds go to projects that have demonstrated benefits. Across the nation, great infrastructure ideas will be progressed if we adopt a strategic and ambitious approach.

Mark Birrell is Chairman of Infrastructure Australia

This article appeared in the Weekend Australian on 25 February, 2017