1. Promoting Excellence
in the Built Environment
Consult Australia New South Wales
A hub for advanced professional services
New South Wales is home to over 8,000 firms
consulting in the built and natural environment.
In recent years, a renewed pipeline of major projects,
alongside the emergence of new markets in oil and
gas, has restored confidence in the market for these
services across the State.
Many larger consulting firms continue to look for new
opportunities to expand in New South Wales alongside
those smaller firms operating throughout the State’s
cities and regional centres. Increasingly the potential
for New South Wales to support a new hub for
advanced professional services has become clear.
Success in the design and delivery of current major
projects supporting economic growth and renewal
across New South Wales, now needs to be supported
by a further robust long-term pipeline of funded
projects. Economic, policy and regulatory settings that
support the development of this pipeline will release a
new wave of investment across the State and embed
and expand those advanced professional services now
critical for future growth, competitiveness and jobs.
Consult Australia recommends:
 Planning and developing a stronger infrastructure
pipeline;
 Releasing new funds for infrastructure investment;
 Supporting best practice procurement; and
 Creating a better business environment.

2. The challenge and opportunity ahead
After many years of slow and stagnant development in New South Wales, business is now more optimistic about
the potential for the State to realise the Government’s goal to be number one again. With the delivery of a strong
initial reform agenda and a number of major projects, there is now a new challenge to continue this momentum
and maintain confidence in the longer-term.
As states and territories struggle to identify new ways to fund their infrastructure backlog against increasing
pressure to maintain credit ratings, it is more important than ever that all spheres of government are ambitious in
their policy development and deliver the leadership necessary to support long-term business confidence.
With targeted intervention, governments can build productivity and mitigate the risk created by extremes in
boom/bust construction cycles. In the longer-term this will lower construction costs for future investment when
sustained demand will avoid losing those critical skills essential for later growth and more expensive to replace
once lost.
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS
Planning and developing the infrastructure pipeline
 As a matter of urgency, task Infrastructure NSW (INSW) with the development of a 10 year fully funded Priority
Plan and delivery schedule for infrastructure across the State (inclusive of short, medium and longer-term
deliverables for 2, 5 and 10 years). This Priority Plan would be supported by the parallel development of a new
30 year Infrastructure Plan for NSW, associated regional and local infrastructure plans and account for the
availability of skills, the economic cycle, and broad, long-term cost benefit analysis.
 Invest in early feasibility and design studies, outsourced to support local industry, to help ensure a continuous
supply of a wide range of ‘shovel ready’ projects ready to proceed as soon as funds are made available.
 Strengthen the role of INSW in its capacity to provide independent expert and transparent advice to
government supporting a stronger interface with infrastructure Australia.
 Support long-term integrated strategic planning and best-practice local government by implementing as a
matter of urgency the recommendations of the NSW Independent Local Government Review Panel.
 Support effective stakeholder engagement that delivers value for money outcomes on major projects and
eases the transparent passage of clearly identified state significant developments and infrastructure.
 Work with all spheres of government, the community and business to plan for the development of the first
stage of a Western Sydney airport at Badgery’s Creek; in line with the recommendations from the 2012 Joint
Study on aviation capacity for the Sydney region.
Releasing new funds for infrastructure investment
 Continue the recycling of existing assets with the allocation of all funds realised into Restart NSW. Support a
shift to intelligent and systemic use of ‘user pays’ principles as a means to fund new infrastructure, manage
congestion and encourage appropriate modal shifts.

3. PROMOTING EXCELLENCE IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
 Develop and implement an integrated funding framework releasing new funds for infrastructure investment
that includes:
 Slowing the path to surplus and redirecting available funds to productivity enhancing infrastructure.
 Leveraging funds available through Restart NSW with a new ‘bond bank’ providing seed finance and
attracting private investment to qualifying projects identified through broad, long-term cost benefit analysis.
 Establishing a Value Capture Unit within Infrastructure NSW to identify opportunities to fund new
infrastructure by leveraging the consequent increase in surrounding property values.
Supporting best practice procurement
 Support our calls for the establishment of a National Procurement Centre of Excellence to: bring together
procurement expertise across government in both construction and non-construction procurement; improve
business consultation and engagement; and develop and support the implementation and use of best practice,
fairer contracts (incorporating fair allocation of risk), guidelines and training for agency procurement officers.
 Capture the ‘design dividend’ and associated value for money outcomes across the whole project life cycle by:
 Building procurement capability across government (as above);
 Ensuring better balance between quality, sustainability, cost and time; and
 Helping to ensure the selection and application of the most appropriate procurement processes for
projects across New South Wales.
 Continue to review and reform government procurement processes and policy, including for example the
delivery and unamended use across government of a new standard contract for public sector agencies
engaging with consultants.
 In consultation with business, strengthen the policy and guidelines that govern and facilitate unsolicited
development proposals from the private sector.
 Establish a pool of highly regarded former and current industry experts (‘Grey Panthers’ keen to fulfil a public
service during or at the end of a successful career) to provide advice and support for project scoping and bid
evaluation teams on complex or major projects. Grey Panthers’ expertise would build procurement capability
across government, support innovation in design and delivery, challenge inefficient application of standards,
minimise the potential for gold-plating and help ensure and report against value for money outcomes.
Creating a better business environment
 Ensure national consistency in the introduction of any state-based registration or certification of professionals
working in the built environment.
 Introduce an Education and Training Incentive to support business investment in graduates and continuing
professional development for staff employed in New South Wales firms.
 Lead the adoption through government of new technologies such as Building Information Modelling and
Integrated Project Delivery.
 Continue to support access to skilled workers through an effective skilled migration program

4. Who benefits?
Consult Australia believes that these initiatives will help secure a more productive, prosperous future for New
South Wales through more competitive businesses, new jobs and a better built environment:
 New South Wales will be stronger for these initiatives as a consequence of greater efficiencies in project
delivery, better value for money for the tax-payer, and increased productivity secured for the long-term through
a robust pipeline of strategic economic infrastructure.
 Local industry will generate jobs and be more competitive both internationally and nationally through new
export opportunities and a better business operating environment.
 New South Wales’ will demonstrate it is open for business through ongoing investment in the built environment
and infrastructure that supports the productivity, liveability and sustainability of New South Wales’ urban and
regional centres.
Realising New South Wales’ potential
Consult Australia’s recommendations provide the basis for a new conversation with all spheres of government;
supporting a better future for Consult Australia’s member firms, wider industry, government and the broader
community alike.
More collaborative relationships between business and government will realise wide-spread benefits. With these
reforms, government will build on our strengths, boost productivity and keep businesses, jobs and skills in New
South Wales.
We welcome your feedback on these ideas, removing barriers to their implementation and promoting continued
business success, sustainability and prosperity for New South Wales.
Our industry
Consult Australia is the industry association that represents the
business interests of consulting firms operating in the built and
natural environment across Australia. Our member firms’ services
include, but are not limited to: design; architecture; technology;
engineering; surveying; legal; and management solutions.
Contact
Alexia Lidas
NSW State Manager
P. (02) 8252 6708
M. 0405 977 550
E. alexia@consultaustralia.com.au
W. www.consultaustralia.com.au/nsw/
PROMOTING EXCELLENCE IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
48,000
firms
$1.4 billion
in exports
240,000
employees
$40 billion
in revenue