The board will be chaired by Mark Birrell, former Victorian Minister and a member of Infrastructure Australia since 2008.
Other members of the board are:
- Julieanne Alroe;
- Gerard Blood;
- Michael Carapiet;
- Peter Corish;
- Colin Duffield;
-
Nicole Lockwood;
- Daniel Norton;
- Kerry Schott;
- Peter Watson
The board will report to a CEO, yet to be announced by the government.
In announcing the new board, Infrastructure Minister Warren Truss said the change in the Infrastructure Australia governance structure would help create a stronger, more independent organisation to better serve the nation's needs.
“I am pleased to announce that Mark Birrell will be the chair of the new board, bringing his extensive experience, strategic infrastructure planning expertise and strong leadership to his new role,” he said.
“Birrell has been a part of Infrastructure Australia since 2008 and will give the authority continuity and stability going forward.
“Kerry Schott and Nicole Lockwood were both members of the Infrastructure Australia council previous to this appointment and I would like to acknowledge their prior contributions, as well as that of other council members.”
The appointment of the new board follows the federal government’s passing of the Infrastructure Australia Amendment Bill 2013 in June to make the body more transparent and independent from government.
Now described as free from political interference, the new IA is tasked with undertaking an audit of nationally important infrastructure and developing a 15-year plan on infrastructure priorities.
“A more robust and transparent Infrastructure Australia with respected and experienced appointees is a key part of our plan to build a strong and prosperous economy,” Truss commented.
However and while the bill helped transform IA into an independent authority, it also diminished its power by enabling the federal government to fund and deliver some major infrastructure projects without the advisory body’s scrutiny – thereby failing at taking politics out of the infrastructure cycle.
A cabinet committee, comprising Truss, Treasurer Joe Hockey and infrastructure and regional development assistant minister Jamie Briggs and overseen by Prime Minister Tony Abbott, was formed in March to drive infrastructure projects across Australia.
It will look at proposals from state governments and the private sector.
