Australian Innovation System Report 2012 Compendium of Program Updates

DEPARTMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORT

Smart Infrastructure Awards

On 4 April 2012, the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, the Hon Anthony Albanese MP, awarded the 2011 Smart Infrastructure Awards. The awards consist of the Australian Smart Infrastructure Project Award for an innovative technology based project, and the Australian Smart Infrastructure Research Award which provides a $25,000 (GST exclusive) grant for an innovative proposal supporting excellence in smart infrastructure research and development. The Awards were sponsored by the Department of Infrastructure and Transport.

The Smart Infrastructure Awards recognise excellence in design, delivery and use of Smart technologies in the provision of Infrastructure services in the following areas:

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  a national broadband network;
  
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  a true national energy market;
  
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  competitive international gateways;
  
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  a national rail freight network;
  
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  transforming our cities;
  
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  providing essential indigenous infrastructure; and
  
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  adaptable and secure water supplies to cope with climate change.
  

Joint winners of the 2012 Australian Smart Infrastructure Project Award were Tasmanian Irrigation Pty Ltd for its Tasmanian Sustainable Irrigation Development project and Transfield Services for their Future Flow project.

The Tasmanian Sustainable Irrigation Development project involved the development of a series of 13 irrigation schemes which are to be completed in 2015. The project is to provide additional water to farmers and provide consistent water flow. The project will mitigate against the effects of drought in Tasmania and allow for new and/or intensified horticulture and livestock production in the area.

The Future Flow project has delivered water savings to northern Victorian farmers by converting sections of manually operated irrigation network to fully automated IT-based water delivery systems. It has resulted in consistent flow rates which have resulted in improved irrigation efficiency with most water savings being returned to the Northern Victorian Rivers and wetlands via environmental flows.

The Department of Infrastructure Engineering, the University of Melbourne, was presented the 2012 Australian Smart Infrastructure Research Award and a $25,000 research grant towards its Quantification of Design Innovation for Infrastructure Projects research proposal. This research proposal seeks to establish a refined and industry validated model for evaluating design value. Its aim is to improve overall economic productivity derived from the use of infrastructure and deliver greater transparency in how innovation and sustainability is assessed and how this can increase the likelihood of reduced bidding costs.

The Smart Infrastructure Awards are an ongoing annual event.

Website for further information:

www.infrastructure.org.au/Content/2012NationalInfrastructureAwards.aspx

An agreed national policy framework for intelligent transport systems in Australia

Development of a policy framework for Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) was initiated by Transport Ministers in late 2010. Emerging ITS technology has the potential to deliver significant safety, environmental and efficiency benefits to Australian transport users. Having considered this potential, Australian Transport Ministers agreed to develop a policy framework to build ITS into a shared vision of safe, sustainable, efficient, reliable and integrated transport. The policy framework is critical to guiding consistent application of policy principles to achieve the most cost effective implementation of ITS nationally, and across all transport modes. It ensures that the benefits gained from ITS can be optimised through national cooperation and not diluted by compatibility issues.

The Commonwealth and Queensland Governments led the development of the work., however, all jurisdictions were involved through the Austroads Cooperative ITS Steering Committee. Industry was consulted during the development process and on the final draft. Key national and federal bodies also contributed input to the framework including the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, the Department of Broadband Communications and the Digital Economy, CSIRO and Infrastructure Australia. The Policy Framework for Intelligent Transport Systems in Australia was submitted to the Standing Council on Transport and Infrastructure at its meeting on 4 November 2011 and was endorsed by Australian Transport Ministers.

A web page to communicate the framework has been published and the endorsed framework is available to stakeholders.

Website for further information:

www.infrastructure.gov.au .

National Smart Managed Motorways Program

The Australian Government has committed $60 million over four years to 2014-15 for projects under the National Smart Managed Motorways Program (the Program). Four projects were announced in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.

The aim of the Program is to deliver more efficient motorways through the application of modern technology-based solutions to improve real time management of major motorways. The technologies include data collection sensors to monitor traffic flows; variable speed limits to control traffic speeds; variable message signs to alert drivers to any incidents; and ramp metering to control the flow of traffic entering a motorway.

Funding has been approved for two initial projects in Sydney and Melbourne. These initial projects will demonstrate what might be achieved in the future through a wider implementation of this technology.

At the conclusion of the Program, lessons learned will be developed via a workshop session.

Liveable Cities program

The Liveable Cities program consists of $20 million of Australian Government funding available over two years to (2013-2014) to help improve the planning and design in selected capital cities and major regional cities that are experiencing population growth pressures and housing and transport affordability cost pressures. The program seeks to build partnerships and links between local government, state governments and other organisations.

The program will also improve the capacity of cities to undertake strategic planning and demonstration projects in line with the Government’s National Urban Policy and the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed criteria. The program will contribute to improving the productivity, sustainability and liveability of our cities.

Applications closed on 15 December 2011 and successful projects were announced in April 2012.

One of the successful projects, the Green Square Town Centre Tri-Generation, has an innovative approach to effective urban greenhouse gas reduction through the large scale co-location of tri-generation energy facilities for the supply of low carbon energy (electricity, hot and chilled water) to buildings to be developed in the Green Square Town Centre in Sydney. This project is expected to provide an example for other major urban centres of sustainable urban design.

An appropriate time for review is under consideration in line with the project management plan.

Website for further information:

www.nationbuildingprogram.gov.au/funding/liveablecities/index.asp