INFRASTRUCTURE AUSTRALIA is broadly regarded as sitting outside the world's top 20 nations for infrastructure and must improve, an industry leader says. 
Infrastructure Australia chairman Mark Birrell said: "Considered and well-thought-through infrastructure investment is going to be one of the most effective ways for us to achieve and deliver the qualities we want out of economic growth." Speaking at business lunch yesterday, Mr Birrell said that despite "increases in government spending and increased private sector participation, there is a real gap in the overall quality of Australia's infrastructure".
Australia should be in the top 10 nations in the world in terms of infrastructure, but it is rarely regarded as being even in the top 20 today, he added.
"If we keep going this way, our performance will continue to fall behind, he said, speaking in Sydney at a Committee for Economic Development of Australia event.Mr Birrell's comments come a month after Infrastructure Australia released a list of high-priority major development projects.