NewsBite

Infrastructure

Yesterday

We have restrictive zoning laws that, combined with our national preference for detached housing, have led to low housing density in major capital cities.

Productivity problem empowers populist right

We had better get our act together in Australia or we may court the kind of poisonous politics wreaking havoc in the United States and across Europe.

This Month

Transgrid CEO Brett Redman at the CEDA function in Sydney.

Transgrid seeks government support for vital $700m grid investment

Transgrid CEO Brett Redman says the company needs NSW government and regulatory support to proceed with investments without blowing-up its credit rating.

A Jetstar plane on the tarmac at Launceston Airport in Tasmania.

Dexus Airport Fund raising to bid for 9.7pc of Melbourne, Launceston airports

Should DWAF’s bid be successful, it would be helping four investors – including two other Dexus-run funds – take money off the table.

Squadron has almost completed construction of an LNG import terminal in Port Kembla, NSW.

Forrest’s Squadron takes swing at APA in secret ministerial submission

In a secret ministerial submission, Squadron complained that APA is creating a false sense of security amid plans for LNG gas to be imported to the south-east.

Patrick Hill, Jacobs COO.

How this Melbourne engineer became a boss at a $24b global giant

The global president of engineering firm Jacobs is based in Melbourne and is the first member of the executive team to live outside the US.

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Aluminium producers facing challenges in switching to low-carbon power.

Rio Tinto solar, battery deal in Queensland to spur $2b investment

Edify Energy will build two large integrated solar and battery systems to supply Rio Tinto’s aluminium operations in the Gladstone region.

Transgrid towers on a property 60kms south of Broken Hill.

Future Fund set to buy into Transgrid amid hefty energy transition bill

Future Fund is preparing to invest in TransGrid at a time when it has faced pressure from the Labor government to consider three national priorities – housing, renewable energy and infrastructure.

AFR AFR Architect Michael Lavery says Brisbane 2032 stadium planning needs to avoid the mistakes of the 2003 Suncorp Stadium/Lang Park upgrade that failed to accommodate public and active transport (eg cycling/walking) connections to the venue. Photo: Peter Wallis

10 March 2025

How Brisbane Olympics can avoid Suncorp Stadium’s mistakes

The Olympic host city is about to announce new venues. They’ll saddle the city with long-term costs long after 2032 if not done right.

The CopperString project would link Townsville and Mount Isa at a cost of about $9 billion.

Feds clash with Queensland on ‘priority’ renewables projects

The list of projects includes the CopperString transmission line that is being reviewed by the state’s Crisafulli government after a huge cost blowout.

The area around Hay and Balranald in south-west NSW hosts several large solar farms.

Renewables logjam hits NSW transmission grid

A disconnect between federal and NSW tender processes for new renewable energy projects has left a wind project controlled by billionaire Andrew Forrest stranded.

Sanjeev Gupta’s Liberty Steel owns a string of steel-making assets.

Private credit heavyweights in exclusivity to save Gupta’s InfraBuild

Boston-headquartered Gordon Brothers and private markets investor Alpha Wave Global have been in negotiations to provide an asset-backed lending facility to InfraBuild.

Quinbrook managing partner David Scaysbrook.

Quinbrook plots $3.5b investment in giant batteries

Managing partner David Scaysbrook says cutting the cost of round-the-clock renewable power was key to Australia delivering on its “green superpower” ambition.

Aveo is one of the biggest operators of retirement villages in the country.

GIC global real estate boss touches down as Aveo auction gathers steam

The Singaporean sovereign wealth giant is running hard at the up-for-sale, Brookfield-owned retirement village operator. And its bigwigs are taking an interest.

The Port of Darwin was leased to the Chinese-owned Landbridge Group in 2015.

‘Not for sale’: Landbridge disputes Labor’s Darwin Port claim

Luke Gosling, the Labor MP for Solomon, which covers greater Darwin, this week claimed discussions were under way between the Northern Territory and Albanese governments to buy back the port.

February

The underground work at the Snowy 2.0 site requires significant ventilation equipment.

Snowy 2.0 dig shut down after shrapnel flies from fan

The incident could cause further delays to the project, which has been plagued by overruns including when the tunnel boring machine was bogged for over a year.

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Genex Power’s Kidston pumped hydro project in North Queensland.

‘Big water battery’ wins backing in NSW storage tender

The success of a $1.8 billion project near Mudgee in a NSW underwriting tender for clean energy comes amid mounting evidence that pumped hydro can be difficult and costly.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday announced $3.3 billion in funding for Victorian transport projects, including Melbourne’s airport rail link.

PM heaps praise on SRL East but promises money elsewhere

Anthony Albanese has called the controversial Suburban Rail Loop Melbourne’s “missing link” amid tensions between the state and federal governments over the project.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Melbourne’s North-East Link construction site in May.

Albanese to pledge billions to sandbag votes in Melbourne’s west

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will spend Wednesday campaigning in Melbourne where polls show Labor is under threat from the Coalition in several key electorates.

APA Group chief executive Adam Watson.

APA eyes $2b gas grid expansion to avoid ‘disastrous’ LNG imports

The five-year plan will allow a 24 per cent increase in the gas piped south from Queensland and comes as the company posts a slump in bottom-line earnings.

The pumped hydro project is planned at Lake Borumba south of Gympie in Queensland.

Qld may shrink $18.4b hydro project to save venture

The Crisafulli government is considering scaling down the Borumba storage project after a blowout in costs in latest setback to Queensland’s energy transition.

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/infrastructure-hqi