State Infrastructure Strategy 2022-2042

Our vision

We will drive collaborative state infrastructure planning to boost productivity, grow our economy and create jobs throughout the state. Infrastructure planning and delivery will leverage opportunities to improve the liveability of our communities and capitalise on innovation to build a strong, sustainable, and resilient Queensland.

The State Infrastructure Strategy 2022 presents a clear vision of the Queensland Government’s infrastructure requirements over the next two decades. It sets out our objectives for infrastructure and the priority actions to drive the future we want for Queensland. It’s also clear about the challenges and opportunities we’ll face over this time.

The strategy sets out to align infrastructure investment across agencies to help inform industry and other levels of government. It promotes place-based infrastructure planning, working closely with industry and the broader community to leverage their experience and knowledge. We are doing more with less, driving performance and tackling complex issues, while providing infrastructure that meets the changing needs of our population and industries.

The strategy will be revised every four years to continue to guide and reflect the evolving nature of infrastructure.

  • Stakeholder engagement was fundamental to shaping the State Infrastructure Strategy 2022. The strategy was developed through regional workshops, online engagement, and consultation on a draft strategy.

    These activities, together with research and expert advice, helped build a rich picture of challenges, opportunities and priorities for infrastructure across Queensland now and into the future. The strategy has also been developed in partnership with infrastructure delivery agencies within Queensland Government.

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Four guiding objectives

These guiding objectives form the foundation of the strategy underpinning the Queensland Government’s 20-year vision for infrastructure.

  • Investment in productive infrastructure will drive industry diversification and unlock the state’s future success. It improves longer-term economic resilience and growth by reducing input costs for business, enhancing market access and supply chain linkages, unlocking economic opportunities and attracting workers by improving liveability. Delivery of a sustainable pipeline of infrastructure supports local jobs and responds to increasing growth pressures in South East Queensland.

  • Sustainability and resilience is being enhanced through the better design and location of built assets and better management of both built and natural assets to reduce their environmental impact. Improving infrastructure resilience and adaptation in response to the increasing impacts of climate change is also vital, given the increasing frequency and scale of natural disasters. Core to this objective is moving to a more sustainable and renewable future including incorporating flexibility to meet changing needs.

  • Place-based approaches to infrastructure planning and delivery activates specific areas or sectors to create thriving, resilient and liveable communities. This provides conveniently located and accessible services including multi-purpose facilities and mixed-used precincts, and realises the full potential of economic corridors, regional growth precincts, knowledge and innovation precincts and commercial/industrial areas.

    Place-based approaches are helping to improve the integration of infrastructure, land-use planning and social and economic development.

  • Smarter approaches will focus on innovation and using data and technology to improve productivity through infrastructure delivery, operation and maintenance. This includes embedding ‘digital by default’ into infrastructure planning and embracing innovative and non-traditional solutions (e.g. better use of existing assets or non-build solutions). Adopting smarter and more innovative approaches can also strengthen evidence-driven decision making.

Five focus areas

The Queensland Government has identified five focus areas to concentrate efforts over the medium-term to maximise benefits for Queenslanders. These focus areas provide some of the best return on efforts across the public and private sectors, creating lasting benefits for Queenslanders.

  • Queensland has the potential to become a renewables and hydrogen superpower, creating new jobs in the growing clean energy economy. Not only does this reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, but these cleaner energy sources will in turn grow and decarbonise industries locally.

  • Brisbane 2032 sets Queensland up for two decades of exciting growth and opportunities. Preparations for Brisbane 2032 is catalysing long-term, sustainable growth for our cities and regions.

  • Queensland is the most decentralised mainland state in Australia. Families, friends and businesses live, work and socialise across thousands of kilometres. Connecting our regions – both digitally and physically – with Australia and the rest of the world is critical.

  • Infrastructure must plan for liveable communities, enhance our quality-of-life and provide for population growth to meet diverse and changing needs. Healthy and liveable communities are safe, inclusive and accessible, resilient to our changing climate, and provide a sense-of-place and belonging.

  • Productive infrastructure is a critical enabler to unlock the state’s future success. The Queensland Government continues to optimise the performance of our infrastructure program through a range of actions including supporting the transition to digital by default and working with industry to improve productivity.

Infrastructure class priorities

The strategy outlines 183 state-wide priorities to drive the performance of our infrastructure program and respond to the unique challenges and opportunities faced by Queenslanders into the future. These priorities cover 10 infrastructure classes, including a cross-government class.

QUICK LINKS

Cross-government

Sets out the state government’s cross-sectoral priorities to improve the overall performance of its infrastructure program and existing assets. It considers key themes common to the lifecycle of infrastructure development as well as the links and interdependencies between the different infrastructure classes, and links to land-use planning and industry development.

Since releasing the strategy, we have progressed several cross-government infrastructure priorities, including:

  • developing  an Infrastructure Productivity and Workforce Roadmap to guide government and industry efforts to enhance productivity and improve workforce outcomes in the infrastructure industry.
  • outlining opportunities for private investment through Future Infrastructure: Private Investment
  • consulting onsulted with stakeholders to inform development of a roadmap to reduce emissions associated with construction, operation and maintenance of Queensland Government infrastructure.
  • progressively developing Regional Infrastructure Plans for each of the seven Queensland regions.

Download the cross-government chapter ( 2.3 MB).

Digital and innovation

The world is becoming increasingly interconnected and competitive as innovation and technology transform traditional business models and how we access goods and services. Queensland needs to keep pace with global change by driving innovation alongside faster, more reliable digital infrastructure.

Since releasing the strategy, we have progressed several digital and innovation infrastructure priorities, including:

Download the digital and innovation chapter ( 427.0 KB).

Transport

How we move, and how efficiently we can do it, is key to ensuring productivity and quality of life. Queensland’s transport network is vast and supports expansive regions and cities. Maintaining our transport infrastructure assets is a challenge, particularly given this scale, along with increasing user demands and disruptive weather impacts across the state. Investing in the maintenance of our existing transport infrastructure is essential, not only to provide safe and efficient travel today, but to ensure future economic sustainability.

Since releasing the strategy, we have progressed several transport infrastructure priorities, including:

Download Transport chapter ( 333.1 KB).

Energy

Secure, reliable and affordable energy is vital to our communities and businesses. It underpins our economy and quality of life, with exciting new technologies including hydrogen production paving the way for a sustainable future and creating more jobs in more industries.

Since releasing the strategy, we have progressed several energy infrastructure priorities, including:

Download Energy chapter ( 436.5 KB).

Water

Queensland’s water resources are precious. They must be efficiently managed to meet the needs of our growing population and industry demand, while ensuring the sustainability of our water resources into the future.

Since releasing the strategy, we have progressed several water infrastructure priorities, including:

  • developing a Strategic Water Infrastructure Plan and pipeline of projects that will identify, assess and prioritise water infrastructure projects across Queensland for the next 10-15 years, sitting alongside the Queensland Water Strategy.

Download Water chapter ( 291.0 KB).

Health

Thanks to Queenslander’s united efforts, our response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been outstanding. We have demonstrated how Queensland’s health system ranks among the best in the world. With the state’s population growing and rates of chronic disease increasing, demand for health services is expected to increase significantly.

The government is working to ensure Queenslanders will be among the healthiest people in the world by 2026 by providing more equitable access to high-quality healthcare.

Since releasing the strategy, we have progressed several health infrastructure priorities, including:

  • delivery of the Queensland Health Big Build with investment in health infrastructure projects, programs and initiatives, relieving pressure on the public health system.

Download Health chapter ( 376.1 KB).

Education and training

Our education and training system enhances quality of life by giving all children a great start and shaping the skills of the future to drive ongoing prosperity. The government is committed to ensuring all Queenslanders have access to modern, high-quality early-childhood education and care, and education and training facilities, no matter where they live.

Since releasing the strategy, we have progressed several education and training infrastructure priorities, including:

  • delivery of the Building Future Schools Program to build, maintain, improve and renew schools across Queensland
  • roll out of State Delivered Kindergarten programs ensuring all children have access to a kindergarten program in the year before school, no matter where they live.

Download the education and training chapter ( 357.2 KB).

Justice and public safety

The safety and wellbeing of Queenslanders is a fundamental priority for the state government. It invests in essential police, fire, emergency and disaster-management services, courthouses, and secure youth-detention centres and correctional facilities to ensure safety and justice is delivered fairly.

Since releasing the strategy, we have progressed several justice and public safety infrastructure priorities, including:

Download the justice and public safety chapter ( 413.8 KB).

Arts, culture, recreation and tourism

Arts, culture, sport, recreation and tourism are crucially important contributors to the community. They bring people together and provide opportunities to enjoy the great range of experiences Queensland offers.

Since releasing the strategy, we have progressed a number of arts, culture, recreation and tourism infrastructure priorities, including:

Download the arts, culture, recreation and tourism chapter ( 287.6 KB).

Social and affordable housing

Social and affordable housing is an important part of our communities, as it provides a safe and secure home for many Queenslanders. The pandemic has had wide-ranging impacts on the way we live and work, impacting housing demand, supply and affordability. Demand for housing rapidly increased due to a range of influences, including record low interest rates, fiscal stimulus, and shifts in preferences driving higher property and private rental prices.

Since releasing the strategy, we have progressed several social and affordable housing infrastructure priorities, including:

Download the social housing chapter ( 343.1 KB).

Last updated: 12 Jul 2024

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