February 2026

More than money

Certainty and consistency in infrastructure 

Consult Australia lodged three major submissions in January with one overarching theme. “It’s not just how much is spent on infrastructure, but what funding makes possible,” says Kristy Eulenstein.

Kristy, Consult Australia’s Head of Policy and Government Relations, has a clear message to governments in 2026: infrastructure funding must be treated as a strategic economic lever, not just capital spend.

After Consult Australia’s advocacy team compiled a swathe of submissions to governments in 2025, Kristy says the team’s focus in 2026 is on “infrastructure as a catalyst for better delivery, smarter planning and a stronger industry”. 

 

The case for national coordination

In the pre-budget submission to Commonwealth Treasury, Consult Australia called for the federal government to provide strategic pipeline certainty, including coordination of project releases.

“The numerous productivity inquiries in 2025 recognised that Australia has a national workforce, and, in this context, Consult Australia noted the importance of coordinating nationally. This coordination should be informed by industry data, including Consult Australia’s Market Conditions report.”

 

Bang for buck in business cases

In its submission to the Inquiry into Financial Support for State and Territory Infrastructure Projects, Consult Australia dove deeper into businesses cases and procurement.

“The adequacy of business cases underpinning federally supported infrastructure projects is a critical determinant of whether public funds deliver value.”

Consult Australia supports the findings of the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council’s (ASBEC’s) 2017 Bang for Buck report, which identified systemic weaknesses in infrastructure business case development across Australia, including:

  • Inconsistent methodologies
  • Over-reliance on benefit–cost ratios
  • Limited options analysis
  • Poor treatment of non-market benefits such as resilience, sustainability and social outcomes.

 

Fixing the system, not just the funding

Consult Australia’s recommendations to the Inquiry into Local Government Funding and Fiscal Sustainability focused on improved coordination, consistency and delivery of local government infrastructure:

  • Fund local plans: Empower strategic planning by funding local plan delivery instead of individual projects.
  • Reduce entry barriers: Remove supplier panel fees and inconsistent procurement practices that prevent small business participation.
  • Simplify contracts: Remove unfair terms (like unlimited indemnities or fitness for purpose clauses), standardise templates, and set reasonable insurance requirements.
  • Create accountability: Re-focus ‘small business friendly’ programs to ensure real change to effectively encourage small business participation.

“Case studies from members, particularly small business, illustrated the barriers of working with local governments – whether through ‘local buy’ or other preferred supplier schemes. This shows the value of discussions with members, whether it’s through our regular SME open forums or one-on-one member calls,” Kristy says.  

 

The big picture

These three submissions reflect Consult Australia’s call to reframe infrastructure funding as a platform for national productivity.

“We talk a lot about how much money is being invested but not enough about the quality and consistency of that funding,” Kristy concludes. “Governments have a powerful lever to improve how infrastructure gets delivered. Let’s use it.”

Check out Consult Australia’s submissions to governments and read our recap of Consult Australia’s 2025 advocacy wins.

 

Share on