Infrastructure Australia is a statutory body which advises governments, investors and infrastructure owners on a wide range of issues. These include Australia’s future infrastructure needs; mechanisms for financing infrastructure investments; policy, pricing and regulation. Infrastructure Australia also advises on frameworks for the efficient operation and delivery of infrastructure.

Productivity and competitiveness are vital goals for all countries. Infrastructure Australia takes the view that there is considerable scope for improving Australia’s productivity and international competitiveness through national thematic approaches to the provision and use of infrastructure. One of the national themes identified by Infrastructure Australia is a national land freight network strategy:

‘Rail and road freight infrastructure planning and investment can no longer be undertaken in isolation from each other, or worse, in competition with each other. …..  ‘A new national freight strategy needs to be developed for our freight networks to improve planning, investment and decision making’.

Traditionally, policy has been segmented by mode; for example, by road, rail, aviation and shipping, and by jurisdiction. The idea of a national freight network is relatively new, although some jurisdictions have progressed consideration of state freight networks. Infrastructure Australia is seeking comments on its preliminary views about a national land freight network strategy, including on goals, objectives, strategic directions and priorities.

This discussion paper provides a case and priorities for a national land freight network strategy, and an indicative list of projects and programs that Infrastructure Australia has already flagged for inclusion in a long term national land freight network plan.