On August 19 the Victorian Government Auditor General released a report on how the Government has assessed unsolicited or ‘market led’ proposals for infrastructure projects.  The AG looked specifically at the $1.3 billion CityLink Tullamarine widening project and the $2.5 billion Cranbourne Pakenham Rail Corridor project.
The office found that in the case of the CityLink Tulla widening the assessment process used by the Department of Treasury and Finance to decide whether the project had merit had some major failings: weak proof of the proposal’s benefits, inadequate assessment of the alternative funding options and inadequate stakeholder engagement.
We have consistently called for improved consultation mechanisms and clearer information about the benefits of infrastructure projects so this is disappointing. A copy of the report is available here: http://www.audit.vic.gov.au/reports_and_publications/latest_reports.aspx