The federal and state governments are planning to use construction to dig Australia’s way out of a recession, each launching initiatives to speed-up project approvals.

Hundreds of projects worth billions of dollars are getting green-lighted whilst exemptions have even been granted to reduce red tape for major infrastructure projects. 

Snowy Hydro 2.0 was granted two exemptions from the NSW Biosecurity Act whilst Queensland passed the Forest Wind Development Bill 2020 to speed up the $2B wind project between Gympie and Maryborough.

Whether or not some of these projects have been approved prematurely and before a proper assessment is a matter for debate. 

There is a growing list of opponents to Snowy Hydro 2.0, not just from environmentalists, but energy experts who say the numbers don’t stack up from a cost-benefit perspective.

The risk of this mad rush to build is a lifetime worth of debt created by infrastructure projects that don’t hit the spot.

Nonetheless, here’s a full state-by-state list of the projects being fast-tracked or fast-funded to stimulate the COVID-19-affected economy.

If there’s any we have missed, please get in touch.

List last updated 29th May 2020.

Victoria

Southbank by Beulah, aka Green Spine (Beulah International)

555 Collins Street (Charter Hall)

52-60 Collins Street (Dexus)

550 Epsom Road, Flemington (Pace Development)

140 Lonsdale Street (Charter Hall)

640 Bourke Street (Far East Consortium)

600 Lonsdale Street (V-Leader)

683-699 Elizabeth St (PDG)

67-81 Galada Avenue, Parkville

31 Station Street, Caulfield (SJB)

$185m Public Housing Renewal Program: 

  •     Ascot Vale Estate
  •     New Street, Brighton
  •     Gronn Place, Brunswick West
  •     Bills Street, Hawthorn
  •     Tarakan and Bell Bardia estates, Heidelberg West
  •     Abbotsford Street, North Melbourne
  •     Walker Street, Northcote                       
  •     Oakover Road and Railway Place West and Stokes and Penola Streets, Preston
  •     Bangs Street, Prahran
  •     Flemington estate (walk-ups only).

1000 Homes Initiative for Homeslessness and Domestic Violence - Properties in six Council areas with high rates of homelessness - Geelong, Ballarat, Darebin, Maribyrnong, Stonnington and Whitehorse.

$1B Social Housing Growth Fund

$382m for tourism upgrades including Ararat Hills Mountain Bike Trail Upgrade and Gippsland Lakes Upgrade

Local sports facility upgrades, work to improve waterways and coastal areas, tree planting and graffiti removal.

Transport upgrades including 300km of regional track improvements, repairs at more than 15 train stations, tram and train maintenance, coastal pier upgrades and road patching and resurfacing.

$100 m worth of CFA and SES station upgrades, disability accommodation and mental health and aged care facilities across Victoria.

$1.2B towards education including 10 new schools, 250 relocatable buildings and 57 school upgrades.

NSW

Snowy Hydro 2.0 (Snowy Hydro)

Visy Dry Recyclables Facility, Alexandria (Visy Industries Australia Pty Ltd)

West Nowra Landfill Expansion (Shoalhaven City Council)

St Anthony of Padua Catholic College, Austral (Sydney Catholic Schools)

Bunnings Warehouse, Leppington (Bunnings Group Ltd)

Warnervale Public School, Central Coast (Dept. of Education)

Horsley Park Brickworks (Brickworks Ltd)

Powering Sydney’s Future (TransGrid)

Alex Avenue Public School, Schofields (Dept. of Education)

Doncaster Ave Student Accommodation, Randwick (Blue Sky Commercial)

University of Newcastle Honeysuckle Campus Stage 1A (University of Newcastle)

Young High School Library and Joint-Use Community Facility (Dept. of Education)

Penrith Resource Recovery Facility (Benedict Recycling Pty Ltd)

Ivanhoe Stage One Social Housing (Land and Housing Corporation)

Mt Druitt CBD (Blacktown Council)

100 Christie St, St Leonards (Combined Projects Pty Ltd)

23-35 Aitchison St, St Leonards (TWT)

575-583 Pacific Highway, St Leonards (Rozene Pty Ltd and Rosemate Pty Ltd)

4-18 Northwood Rd, Lane Cove & 274 & 274A Longueville Rd, Lane Cove (Pathways Property Group)

Campbelltown LEP Rezone Land at Glenlee (Various)

Camden LEP (Various)

Bankstown - 83-99 North Terrace & 62 The Mall (Canterbury Bankstown Council)

Meadowbank Education and Employment Precinct Schools Project (Dept. of Education)

Wyangala Dam Wall Raising (Water NSW)

Dungowan Dam Replacement (Water NSW)

Mole River Dam Feasibility Study (Water NSW)

Tweed Valley Hospital Stage 2 (Health Infrastructure) - PENDING APPROVAL

Sydney Fish Markets Stage 2 (INSW) - PENDING APPROVAL

Catherine Field Primary School (Dept. of Education) - PENDING APPROVAL

Eastern Creek Retail Centre Lot 1 (Frasers Property) - PENDING APPROVAL

New Public School, Estella Road, Wagga Wagga (Dept. of Education) - PENDING APPROVAL

Honeysuckle - Horizon Lee 5 Mixed-Use, Newcastle (The Trustee for Horizon Newcastle Unit Trust) - PENDING APPROVAL

Marsden Park Public School (Dept. of Education) - PENDING APPROVAL

Eastlakes (MOD 4) Residential Apartments (The Trustee for State land East Unit Trust) - PENDING APPROVAL

Enirgi Battery Recycling Facility MOD 1, Wagga Wagga (Enirgi Power Storage Recycling Pty Ltd) - PENDING APPROVAL

Fraser Drive (MOD 5) Residential Lots, Tweed Heads South (East Land 5 Pty Ltd) - PENDING APPROVAL

Girraween Waste Recycling Transfer Facility (Benedict Recycling Pty Ltd) - PENDING APPROVAL

Borg Panels Timber Processing Facility Expansion MOD 3, Oberon (Borg Manufacturing Pty Ltd) - PENDING APPROVAL

Spring Farm Advanced Resource Recovery Technology Facility MOD 6 (Suez Recycling and Recovery Pty Ltd) - PENDING APPROVAL

Mamre Precinct Rezoning Mirvac, Frasers Property, Fife Capitol, Dexus, Altis property partners, Stockland, GPT Group, ESR) - PENDING APPROVAL

Villawood Town Centre Renewal (Fairfield Council) - PENDING APPROVAL

14-20 Parkes Street, Harris Park (Pacific Planning) - PENDING APPROVAL

Rezoning of 45 Noongah Street and 25 Gwynn Hughes Street, Bargo (Common Ground Property (NSW) Pty Ltd) - PENDING APPROVAL

55 Coonara Avenue, West Pennant Hills (Mirvac) - PENDING APPROVAL

Mary St, Edith St and Roberts St, St Peters. Precinct 75 (JVN Holdings & Chalak Holdings Pty Ltd) - PENDING APPROVAL

6-12 & 16-20 Garthowen Crescent, Castle Hill (Kassis Homes) - PENDING APPROVAL

Fairfield Heights Town Centre (Fairfield Council) - PENDING APPROVAL

25 George Street, North Strathfield (Piety Group) - PENDING APPROVAL

Ettamogah Rise Estate, Springdale Heights (Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church for the Diocese of Wagga Wagga) - PENDING APPROVAL

108 Silverwater Rd, Silverwater (C3 Church Sydney Ltd) - PENDING APPROVAL

Queensland

Forest Wind Farm (Siemens, Clean Sight)

Pacific Motorway Varsity Lakes to Tugun Upgrade 

Roads of Strategic Importance - 22 roads including:

  • Flinders Highway
  • Kennedy Developmental Road (Hann Highway)
  • Carnarvon Highway
  • Dawson Highway and Dawson Developmental Road (Springsure – Tambo)
  • Gulf Developmental Road
  • Gregory Highway and Gregory Developmental Road
  • Balonne Highway
  • Gore Highway
  • Proserpine – Shute Harbour Road 
  • Floraville Road in Burke Shire.

ACT

Lower Cotter Catchment Restoration Program

Namadgi Boundary Fence Repairs

Domestic Animal Services’ Facility Improvements

Canberra Theatre Centre Upgrades

National Arboretum Canberra Cafe Upgrade

ACT Integrity Commission Construction & Fitout

National Convention Centre Upgrade

Electoral Commission’s Election Results Display System

CIT Building & Facility Upgrades

Community Centre Solar Upgrades: Grant Cameron Community Centre, Weston Creek Community Hub, Flynn Community Hub, Cook Community Hub, Chifley Community Hub

Disability Access Improvements: Griffin Centre, Belconnen Community Centre, Weston Community Hub, Woden Community Centre and Grant Cameron Community Centre

Public School Upgrades

Pool Sustainability Upgrades

Health Facility Upgrades

ACT Housing Solar Installation & Gas Removal

$9.75m worth of footpath, road, waste, landscaping and transport upgrades including:

  • Upgrades and extensions to footpaths and cycleway networks
  • New and improved cycleways and footpaths across the city, adding missing links to the current network and expanding the network in new suburbs
  • Roads
  • New pedestrian crossings in Narrabundah and Belconnen, as well as the installation of traffic calming measures in Weston
  • Building Improvements Packages Waste and Transport Facilities
  • Improving facilities for staff at Transport Canberra depots
  • Deep cleaning and repainting bus shelters across the Territory
  • Open Space landscaping improvements
  • Refreshing pergolas, shade structures and seating
  • Replacement of ageing bollards with new ones made of recycled plastic
  • Mulching around trees and garden beds

Western Australia

Bunbury Outer Ring Road - (budget $852 million)  - 4,500 jobs

Leach Highway Welshpool Road Interchange - (budget $93 million) - 600 jobs

Stephenson Avenue (Stirling) - (budget $125 million) - 800 jobs

Fremantle Traffic Bridge - (budget $230 million) - 1,400 jobs

Roe Highway/Great Eastern Highway/Abernethy Road - (budget $180 million) - 1,200 jobs

Albany Ring Road (budget $175 million) - 1,000 jobs

Great Northern Hwy Ord River North Stage 3 & 4 (budget $89 million) - 600 jobs

Lloyd Street Extension (budget $40 million) - 280 jobs

Tonkin Highway Gap project (budget $290 million) - 1,050 jobs

Mitchell Freeway Extension to Romeo Road (budget $215 million) - 1,200 jobs

Mitchell Freeway Hodges Drive to Hepburn Avenue widening (budget $76 million) - 530 jobs

Churchill Rd, Denmark Shire - Widen Bridge over Denmark River $1,500,000

South Coast Highway - Kojaneerup Passing Lanes $15,000,000

Great Northern Highway / Apple Street Construction of Roundabout $9,000,000

Wanneroo Road / Morley Drive Intersection Upgrade $8,000,000

Great Eastern Highway / Old Northam Road (East) Intersection Upgrade $13,000,000

Stock Road / Beeliar Drive Intersection Upgrade $6,700,000

Construct PSP - Fremantle Line (Victoria St to North Fremantle Station) $6,000,000

Construct PSP - Kwinana Freeway  (Leach Highway to Mount Henry) $12,000,000

Brand Highway / Barrett Road Intersection Improvements, Geraldton $2,000,000

South Western Highway -  Yarloop to Harvey Seal Widening Stage 1 $2,600,000

South Western Highway - Thompson Hill Curve Realignment $9,000,000

Brookton Highway / Rabbit Proof Fence Intersection Improvements $1,480,000

Great Eastern Highway - Walgoolan to Southern Cross Bridge and Road Works $13,600,000

Great Eastern Highway - Coates Gully:  Replacement of 4 Timber bridges with culverts $7,500,000

Bridge Replacement and tie in works $5,150,000

Northam Cranbrook - Shoulder sealing $3,777,600

Collie Lake King Road -Widening and Safety Improvements $1,660,000

York Merredin Road - Seal shoulders (Bruce Rock to Merredin) $2,823,000

Albany Highway - Upgrade of Crossman intersection $1,950,000

South Australia

Whitmore Square/ Iparrityi Master Plan - Stage 1 Upgrade (City of Adelaide)

Moonta Street Upgrade (City of Adelaide)

Kensington Gardens Reserve Redevelopment (City of Burnside)

Thorndon Park to Reservoir Road Trail (Campbelltown City Council)

Fourth Creek Trail Project (Campbelltown City Council)

Breakout Creek Stage 3 Redevelopment (City of Charles Sturt)

Wigley Reserve Playspace and Fitness Hub (City of Holdfast Bay)

Marino Coastal Walkway (City of Marion)

Marion City Streetscapes Program (City of Marion)

Woodend Path Avenue of Trees (City of Marion)

Pasadena Biodiversity Recreation Trail (City of Mitcham)

Dorene Street Shadeway (City of Mitcham)

Littlehampton Greening (District Council Of Mount Barker)

Witton Bluff Base Trail (City of Onkaparinga)

Virginia Main Street Upgrade (City of Playford)

McLaren Parade Shared Space and Streetscape (Port Adelaide Enfield) 

Prospect Gardens / Narnu Wirra Redevelopment (City of Prospect)

Churchill Road Streetscape Upgrade (City of Prospect)

Native Forest Little Para Catchment (City of Salisbury)

Green Trails Program (City of Salisbury)

Dry Creek Corridor Stage 1 Edinburgh Reserve (City of Tea Tree Gully)

Meadowvale Inclusive Precinct (City of Tea Tree Gully)

Admella Place (City of West Torrens)

Stockwell Recreation Park Open Space Redevelopment (Barossa Council)

Lake Bonney Recreation, Nature and Cultural Access Project (Berri Barmera Council) 

Quorn Bush Tucker Walk (Flinders Ranges Council)

Kangaroo Island Township Improvements (Kangaroo Island Council)

Mallee Community Playground Trail Project (District Council of Karoonda East Murray)

Waikerie Riverfront and Trails Precinct Project (District Council of Loxton Waikerie)

Melrose to Booleroo Centre Rail Trail (District Council of Mount Remarkable)

Activating Adelaide Road - Linear Park Project (The Rural City of Murray Bridge)

Naracoorte Caves Trail: Connecting to our World Heritage (Naracoorte Lucindale Council)

Interpretive Mangrove Boardwalk Upgrade (District Council of Tumby Bay)

George T Fisher Natureplay Playground Stage 2 (City of Victor Harbor)

Railway Precinct Construction (City of Victor Harbor)

The Pines Foreshore Amenities (Yorke Peninsula Council)

$52 million for targeted regional road network repair and improvement, including on the Stuart Highway, Yorke Highway, Dukes Highway and Riddoch Highway;

$35 million to rehabilitate and resurface the South Eastern Freeway between the Tollgate and Crafers;

$15 million for Heysen Tunnel refit and safety upgrade;

$12 million for a higher capacity North-South Freight Route by-passing Adelaide; and,

$6 million to seal Adventure Way and Innamincka Airport Road.

$21.5 million to upgrade almost 200 kilometres of Cleve Road and Browns Well Highway.

Max Amber Sportsfield at Paradise (Campbelltown Council)

John and Church Streets Upgrade (Salisbury Council)

Burton Community Hub (Salisbury Council)

Virginia Mainstreet & Virginia Institute Park Upgrade (Playford Council)

Gumeracha’s Main Street Upgrade (Adelaide Hills Council)

Richardson Reserve at Wynn Vale (City of Tea Tree Gully)

West Lakes Community Hub (City of Charles Sturt)

Northern Territory

Infrastructure projects to be fast-tracked, details yet to be released.

Tasmania

Local Government Loan Scheme from $50 million to $150 million for local government projects.

$50 million of maintenance in public buildings and assets, including public housing, including $3m maintenance works at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery.

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