Recent research for Infrastructure Australia found that preparing for extreme weather events such as floods and fires was considered a major priority or a minor priority in infrastructure planning for a total of 94 per cent of Australians.
Infrastructure Australia engaged JWS Research to ask Australians about the planning priorities for its next national plan, which provides an investment road map for industry and government. The survey, conducted in June, consisted of a representative sample of over 1,800 Australians showed that preparing for extreme weather events was considered a major priority among 68 per cent of Australians and a minor priority among another 26 per cent.
Unsurprisingly, the second-highest concern for Australians is planning for diseases and pandemics, named a major priority by 67 per cent and a minor priority by 26 per cent, for a total of 93 per cent. The third issue area Australians want considered in infrastructure planning is the risk of hacking, espionage and cyber attacks, which is rated as a major priority by 61 per cent and a minor priority by 31 per cent.
As for Australians’ other issues of concern, 59 per cent name the economic crisis a major priority, and 30 per cent a minor priority, with slightly lower priority issues including extreme peaks in service demand, foreign control, terrorist attacks and global conflict. A total of 83 per cent of Australians think climate change is a priority in infrastructure planning, made up of 55 per cent who call it a major priority and 28 per cent for whom it is a minor priority.
This research will feed into Infrastructure Australia’s work on its next Australian Infrastructure Plan, which will set out policies for governments.
Click below to read the reporting in the Sydney Morning Herald on the research.