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The Civil Contractors Federation South Australia (CCF SA) says that Infrastructure SA’s (ISA) just released 20 Year Infrastructure Strategy provides a good summary of where SA finds itself in 2020 and where government attention is required going forward.

The CCF (SA) noted however, its surprise that a much anticipated comprehensive list of prioritised infrastructure projects extending over 20 years to bolster the State’s economy and facilitate jobs growth – was not included in the Strategy’s key outcomes.

To read the full release: 

Release - ISA 20 Year State Infrastructure Strategy.pdf

The failure of any of South Australia’s worst roads to make this week’s Infrastructure Australia list of highest priority projects, and with that early Federal Government funding, has been slammed by the Civil Contractors Federation – South Australia as completely unacceptable and totally lamentable.

Download the full media release below.

Release - Infrastructure Australia slammed 2020 (002).pdf

Click below to hear the latest audio of our advocacy work form our CEO, Phillip Sutherland, on ABC radio.

The influential Civil Contractors Federation – South Australia (CCF SA) has today welcomed the Federal Opposition’s recently announced proposed infrastructure plan that would give councils an injection of funding to help turn around the nation’s economy.

The plan would see small infrastructure grants made available to councils to improve their road networks, and in doing so, stimulate local economies and jobs growth.

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The influential Civil Contractors Federation – South Australia (CCF SA) has today welcomed the Federal Opposition’s recently announced proposed infrastructure plan that would give councils an injection of funding to help turn around the nation’s economy.

Infrastructure Grants for Councils fieold pr edits (002).pdf

The powerful Civil Contractors Federation South Australia (CCF (SA) has come out today and welcomed the announcement by the Prime Minister that there will be a $400 million boost to SA’s road funding including bringing major project work forward and safety upgrades to regional roads.

The CCF (SA) has long campaigned for additional and timely Federal and State Government investment in the State’s road network. The Federation feared that funding for the few major road projects under construction was soon to be exhausted, resulting in job losses and economic stagnation. The Federation has also expressed concern that the work that was available, was slow coming to the market from SA’s Department of Planning Transport and Infrastructure.

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To read CCF SA's submission to Infrastructure SA 20yr Strategy, see the below link. We look forward to the Release of Infrastructure SA's 20yr Strategy in early 2020.

Civil-Contractors-Federation-SA.pdf

SA Government turns its back on local Civil Construction sector by persisting with contract bundling – favouring interstate-overseas majors

South Australia faces the prospect of its multi-billion dollar a year civil construction sector being relegated to little more than “sub-contractor status” on two pending major projects.

At immediate risk is who wins control of building the $90 million duplication of the Port Wakefield Rd and the planned $160 million Joy Baluch Bridge at Port Augusta.

The industry’s anger reached flash point this week when told the Government, despite an election commitment to disaggregate work, would “bundle” contracts for both projects into one single major contract.

The sector says this will immediately favour a contract award to interstate contractors with national footprints, deeper pockets and international partners, at the expense of spreading the work across multiple local firms without such clout.

This would relegate SA firms to little more than sub-contractor status on these key works and rob the State’s civil workforce of further building its expertise and experience.

The industry’s voice, the Civil Contractors Federation (SA), (CCF (SA)), said today that despite several months of lobbying for a more equitable and SA business friendly contract award approach, SA Transport Minister, the Hon. Stephan Knoll, confirmed to the Federation this week “bundling” was here to stay.

“If ignoring industry pleas on the land tax issues hasn’t been enough, one of the State’s biggest industry employers, and potentially a major economic driver, has been dealt a sickening blow by this Government,,” CCF (SA) Chief Executive, Mr Phil Sutherland said today.

“The health of the infrastructure industry in SA is already under pressure yet it would appear its future matters less to this Government than adopting some allegedly risk-adverse approach of handing all responsibilities for these major build opportunities, to one provider.

“This Minister is captive to his bureaucrats, and prepared to lock out South Australian firms with track records of high quality, on-time and on-budget infrastructure construction outcomes,” Mr Sutherland said.

“With something like $11 billion worth of proposed SA civil projects alone on the books over the next decade, how will SA’s civil sector, under these regimes, control its destiny?

“In any which way you look at it, it is a blatant slap in the face to numerous SA businesses from their own Government, and is unacceptable at every level.

“We want to be a leading participant, not a by-stander, in our own construction backyard.”

Mr Sutherland said the CCF (SA) called on the Government to immediately rescind its out-of-touch contractual approach, disaggregate the two pending contracts and bring fresh opportunity to the sector to build a stronger and higher skillset in this industry in SA.

The CCF (SA)’s rallying cry comes barely a month after it called publicly on the Government to stimulate the sector by pressing the go button on ten “action now” projects.

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An urgent call has been made to all of SA’s local governments by one of South Australia’s leading industry lobby groups demanding they immediately stop doing about $600 million a year of civil construction work that local businesses can do. 

To read more: 

SA councils urged to stop doing work local business can do-27jul15.pdf