Lockwood brings expertise to IA board role

KPMG associate director Nicole Lockwood has joined the new board of Infrastructure Australia, which recently became an independent statutory authority.

Ms Lockwood, who has worked as a member of Infrastructure Australia’s council from June 2011, is a former mayor of Roebourne and one-time commissioner at the Western Australian Planning Commission.

She joins nine other newly appointed board members including chairman Melbourne businessman Mark Birrell.

Infrastructure and Regional Development Minister Warren Truss said the new board, in its more strategic role, would help the federal government remain focused on delivering critical infrastructure, ensuring value-for-money and maximum productivity.

Infrastructure Australia has been tasked with preparing a 15-year forward plan for the nation’s infrastructure needs.

In a statement, Mr Birrell said the new board would allow Infrastructure Australia to be a key source of research and advice on projects and reforms Australia needed.

“Infrastructure Australia is now an independent statutory body with a much-needed mandate to prioritise and progress nationally significant infrastructure,” he said.

“If we get our infrastructure right, we will protect Australia’s quality of life at a time of population growth and global economic change.”

Infrastructure Australia will undertake a comprehensive audit of existing national infrastructure, which will be presented to the federal government later this year.

Following this, the 15-year national infrastructure plan will be compiled based on wide input canvassing Australia’s current and future infrastructure needs, how to finance and deliver infrastructure, and ideas for better planning and use of infrastructure networks.