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Engineers Australia calls for maintenance solutions

Engineers Australia is calling for more engineering involvement in decision making and greater management of existing assets.

The call was made in the engineering body’s response to the Infrastructure Australia 2019 Audit.

Engineers Australia Senior Policy Advisor for Infrastructure Sybilla Grady said the response highlights opportunities for Infrastructure Australia to consider.

Ms. Grady said additional opportunities include involving more engineers in the decision making and procurement process for infrastructure projects.

The response also calls for a clear plan on how to manage existing assets – particularly around maintenance.

“We broadly support the challenges and opportunities that have been identified in the audit,” Ms. Sybilla says.

“However, the audit could be more prescriptive, and there is an issue in terms of management and maintenance of existing infrastructure stock.”

According to Ms. Sybilla, the audit mentions the need to address maintenance backlogs and operational standards , especially around fast-growing cities with highly valued and overused infrastructure.

“While many roadblocks were identified around the issue of maintenance in the audit, there were very few solutions,” Ms. Sybilla said.

Working with Engineers Australia’s Infrastructure and Energy advisory panels, Ms. Sybilla has developed recommendations to develop a national infrastructure maintenance strategy to manage existing assets to maximum benefit.

“A lot of countries have already developed maintenance strategies in order to identify a hierarchy of major assets and ensure they are maintained to operate throughout intended life cycles, and how innovative technologies can be applied to maximum benefit,” Ms. Sybilla said.

“The proposed strategy looks at road and rail networks, water systems, power generation and distribution systems, and telecommunications networks to ensure they are properly maintained to avoid premature decommissioning.”

Ms. Sybilla said the strategy will also consider whether infrastructure assets should be demolished, refurbished or recycled to make the most out of the investment and use of public funds.

“While this solution can attempt to fix some of the emerging issues found in the audit, there are pressures that continue to put stress on Australia’s infrastructure,” Ms. Sybilla said.


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