Roads Australia
The Australian Road Forum wants the incoming Federal Government to work with the states to provide longer-term road planning and funding pipelines and make more use of innovative project delivery methods to help overcome the serious skills shortage in the road industry.
In a recent ARF survey, four out of five respondents said the current skills shortage would seriously impact on the road industry’s ability to deliver major Commonwealth and state road programs over the next two to five years.
The survey identified serious shortages in all major skill categories, including engineers, field supervisors and road construction workers.
The survey found that the skills crisis was affecting all states but biting hardest in Queensland, where there is a rapidly expanding State roads program and both the Coalition and Federal Labor have committed significant AusLink 2 funding. WA was also identified as being seriously affected by road industry skill shortages.
ARF Chief Executive, Ian Webb, says one way to counter the skills crisis is for governments, both state and Federal, and the private sector to work more collaboratively - both in terms of the planning and delivery of road projects.
“The industry needs as much notice as possible about what projects are on the horizon so it can plan and marshal its capacity requirements,” he says.
“We’re not talking about two or three year programs but five, seven or even 10-year programs supported by firm funding commitments.
“The Commonwealth’s AusLink program is a step in the right direction, but to be most effective it’s dependent on the commitment and co-operation with the states.
“It’s very destabilising for the industry if a major project is announced and is then delayed because the funding isn’t fully committed, or there is a shift in the political will.
“We would like to see the incoming Federal Government play a lead role in fostering a more bipartisan approach to road planning, management and funding across all levels of government – one that puts the national interest ahead of parochialism and short-term budget cycles.”
Mr Webb says another way of addressing the skills crisis is to maximise what resources are now available.
“We certainly need to expand the pool of talent, but in the meantime we need to make better use of what’s there,” he says.
“This means making more use of innovative project delivery methods like alliancing that allow private sector players to combine their skills with each other or the public sector.
“We also need to ensure the contractural models used to deliver these projects don’t have engineers tied up administering the contracts, but out there delivering the actual work.”
Submitted by Mark Bowmer on Tuesday November 20th 2007 2:39pm