Our resident Stats Guy asks whether we could improve development outcomes by minimising the role of politicians and empowering an independent body of technocrats.

Australian infrastructure makes my blood boil regularly.

We overpromise, overspend and underdeliver based on a short-sighted politicised view of the nation’s future.

Infrastructure is in the hands of politicians who may want the best for the country, but who also seek re-election every few years.

Projects are often selected for their political attractiveness rather than for where they will deliver the greatest benefit. This leads to favoured projects being rushed through with overly rosy cost estimates.

Time and again, infrastructure dollars disproportionately flow into marginal seats or electorates targeted for political gain – even when higher-return projects exist elsewhere.

Once a project is committed, political pressure pushes it through regardless of mounting costs or delays. Politicians rarely pull the plug; reputations are defended by downplaying problems or blaming external causes.

Short electoral cycles make things worse. Politicians favour projects with quick, visible benefits over those that would yield larger long-term returns but require patience.

Accountability is weak. Post-completion reviews are often tick-the-box exercises that rarely lead to consequences or improve the delivery of future projects. Mistakes are repeated, taxpayers overpay, and trust in democracy erodes. This really isn’t great.

Could we improve outcomes by minimising the role of politicians and empowering an independent body of technocrats?

I imagine a statutory organisation that sets infrastructure priorities, assesses proposals rigorously, ensures accountability, and allocates funding on merit, transparency, and long-term planning. They would be responsible for pulling the plug on failed efforts too.

Politicians would still set the overall budget and approve the largest projects. But the technical decisions of what gets built, where, when, and how would rest with experts.

Politicians wouldn’t vanish from the process; they would emerge as........

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