Phil Helberg, Infrastructure WA speaks at Australian British Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) Infrastructure Catalyst

In September, the ABCC held their eighth Infrastructure Catalyst in London. Phil Helberg, CEO of Infrastructure WA travelled from Perth to speak on WA’s infrastructure program and needs especially the challenges the State has with housing, which was a key theme of the whole programme.
This Catalyst included two days in London followed by two days in Manchester and Sheffield. Greater Manchester is one of the strongest growing areas across the UK. Highlights from the four days included a tour of Battersea Power Station with a keynote speech from Sir David Higgins; an interview with the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham; a site visit to the Laing O’Rourke Centre of Excellence for Modern Construction; and a site visit to the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre. Andy Burnham told the delegation that Manchester is looking for potential partners worldwide to collaborate with and as yet, he has never visited Australia – an opportunity for WA? The London Office has been very actively engaging with Manchester businesses including through the local Chamber of Commerce and with the Australian High Commissioner, His Excellency the Hon Stephen Smith.
In addition to its focus on housing and defence infrastructure, the Catalyst heard a lot on the highspeed rail networks in the UK and Australia. A key takeaway from the event included the importance of explaining “why we need this infrastructure”, in addition to the traditional analysis of costs and benefits associated with business cases. This applies in particular for transport projects large and small where broader social benefits are often underestimated.
As both the UK and Australia are challenged by increasing labour shortages, the urgency of improving productivity in the construction industry by adopting new technologies and innovation was also emphasised.
