MEDIA STATEMENT

Tuesday, 1 September 2026

Image: screen shot from Infrastructure Victoria presentation by Dr Spear to federal Parliament on 18 August 2026.

The announcement that Infrastructure Victoria is to be abolished and its independent advisory and research function absorbed into Government comes as part of a broad response by the Carroll Government to the Helen Silver Independent Review into the Public Service.

As the national independent voice for cycling and active transport, We Ride Australia, believes that the expertise developed by the infrastructure advisory agency is unique and invaluable in helping inform transport and infrastructure investment across the state.

Indeed, over 84% of recommendations made in the 2021 30-year strategy were accepted, and another 45 are currently being considered as part of the 2025 update (statement from Dr Jonathan Spear on 28.8.26).

At a time when the state Government has been challenged to demonstrate its capacity to strategically plan, fund and deliver critical infrastructure, this advice is more important than ever.

In a major active transport infrastructure investment briefing event we recently organised in Parliament, the expertise of agency head, Dr Jonathan Spear, provided a significant contribution, recognised by Members and Senators in attendance.

We Ride Australia is not aware that equivalent research or policy work is being conducted within other areas of Government or by other Infrastructure agencies nationally, Infrastructure Victoria’s developed contribution is unique.

We acknowledge the intent and recommendations of the Helen Silver Review and Government measures announced last Friday, but call on Minister for Finance and Government Services, the Hon. Enver Erdogan, to recognise the importance of Infrastructure Victoria as an independent advisor, a role supported across party lines when it was established by an Act of Parliament in 2015 and maintain the independent infrastructure advisor.

Image: slide from Infrastructure Victoria presentation by Dr Spear to federal Parliament.

Key links:

  1. VicGov Media Announcement, Focusing Government Spending Where It Matters | Premier
  2. Infrastructure Victoria Media Statement by CEO, Dr Jonathan Spear
  3. ABC news article Government to shut down independent body Infrastructure Victoria – ABC News
  4. Independent Review of the Victorian Public Service: Final Report produced by Helen Silver AO. LINK

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Image: Slide from Infrastructure Victoria presentation by Dr Spear to federal Parliament, 18 August 2026