Politicians love the vote-pulling power of major transport projects.Of Australia public business They also quite like to keep details of of how they’ve decided to fund a project under wraps, avoiding the pesky scrutiny the public deserves.
A business case documents the essential elements of an argument that a particular project is worth building, and is the best available option to solve a specific problem.
Business cases should be essential to any government considering a large spending commitment. Stefan Postles/AAP
Cases after the facts
Of Australia’s 32 biggest infrastructure projects, just eight had a public business case It’s true that 11 major transport projects ended up with a business case later on.
Too much secrecy
It isn’t just business cases where there is a lack of transparency. Even when it is, it can be hard to find.
Queensland discloses the least information, and less of what it does publish is available in a central location.
All emphatically agreed governments should have and make public business cases – at the very least.
They are right. Transparency is not everything, but it is important.
Politicians should welcome the scrutiny. In these fractured times, transparency builds trust.
