NSW launches authority to drive AUD $50 billion digital projects
New South Wales is positioning itself as a premier global hub for innovation and digital infrastructure, following the introduction of the Minns Government's Investment Delivery Authority, a move which aims to accelerate major investment projects and reinforce Australia's standing as a digital leader.
The Authority will receive AUD $17.7 million in funding as part of the state's 2025-26 Budget, and is expected to provide a transformative boost to NSW's capacity to attract and deliver substantial projects. As modelled on the state's Housing Delivery Authority, the new body will focus on reducing complexity and speeding up the approvals process across industry sectors, notably advanced technologies and energy.
This measure responds directly to longstanding concerns from the private sector about bureaucratic delays and fragmented regulatory processes. It is forecast to facilitate about 30 large-scale projects annually, potentially unlocking as much as AUD $50 billion in investment each year. Expressions of interest are being sought for projects valued above AUD $1 billion that align with state priorities and can commence development swiftly.
Leaders from Australia's technology infrastructure sector have warmly welcomed the announcement, describing it as an essential step in enabling the rapid deployment of next-generation digital infrastructure, including artificial intelligence (AI) and data centre projects.
Carly Wishart, Managing Director for Corporate and International at AirTrunk, emphasised the urgent need for streamlined planning and power allocation processes if Australia is to fully leverage its potential as a smart and leading digital economy. "Streamlining planning and approval processes for development permits and power allocation is essential if Australia is to capitalise on the data centre growth opportunity and become a smart economy. If Australia is to be a leading digital economy and build its own artificial intelligence capability, then it must have the necessary digital infrastructure and renewable energy needed to support it," Wishart stated. She also welcomed the Minns Government's recognition that the race to build AI infrastructure is a global one in which speed will be decisive.
Craig Scroggie, CEO and Managing Director of NEXTDC, underlined the increasing complexity of AI infrastructure investments and the need for regulatory certainty to attract private capital. "In today's geopolitical environment, trust and sovereignty are economic assets. As a Five Eyes nation, Australia is uniquely positioned to lead the next industrial era, and New South Wales is stepping up to that role," said Scroggie.
Scroggie added, "Speed and scale are the new currency of global leadership. The Authority creates a faster path from planning to execution—reducing friction, aligning government, and providing the regulatory certainty private capital requires. NEXTDC has over AUD $15 billion in AI infrastructure projects planned across NSW. This reform allows us to build the digital backbone of the future—faster, and at global scale."
The Investment Delivery Authority will be supported by a multi-agency taskforce within Investment NSW and will have the ability to recommend reforms to further eliminate barriers to private investment. Eligible projects are not limited by sector and may include developments such as hotels, data centres, renewable energy projects, and commercial buildings.
With speed and certainty seen as crucial across both Australian and British industry perspectives, the intention is clear: by strengthening the digital backbone and cutting through red tape, NSW and the wider region can achieve the economic dynamism and innovation necessary to remain at the forefront of the AI-powered global economy.
