Climate variability, population growth, and ageing infrastructure are converging to place extraordinary pressure on Australia’s water sector. Meeting these challenges demands more than just delivering projects on time and on budget. It requires procurement and contracting models that embed resilience, drive innovation, and deliver value for communities over decades.

Australia’s response to the Millennium Drought showed how early action, infrastructure investment, and community engagement can transform the way we manage vital resources. Today, the waste sector faces similar pressures in the context of rising consumption, declining landfill capacity, and the urgent need for more sustainable systems.

This article explores how proven principles from water reform, including proactive investment, policy alignment, and behavioural change, can be applied to reshape Australia’s waste sector.