Priority Assessment Program

The Priority Assessment Program was the department’s medium-term response to the economic impact of COVID-19. 

The program started in October 2020 and ended on 30 June 2024. It prioritised projects and allocation of case managers to projects that met the program criteria. Criteria included delivering strong investment, public benefit, economic growth and jobs to support the state’s economic recovery.

A total of 51 major projects across 9 industries were selected to participate in the Priority Assessment Program. Of these, 26 projects were decided quickly, bringing forward up to $23.65 billion in capital investment, 24,690 jobs and 1,416 dwellings.

Nine projects were withdrawn from the program. Any remaining projects will continue through the planning system’s regular assessment pathway.

Project selection and governance

We worked with applicants, councils and government agencies to select projects for the program. The 3-stage selection process included:

Projects selected for the program were limited to ensure timeframes and service agreements were met. We worked with applicants to agree on timeframes, assessment pathways and outcomes.

Selection did not pre-determine the assessment outcome. All projects were reviewed in line with the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.

We used a case-management approach to identify and manage projects in the Priority Assessment Program. An independent probity advisor was chosen to ensure the process was thorough and transparent.