Paper presented at the 2025 International Public Works Conference, Sydney, Australia, 26 August 2025.

This paper outlines the development of a structured, merit-based prioritisation tool by Lake Macquarie City Council to improve transparency, consistency, and strategic alignment in infrastructure planning. Faced with fragmented decision-making across asset classes, the Council implemented an eight-step methodology incorporating stakeholder engagement, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), and GIS data integration. The resulting tool consolidated over 2,200 infrastructure issues into a single framework, supported the introduction of the Stormwater Management Services Charge, and enabled more efficient capital works programming. It has significantly enhanced Council’s asset management maturity, operational efficiency, and financial planning capabilities.