CANBERRA, ACT, Sept. 23 -- The Prime Minister of Australia issued the following media release:

Thank you all for being here this afternoon.

I thank our hosts Macquarie, a great Australian success story.

Among many distinguished guests, I acknowledge our Ambassador, Kevin Rudd and Australia's Consul-General to New York, Heather Ridout.

When I had the privilege of serving in Kevin's Cabinet as Minister for Infrastructure, we asked Heather to join the board of a new body we were establishing: Infrastructure Australia.

Its mission was to look beyond the short-term thinking that can sometimes capture planning and investment - and identify true, nation-building projects that would drive growth and boost productivity in our cities and regions...