The value of Illawarra infrastructure is tipped to increase by more than $1.7 billion by 2031, according to a national review.
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The Infrastructure Australia Audit, released on Friday, explores the country's ability to meet future growth in terms of transport, energy, communications and water.
Although Illawarra-specific mentions were limited, the report revealed the region was among the country's infrastructure hotspots.
The region's Direct Economic Contribution (DEC) is predicted to jump from the 2011 figure of $3.088 billion to $4.790 billion in 2031 - nabbing 11th spot on the top-20 list, ahead of Geelong, Hobart, Darwin and Cairns.
DEC measures, in dollar terms, the direct value that households, individuals and businesses derive from infrastructure.
The audit also stated governments had an ongoing role in ensuring efficient transports links to the country's ports, including Port Kembla.
"For the Illawarra, expanding the port is a critical part of the future economic growth of the region, it's also critical for the state," he said.
"Port Botany is going to reach capacity at some stage in the next two decades, we know that we have to have an overflow port - Port Kembla is ideally placed, but you've got to have the land-side transport links, which means rail."
The report reiterated a NSW Ports projection that Port Kembla port had "sufficient capacity for requirements over the next five years, but will require significant investment over the longer term to meet forecast growth in demand for container trade and bulk cargo exports".
"While capacity at the port can be increased, this growth would be limited by constraints on the existing rail network servicing the port," the audit said.
"NSW Ports has suggested that upgrades to the Unanderra-Moss Vale rail line or construction of the Maldon-Dombarton link would improve the efficiency of both freight and passenger rail connections in the Illawarra region."
"The federal government has abandoned rail, which means it is adding to the burden on road traffic; they've got their priorities all wrong," Mr Jones said.
Passenger train speeds were also among the MP's concerns.
"It is a national embarrassment the trip from Wollongong to Sydney takes slightly longer today than it did when I first got on that train, a Red Rattler before the line was electrified, in the early 1970s."