Happy New Year and welcome to the first ALGA News edition for 2016!
With a Federal election set to take place sometime this year, the coming months offer an opportunity to pursue Local Government's needs at the Federal level. The team at ALGA are determined to drive the advocacy for the Local Government sector, including continuing our push to permanently double Roads to Recovery funding, restore the indexation of Financial Assistance Grants as soon as possible and make the Bridges Renewal Program permanent.
This year, ALGA will also be making the case that a constructive partnership between Federal and Local Government is vital if we are to capitalise on economic opportunities by prioritising investment in infrastructure and job-creation initiatives that will support the sustainability of local communities, particularly in rural and regional areas, and create a stronger economy.
We will continue our advocacy for a Local Government Community Infrastructure Program aimed at the renewal and maintenance of existing ageing community infrastructure. ALGA set out the case for such a program at last year's National Local Roads and Transport Congress in Ballarat and the document is available on the ALGA website.
It is important that Local Government's voice is heard during the policy debates that will take place in the lead up to the Federal election, and we will aim to keep you informed about our ongoing advocacy work.
This week, we also celebrate the achievements of individuals from across the nation who were honoured in the Australia Day honours list and I would like to extend warm congratulations to my past and present Local Government colleagues who were recognised with awards. Their commitment to our communities is incredible and I thank them for their tireless efforts.
Mayor Troy Pickard
ALGA President