President’s column

I am pleased to announce the launch of ALGA’s 2016 Federal election plan, Local Government’s Plan for an Innovative and Prosperous Australia, which seeks the support of all political parties and their candidates for local government priorities in the lead up to the election.

ALGA has, in collaboration with state and territory local government associations, developed six key priorities for local government this coming election, and has also included an estimate of the economic benefits for each of the initiatives on the national economy. Put together, the priorities set out within the document will add an estimated $7.46 billion to the national GDP and create 19,300 jobs over three years if implemented by the Government.

These priorities include:

  1. Restoration of the Financial Assistance Grants (FAGs) indexation
  2. Increase in the quantum of FAGs to at least 1 per cent of Commonwealth taxation
  3. A freight strategy to increase productivity through targeted investment
  4. Permanent doubling of Roads to Recovery (to at least $700 million per annum)
  5. Community infrastructure funding
  6. Support for councils to work with local businesses and communities to implement local and regional Climate Change Plans.

The coming weeks will be an exciting and busy time for us reaching out to politicians and getting our message heard as we approach the Federal election. Copies of our plan have already been provided to all Federal politicians and political parties and we will take every opportunity to call for support for our proposals.

Councils will also play a critical role in advocating and articulating the priorities of local government at the local level with their Federal Member of Parliament. ALGA’s election plan will be provided to all councils with the assistance of your State and Territory Associations. I encourage you to actively champion the document by meeting with your local MP and discussing with them the challenges faced by our sector and the opportunities identified in the document to drive local investment and economic development.

The support of political parties and candidates for this plan will ensure that local government can partner with the Australian Government to provide appropriate infrastructure, including transport infrastructure, and boost national productivity through incentivising job creation to strengthen our communities and our economy.

 

Mayor Troy Pickard
ALGA President