Last Saturday, Australians went to the polls to determine who would be the Government for the 45th Australian Parliament and, as we still await a clear outcome, ALGA and local governments across Australia are keen to progress the policy initiatives outlined in ALGA's Local Government Plan for Innovation and a Prosperous Australia.
ALGA strongly advocated these policies which, according to National Economics modelling, would create 19,300 jobs across the country and add more than $7.4 billion to Gross Domestic Product. The initiatives target freight productivity, community infrastructure, the Roads to Recovery program, Financial Assistance Grants (FAGs) and support for community climate change action to strengthen the economic base of local government and increase Australia's international competitiveness and the sustainability of local communities.
With the support of the next Government, these initiatives will enable local government to deliver appropriate infrastructure, create jobs, boost productivity, and promote a fairer distribution of income and opportunity.
Regardless of which party forms Government, all levels of government will need to continue to work together to strengthen the economy, increase workforce participation as well as ensure a healthy environment and build greater social equity and local government will play an important role in this task.