The day-to-day experiences and well-being of communities are shaped by the infrastructure provided by councils such as public pools, libraries and children’s playgrounds to name a few.
While some of these facilities are relatively new, many were built decades ago and require significant maintenance and upgrades to ensure they continue to meet the needs of the community.
A significant proportion of Australia’s local community infrastructure is currently at risk of disrepair with an estimated $28.6 billion of community facilities in need of significant renewal.
There is a need for resources to ensure that local community infrastructure across a range of activities can be appropriately maintained and brought up to a standard which allows equitable access for all, including people with disability, women, and older people (a growing issue as our population ages).
Councils have identified more than 900 community infrastructure projects with a value of more than $1.5 billion.
New investment in the maintenance of community infrastructure will create jobs, support the lifestyles and living standards of hundreds of communities, and enable towns to attract and retain population, particularly in regional and rural communities.
In its federal election advocacy campaign, ALGA is calling for investment in a Local Government Community Infrastructure Program of $300 million per annum over four years. ALGA’s analysis indicates that this investment would have a cumulative Gross Domestic Product benefit $1.41 billion by the third year and create up to 3,600 new jobs.
Find out more about this and other federal election initiatives from ALGA at www.allpoliticsislocal.com.au