In a big win for Australia’s local governments, and as a direct result of ALGA advocacy, Prime Minister Albanese has reaffirmed his commitment to working with councils including re-establishing the Australian Council of Local Government.
This shows the respect our new Federal Government has for the hard work and commitment of Australia’s mayors, councillors and local government staff, and the value that we deliver every day for our communities.
I look forward to working alongside your councils and the Government to ensure that the ACLG produces outcomes for the public good.
A key advocacy win ALGA secured in the lead up to this year’s election was a new $200 million per year disaster mitigation fund to help councils and communities prepare for the increasingly frequent and more severe natural disasters we are experiencing.
The Government has now introduced legislation into the Parliament that will allow funding from the Emergency Response Fund to be used for natural disaster resilience and risk reduction initiatives.
This is an excellent outcome and will be welcomed in communities across our country, many of which have been impacted by multiple disaster events over the past few years.
Finally, I want to recognise the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and extend my deepest sympathies to all members of the Royal family.
Queen Elizabeth exemplified commitment to public service, and on behalf of Australia’s 537 local governments I offer our thanks for a lifetime of duty to the Crown, the Commonwealth, and millions of people across the globe.