News

Funding for local Changing Places facilities

Councils are reminded the Federal Government is investing $32.2 million from 2022 to 2026 to offer up to half of the funding to build Changing Places facilities in local government areas.

Tranches 1 and 2 of Changing Places have now closed, with the Commonwealth partnering with the ACT, New South Wales, the Northern Territory, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia for 38 Changing Places facilities.  Work on tranche 3 is currently underway and will run during the 2024-25 financial year.

Changing Places are accessible toilets with extra features and more space to meet the needs of people with disability and their carers.  These facilities include:

  • a height-adjustable adult-sized change table
  • a constant-charging ceiling track hoist system
  • a centrally-located peninsula toilet
  • more circulation space than standard accessible toilets
  • an automatic door with a minimum opening of 950mm
  • a privacy screen.

Without Changing Places facilities, the risk of social isolation can be increased as people with disabilities and their carers choose to leave public areas early, have loved one sit in soiled clothing or change them on the floor of a public toilet.

The funding can also supplement other sources of federal funding. Local governments are also encouraged to consider including a Changing Places facility in their community infrastructure plans.

Further information is available here: Changing Places | Department of Social Services.

President’s Update – 4 November 2024

I was delighted to appear before the Senate Standing Committee on Economics last week on the National Housing and Homelessness Plan Bill 2024.

During the hearing, I highlighted that many councils are going above and beyond to address the housing crisis but we aren’t resourced to play a greater role.

One of the biggest challenges is a lack of funding for local roads, water and power connections needed for new developments, and we need to fix this to significantly increase housing supply.

Natural disaster reviews

We recently welcomed the release of the Independent Review of Commonwealth Disaster Funding (Colvin Review) and the Independent Review of National Natural Disaster Governance Arrangements (Glasser Review).

ALGA has consistently advocated for an increased focus on disaster mitigation and risk reduction, and it’s encouraging to see this was supported in both reviews.

We look forward to working with our members and the Federal Government on the review recommendations.

State conferences

I was honoured to speak at the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) annual conference on 22 October in Brisbane.

At the annual event, where I was also elected LGAQ President, I spoke about local government financial sustainability, affordable housing and returning ALGA to National Cabinet as a full member.

I will also be speaking at the Local Government Association of the Northern Territory (LGANT) conference in Alice Springs this week, and I’m looking forward to meeting with NSW councils at their state conference in Tamworth on 18 November.

Early bird tickets closing

Another reminder early bird tickets close at the end of next week (15 November) for the 2024 National Local Roads, Transport & Infrastructure Congress.

This year’s Congress – featuring high-profile speakers and an annual dinner at Leeuwin Estate Winery – will be held in Margaret River, Western Australia from 3-4 December.

Register now!

Submission to Packaging Regulation Reform Consultation Paper

ALGA has provided a submission to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water’s (DCCEEW) Reform of Packaging Regulations Consultation Paper.

The submission said local government plays a crucial role in diverting waste from landfills, especially as Australia’s waste is a growing problem that has broad impacts for local communities.

In the last decade, the amount of waste generated in Australia has increased by around 12 per cent. This is compounded by low levels of recycling with Australia’s recycling rate below most OECD countries.

ALGA’s overarching position is the onus for reducing and paying for waste creation must be covered by entities creating waste.

Read submission

Submission to the Inquiry on Opportunities in the Circular Economy

ALGA has provided a submission to the Productivity Commission’s consultation for the Inquiry on Opportunities in the Circular Economy.

The submission said local governments are key national partners in resource management by supporting and brokering their communities’ social and economic development and providing infrastructure and services which enable regional economies to function.

As one of local governments’ major services, waste management and how operating and
environmental costs can be reduced, is a major focus for councils.

ALGA also advocated for waste avoidance, mandatory extended producer responsibility, and greater ongoing support for community education and awareness around resource use and waste.

Read submission

COVID-19 inquiry findings

ALGA has welcomed the release of the Federal Government’s COVID-19 response inquiry report, which highlighted that Australia’s 537 councils were critical for the implementation of National Cabinet decisions during the pandemic.

The inquiry also recommended National Cabinet would benefit from having more structured engagement and active consultation with local government to ensure future decision-making is informed at a local level.

ALGA provided a submission to the inquiry last year, outlining that as the closest level of government to the community, local government was in a unique position to identify community needs and ensure solutions were delivered in an appropriate way during the COVID-19 response.

Our submission also outlined local governments’ digital transformation delivered efficiencies and deepened community engagement.

Read the COVID-19 inquiry report

Councils welcome Coalition’s housing infrastructure commitment

ALGA today welcomed the Coalition’s pledge to invest $5 billion in enabling infrastructure through a new Housing Infrastructure Programme to unlock up to 500,000 new homes across Australia.

President Mayor Matt Burnett said ALGA had been calling for this extra funding, which is vital for unlocking new housing developments across the country.

“Our latest research shows building the enabling – or trunk – infrastructure to cover the gap between current housing constructions and the nation’s ambitious housing target will cost at least $5.7 billion,” Mayor Burnett said.

“This is before we invest in the libraries, pools, recreation centres and bike paths which are vital for creating liveable communities.

“AGLA’s research also shows 40 per cent of Australian councils have cut back on new infrastructure developments because of inadequate trunk infrastructure funding.

“We are delighted the Coalition has responded to our call for increased investment in enabling infrastructure, that will make a significant contribution towards addressing Australia’s housing crisis.”

Mayor Burnett said it was important for the new infrastructure funding to be made available to all of Australia’s 537 councils.

“We understand the proposed new program is focussed on greenfield developments, but all councils are facing challenges building and upgrading local infrastructure to support new housing,” Mayor Burnett said.

President’s Update – 21 October 2024

In my first few weeks as President, I’ve spoken to several national media outlets, including The Australian Financial Review and Government News to highlight how councils can play a bigger role in addressing Australia’s housing crisis.

We need to stop the ‘blame game’ around housing supply, and the barriers to increasing affordable housing must be addressed by all stakeholders, including the private sector and all levels of government.

Homes without key infrastructure like roads, sewerage, water and access to local parks and community services are pointless.  So it’s vital we build sustainable communities, not just more homes, and this needs forward planning and thinking – something councils are very good at and take seriously.

We need federal, state and territory governments to partner with local government to identify more revenue streams – paid directly to councils – to close the minimum $5.7 billion infrastructure gap.

Next month, I will visit Canberra to raise this issue with senior Ministers, MPs and Senators.  I will also highlight the key role we can play in improving local infrastructure, preparing for natural disasters, and supporting the nation’s energy transition.

State conferences

I was delighted to deliver my first official speech at the Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA) annual conference on 8 October in Perth.

At the Mayors and Presidents Forum, I highlighted the importance of financial sustainability for Australia’s 537 councils, and the need to create stronger partnerships with all levels of government to provide effective local solutions to national priorities.

I’m also looking forward to presenting to Queensland councils and leaders at the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) conference in Brisbane tomorrow.

It’s been fantastic talking to local Mayors, Shire Presidents and Councillors and I look forward to meeting more of you at state and territory conferences in the coming months.

Register for 2024 Roads Congress

Finally, a reminder early bird tickets close on 15 November for the 2024 National Local Roads, Transport & Infrastructure Congress.

This year’s event – which features a range of high-profile speakers and experts – will be held at Margaret River in Western Australia from 3-4 December.

You can view the conference program here.  I hope to see you there.

Road safety action plan engagement

On behalf of councils, ALGA attended the Intergovernmental Steering Committee on road safety meeting last week in Sydney.

ALGA engaged with senior leaders and representatives from the Commonwealth and state and territory governments to review the progress of the National Road Safety Action Plan (2023-25), and discussed the ongoing governance of road safety strategies.

The Action Plan was agreed by all Infrastructure and Transport Ministers in December 2022, and has been developed cooperatively by all levels of government, in consultation with road safety stakeholders and ALGA.

The committee also discussed the drafting of a new National Road Safety Action Plan for publication in 2026, which is due to be completed by December 2025.

President’s Update – 8 October 2024

I am honoured to be elected as the new ALGA President.

It’s a privilege to accept this long-standing leadership role to advocate on behalf of Australia’s 537 councils.

By working together and with all levels of government, I want to see councils and communities not just survive, but thrive!

I’m very excited to get started, and build on ALGA’s advocacy achievements. We need to work and engage with all levels of government to address the key problems facing communities in Australia.

As you may know, I was born and raised in Gladstone, in central Queensland, and my council career has spanned nearly 25 years.  Watch this video to learn more about my passion and service to local government:

 

Last week, I spoke to several national media outlets, including The Australian newspaper, to outline my advocacy agenda, which includes securing serious federal funding increases for councils  – not just pocket money!  My major focus will be on advocating for more support so councils can remain financially sustainable.

I also pay tribute to former ALGA President Linda Scott for her significant contribution to this sector – and congratulate new Vice Presidents councillor Karen Chappel AM JP, from the Shire of Morawa in Western Australia, and councillor Darriea Turley AM, from Broken Hill City Council in New South Wales.

I look forward to working alongside the Vice Presidents, ALGA’s Board and your councils  to build stronger, vibrant and more liveable communities.

Annual conferences

This week, as part of my first official engagement as President, I’m excited to meet Western Australian councils at the WALGA annual conference in Perth and I thank Karen Chappel for hosting me.

I’m also looking forward to presenting to Queensland councils at the LGAQ conference in Brisbane later this month.

Please say hello if you see me at these events.  I look forward to meeting you.

Global Nature Positive Summit outcomes

ALGA attended the Global Nature Positive Summit from 8-10 October to share and highlight the contributions local governments are making to caring for the environment.

Delegates participated in discussions about the opportunities to enable ‘local action’ on climate change and biodiversity restoration across the country through greater recognition of local governments’ role and improving resources.

Co-hosted by the Australian Government and NSW Government, the summit involved participants across many sectors, including First Nations and Pacific Island, business, and advocacy leaders and NGOs.

Key topics discussed included long term sustainability, addressing the financing gap in emissions reduction and nature protection, and opportunities to improve carbon and biodiversity markets as a supplementary tool to government funding.

Participating in these discussions enabled local government needs and opportunities to be incorporated into national policy frameworks to achieve better community outcomes for a climate and biodiversity-changed future.

Rural Health Workforce Mapping Tool

The National Rural Health Alliance has recently released an updated Rural Health Workforce Mapping Tool.

The comprehensive tool provides accessible data on the distribution of the health workforce across Australia in a visual geographic format, which includes local government areas.

Comparing the health workforce in major cities and regions, the tool is highly useful for government and non-government organisations, local healthcare service planners and leaders for planning and understanding the distribution of health professionals across the regions in Australia.

Learn more.

Australasian road safety conference

On behalf of councils, ALGA attended the recent Australasian College of Road Safety (ACRS) annual conference in Hobart to engage with industry experts, policy-makers and leaders.

ALGA is committed to empowering local governments to improve road safety outcomes and reduce fatalities on local roads.

Last year, there were more than 1200 fatalities on Australia’s roads, and 40,000 people were seriously injured, which leaves lasting impacts on the lives of victims and families, and costs the Australian economy around $30 billion a year.

With local governments managing over 75 per cent of the nation’s road network, ALGA looks forward to using the learnings and outcomes of the ACRS Conference to benefit councils and communities.

Gladstone Mayor Matt Burnett elected President

(L-R):  ALGA Vice President Cr Darriea Turley, ALGA President Mayor Matt Burnett and Vice President Cr Karen Chappel.

Gladstone Regional Council Mayor Matt Burnett is the new President of the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) – the peak body for Australia’s 537 local governments.

Mayor Burnett – who has been an ALGA Board member for eight years and a Vice President for the past four years – was elected at the annual general meeting in Canberra today.

With an impressive local government career spanning nearly 25 years, Mayor Burnett said he was honoured to be elected President and looked forward to putting local communities first by securing extra funding for councils.

“My life is in local government, and it’s a tremendous privilege to accept this important leadership role to advocate on behalf of all councils across Australia,” Mayor Burnett said.

“By working together with all levels of government, our councils and communities can not just survive, but thrive and deliver local solutions to national challenges.

“Local governments stand ready to play a more effective role in supporting the Federal Government’s national policy priorities and key targets.  But to achieve this, we urgently need serious federal funding increases – not just pocket money.

“As President, my major focus will be advocating for more support so councils can remain financially sustainable.  I also want to forge stronger partnerships with governments to meet the challenges and embrace opportunities to build more houses, improve local infrastructure, prepare for natural disasters and support the nation’s energy transition.”

Mayor Burnett also paid tribute to his predecessor former City of Sydney councillor Linda Scott.

“Over the past four years, Linda has made a significant contribution to our sector as ALGA President and I hope to build on this success.  I sincerely thank Linda for her outstanding leadership, determination and effective advocacy on behalf of all councils,” Mayor Burnett said.

The AGM also saw Councillor Karen Chappel AM JP from the Shire of Morawa in Western Australia and Councillor Darriea Turley AM from Broken Hill City Council in New South Wales elected as ALGA’s Vice Presidents for the next two years.

Mayor Burnett said: “I’m so excited to get started and work alongside the Vice Presidents, ALGA’s Board and our members to achieve the best outcomes and solutions for all councils across Australia to build stronger, vibrant and more liveable communities.”

2024 National Congress speakers announced

Several high-profile speakers have been announced for the 2024 National Local Roads, Transport & Infrastructure Congress from 3-4 December in Western Australia.

As outlined in the provisional program, Stephen Hodge from national cycling advocacy body WeRide will discuss active transport as part of a concurrent session on 3 December along with Al Reid from microFleet, who is a trailblazer in reducing transport emissions.

Sara Hales, from Avistra Aviation Consulting, will also present on regional airports of the future on 3 December and draw on her valuable insights about sustainable and resilient aviation connectivity and infrastructure.

L-R: Stephen Hodge from WeRide and Sara Hales from Avistra Aviation Consulting.

The conference is being held at Margaret River HEART, in Margaret River, located about three hours south of Perth.

Early bird registrations are now open for the 2024 Congress – click here to register.

President’s Update – 9 September 2024

Farewell and thank you

This is my final update before handing over to your next ALGA President later this month.

As you may know, I am leaving local government after 12 rewarding and enjoyable years, including four years as national President.

It has been a tremendous privilege to represent our communities to the Federal Government, and working together, we have achieved many advocacy highlights and positive funding outcomes to improve the liveability and sustainability of our communities.

Importantly, since 2020 we have secured an estimated $7.22 billion in additional federal funding our councils can access, including the ongoing indexation to FA Grants, $500 million to support housing growth, a doubling of Roads to Recovery funding, $200 million per year for disaster mitigation and $100 million for climate action and emissions reduction.

It was a significant win that the Government continued to increase Financial Assistance Grants in line with the legislated indexation formula.  The cumulative impact of this increase across four years was an additional $1.72 billion in untied federal funding to councils compared to if the FA Grants indexation had been frozen.

Also, in addition to participating in National Cabinet and the Council on Federal Financial Relations, it has been an honour to represent local government on a wide range of Ministerial Councils and Forums.  Over the last four years ALGA has attended:

  • Energy and Climate Change Ministerial Council
  • Building Ministers Meeting
  • Road Safety Ministers Meeting
  • Water Ministers Meeting
  • Infrastructure and Transport Ministers Meeting
  • Local Government Ministers Forum
  • National Emergency Management Ministers Meeting
  • Joint Council on Closing the Gap
  • Planning Ministers Meeting
  • Environment Ministers Meeting
  • Cultural Ministers Meeting
  • Food Ministers Meeting
  • Ending Plastic Wate External Advisory Group Meeting
  • Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy Oceania Steering Committee
  • Ministerial Migration Roundtable
  • Drought Ministers Roundtable
  • Commemorative Grants Advisory Committee
  • Regional Banking Taskforce
  • Indigenous Affairs Ministers Meeting.

But there’s still so much to do, and I know you will continue to support ALGA, as well as your state and territory associations, as they continue to advocate for more sustainable funding for our communities.

Finally, as I close this amazing and memorable chapter of my career, I sincerely thank all of you for your outstanding support.

It’s rare you get to leave on top in politics, and I especially thank ALGA’s Board and state and territory association members for your unwavering commitment and dedication to making our cities, towns and regions better and more vibrant places to live, work and visit.

Disaster Ready Fund

Our advocacy in the lead up to the previous Federal election delivered a new $200 million per year Disaster Ready Fund, and it was fantastic to see 121 local government-based projects supported through the second round of this funding announced recently.  The full list of successful projects is available here.

This funding will support projects worth more than $310 million, which collectively will significantly improve our nation’s disaster preparedness.

As the human and financial costs of disaster recovery continue to grow, it’s vital we prioritise local mitigation projects that will better safeguard our communities.

Annual conferences

Finally, I was delighted to speak one last time at the Local Government Association of Tasmania’s annual conference in Hobart last week, and I sincerely thank LGAT President Mayor Mick Tucker for the invitation.

I’m also looking forward to presenting to Victorian councils at the MAV annual conference in Melbourne on Thursday and thank President Councillor David Clark for hosting me.

Australia Day grants for 2025

Councils are invited to apply for grants of up to $15,000 for Australia Day 2025 events.

From morning teas to multicultural festivals, to mornings of mourning, more than 600 events were hosted by local governments and community groups around the country to reflect, respect and celebrate Australia Day 2024.

The Australia Day Community Events Grant Program opens on Monday 16 September 2024. Get in quick!

Visit: www.australiaday.org.au/grants

Review of the Future Acts regime

Councils are invited to participate in the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) inquiry into the future acts regime, under the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth), which is the main native title law in Australia.

The ALRC will investigate how the future acts regime works, and how it can be improved to make it work effectively equally and fairly.

The ALRC will:

  • publish a background paper in late 2024. This will include more information about the inquiry.
  • publish a consultation paper in 2025. This will explain some of their ideas for reform and call for formal submissions in response.
  • consult with stakeholders later in 2024 and in 2025.

Ways to participate:

  • The ALRC wants to hear from a wide range of people, including native title holders and future acts proponents. The ALRC respect the custodianship First Nations people have over their stories and knowledge about country and culture.
  • There are three main ways to participate in the inquiry:
    • The ALRC will be holding consultations and meetings with different stakeholders.
    • The ALRC will call for formal submissions in 2025. Anyone is welcome to make a submission.
    • You can get in contact with them at any time during the Inquiry.

More information: https://www.alrc.gov.au/inquiry/review-of-the-future-acts-regime/

ALGA has been contacted about making sure quality engagement occurs with LGAs.  To assist councils with the consultation, ALGA has developed the four fact sheets on Native Title:

The ALRC has been asked to provide its final report to the Attorney-General by 8 December 2025.

Submission to Biosecurity Strategy Action Plan

ALGA has provided a submission to the Federal Government’s National Biosecurity Strategy Action Plan.

The submission highlighted local governments are vital delivery partners in Australia’s biosecurity regime.

Councils in urban, regional, rural or remote areas play a role in supporting public awareness and
education, contributing to surveillance, undertake regulation, undertaking weed and pest control,
and contributing to emergency response for biosecurity incidents.   They also provide information
and local insights to other tiers of government to support national biosecurity outcomes.

Read submission

Addressing the Housing Crisis report

AGLA has released the Addressing the Housing Crisis: Unlocking Local Government’s Contribution report by Equity Economics.

The new report highlights opportunities and policy reforms for councils to play a more effective role in accelerating Australia’s housing supply.

In particular, the research shows there’s a $19.4 billion gap in the funding councils receive to deliver the enabling infrastructure necessary for 1.2 million new, well-located homes. This is beyond local governments’ capacity to fund and we need better, more sustainable partnerships with all levels of government.

The Equity Economics report was also informed by a survey of about 130 councils across Australia, which showed:

  • 80 per cent of local governments can’t cover trunk infrastructure expenses. Only 5 per cent of respondents have current annual revenues that cover total annual expenses for trunk infrastructure.
  • 40 per cent of local governments have cut back on new infrastructure developments because of inadequate trunk infrastructure funding.

President’s Update – 26 August 2024

National Housing Summit

I was delighted to speak at our inaugural National Local Government Housing Summit in Adelaide on 16 August, which attracted around 150 mayors, shire presidents, councillors and staff from across the country.

This summit at Adelaide Town Hall focused on the positive role local government can play to facilitate more affordable housing and help deliver on Australia’s housing target of 1.2 million homes over the next five years.

A big thanks to LGA SA for supporting our first housing summit, and to the City of Adelaide for hosting us in their beautiful Town Hall.

At the event, we heard preliminary research from Equity Economics which explored some of the housing challenges for local government.

I’m proud to represent local governments on a wide range of Ministerial Councils and Forums, but unfortunately the National Housing and Homelessness Ministerial Council is not one of them.  As the third tier of government we have an important role to play addressing our country’s affordable housing crisis and we will continue to advocate for a seat at the table.

Meeting new Ministers

Following the recent federal Ministerial reshuffle, I was delighted to meet several newly-appointed Ministers at Parliament House on 14 August.

I met with Minister for Housing and Minister for Homelessness Clare O’Neil to discuss how local government can help the Government reach it’s housing target, and also spoke with new Federal Minister for Emergency Management and Cities Senator Jenny McAllister.

During the visit, I also met with our Minister for Local Government Kristy McBain to discuss a range of issues affecting councils including financial sustainability.

We look forward to working with Minister O’Neil and McAllister in their new roles, and also acknowledge the great work and support for councils from previous Housing and Emergency Management Ministers Julie Collins and Senator Murray Watt.

2024 Roads Congress

Finally, we’ve already had strong interest in our 2024 National Local Roads, Transport & Infrastructure Congress, and I’m delighted to reveal our program outline.

This year’s event will be held in Margaret River in Western Australia from 3-4 December, and registrations are now open.

National drowning report

ALGA News attended the launch of the National Drowning Report 2024, by Assistant Federal Minister Matt Thistlethwaite (pictured), on 20 August at Parliament House in Canberra, which found there were 323 drowning deaths over the past year.

While some progress has been made including for children aged under five, the National Drowning Report 2024 showed a 16% increase in drownings on the 10-year average.  Drowning deaths for children 5-14 increased 30 per cent and for people over 65 increased 26 per cent.

This increase is an issue of concern for all levels of government, including councils.

As a member of the Australian Water Safety Council, ALGA works closely with Royal Life Saving Australia and Surf Life Saving Australia to improve water safety and drowning prevention across Australia.

We are committed to working with all organisations and partners to improve water safety and to help reduce drowning deaths in Australia, especially around waterways and pools managed by local government.

ALGA’s Communications and Media Manager Brad Watts with Policy Director Monica Telesny.

Submission to Transport and Infrastructure Net Zero Consultation Roadmap

ALGA has provided a submission to the Federal Government’s Transport and Infrastructure Net Zero Consultation Roadmap.

The submission highlighted that local governments play two important roles in emissions reduction – reducing their emissions and supporting local communities to reduce their carbon footprints.

ALGA said the roadmap will support and enable the important work local governments are already doing on emissions reduction. Including local government perspectives will also ensure a community and place-based approach complements and underpins the success of the broader industry transformation.

Read submission

President’s Update – 12 August 2024

Win! Regional airlines roundtable

In an advocacy win, we worked with the Federal Government last week to organise a roundtable for regional councils affected by Rex Airlines entering voluntary administration.

Hosted by Federal Minister for Local Government Kristy McBain and attended by 50 council leaders, the virtual briefing was secured following ALGA’s call for strong action by the Government to ensure regional communities remain connected and accessible following the airline’s collapse.

The forum was an opportunity for us to voice our concerns about the loss of regional aviation services, and the support we need to facilitate and continue regular flights into our communities.

About 200 councils run and operate airports and aerodromes across Australia, and we will continue to work closely with the Government to protect and support our rural and regional communities at risk.

National Housing Summit research

We are looking forward to releasing important new research this Friday at our inaugural National Local Government Housing Summit in Adelaide.

Developed by Equity Economics, the research will highlight the opportunities for us to play a larger and more effective role in delivering on Australia’s ambitious housing targets.

Tickets are still available for the event at Adelaide Town Hall, supported by LGA SA, which will also showcase the wonderful work your councils are doing in this area.  View the draft program.

National General Assembly resolutions

Finally, a huge thank you to all councils that submitted motions to our 2024 NGA in Canberra last month.

Together, we considered a record 167 motions, which covered everything from local government financial sustainability to housing and emergency management.

I’m delighted that all of these NGA resolutions will be provided to the relevant federal Ministers for their consideration.

You can download the full list of resolutions here.

ANU disaster solutions seminar

There needs to be “transformational change” in Australia’s approach to disaster mitigation funding and building resilient communities, a disaster management session in Canberra was told on 6 August.

ALGA News attended the ANU Disaster Solutions Update 2024, which heard from a range of experts, including National Emergency Management Agency Coordinator-General Brendan Moon, Federal Minister for Financial Service Stephen Jones and Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) CEO Andrew Hall.

The main focus of the one-day seminar was on the latest research and innovative solutions in disaster finance, as well as the key role of communities, government, including local government, and the private sector.

Addressing the topic of ‘funding a resilient Australia’, Mr Moon highlighted the importance of local governments in rebuilding stronger communities, and the need for funding to undertake large mitigation projects.  Mr Moon said there also needs to be more capacity to build “big mitigation” infrastructure, which needs a “transformational approach”.

Speaking about ‘closing the insurance protection gap’, Mr Hall said Australia faced similar challenges to other modern economies in terms of the growing cost of insurance and premiums.  He highlighted ICA’s research showing 1 in 12 properties have some level of flood risk in Australia. Of these, about 230,000 properties were at risk of flooding every year.

About 5.6 million homes are at risk of bushfire in Australia, according to the ICA, and the estimated cost of rebuilding homes is 27 per cent higher than before the start of Covid pandemic.

Communities and councils up in the air over Rex crisis

Australia’s councils are calling for strong action from the Federal Government to ensure regional communities remain connected and accessible in the wake of Rex Airlines entering voluntary administration.

ALGA President Councillor Linda Scott said any disruption to regional airline access would be devastating.

“Our communities rely on consistent and reliable airline services to put food on our tables, connect us with friends and family, and ensure access to vital health services,” Cr Scott said.

“As councils, we play a crucial role, owning and operating airports and aerodromes that function as gateways to our local areas and regions.

“We urge the Government to take quick and decisive action, as well as engage with impacted councils, to protect and support our rural and regional communities that are at risk.”

Cr Scott said increased funding to local government – through federal Financial Assistance Grants – would help to support regional and rural councils to invest in and support local aviation infrastructure.

“ALGA’s 2024 National State of the Assets report showed airports and aerodromes operated by councils are worth $3.6 billion, and around 12 per cent of these facilities were in poor condition,” Cr Scott said.

“Many councils operating small airports have limited rate bases and capacity to effectively modernise them, or invest in their upkeep.

“In recent years, new security screening requirements have placed additional pressure on local government airports.

“Restoring Financial Assistance Grants to at least one per cent of Commonwealth taxation revenue would support us to invest in sustainable solutions to our long-term aviation challenges.”

2024 NGA resolutions

A key component of every National General Assembly (NGA) of Local Government is the motions submitted by participating councils for debate and discussion, identifying important issues to the communities they represent.

Local governments at the 2024 NGA considered more than 160 motions, all of which called for some form of action from the Federal Government, such as amending existing Commonwealth policies or funding programs, or developing new policies or programs to meet emerging needs.

Resolutions passed by delegates at the 2024 NGA can be downloaded here.

President’s Update – 29 July 2024

National Housing Summit

We are less than three weeks away from our inaugural National Local Government Housing Summit.

This summit will be held at Adelaide Town Hall on Friday 16 August, and the event is an opportunity for us to follow up and expand on discussions we had around affordable housing at our NGA in Canberra earlier this month.

We will also launch new housing research from Equity Economics, and showcase the fantastic and innovative work your councils are doing in this area.

A draft program is now available, which includes a networking reception hosted by Adelaide Lord Mayor Dr Jane Lomax-Smith on 15 August.

Registrations are now open – I hope to see you there!

Energy transition

I was delighted to speak to The Guardian recently about the importance of engaging local government in the planning of renewable energy projects and infrastructure.

Our energy and housing transitions must be carefully managed to ensure communities are supported with housing and infrastructure along the way, with local governments at the centre of this planning.

Importantly, councils have a key role to play in helping deliver on Australia’s emissions reduction and net zero targets, and it’s encouraging around 80 per cent of local governments have already set or are investigating emissions reduction targets.

Energy transition is an important topic for so many of our communities and it’s an honour to represent you on the Energy and Climate Change Ministerial Council.

The Council last met on 19 July and you can read the Communique.

Ministerial councils

A key role for ALGA is to represent the voice of local government on the many Ministerial councils.

In the past month, representatives from the ALGA Board attended several key Ministerial councils, including the Environment Ministers’ Meeting, Building Ministers’ Meeting, Water Ministers’ Meeting and the Ministerial Migration Roundtable.

Local government housing survey

ALGA has engaged Equity Economics to undertake research into the support Australia’s local governments need to help increase affordable housing supply.

This research will be launched at the National Local Government Housing Summit in Adelaide on 16 August.

To inform the research, a short survey has been developed on the barriers councils face in housing development.

The survey should take no more than 10 minutes to complete and closes at 5pm (AEST) on Friday 3 August 2024. Individual survey responses will not be made public or identifiable.

If you need assistance with the survey, please email alice.kemble@equityeconomics.com.au.

2024 NGA Listening Sessions

A major highlight of the 2024 National General Assembly was four new listening sessions held on 2 July on housing and community infrastructure, emergency management, roads and transport and energy transition.

Facilitated by the Melbourne Leadership Group, these sessions featured a free-flowing exchange of ideas and debate between councils, the federal public service and other key stakeholders.

These discussions have been captured in a Listening report, outlining the key themes explored and provides examples of lived experience of participants.

* Please note, this report is a summary of the views of attending stakeholders at each listening session, and the discussions and views outlined in these sessions reflect the personal views of the attendees and does not necessarily reflect the positions of ALGA.

Submission to Inquiry into local government sustainability

On behalf of all Australian councils, ALGA lodged a comprehensive, evidence-based submission to Federal Parliament’s inquiry into local government sustainability.

We made five key recommendations to the Parliamentary Committee, with our number one priority being increasing untied federal funding for local government to at least one per cent of Commonwealth taxation revenue.

Read submission

President’s Update – 15 July 2024

Highly successful 2024 NGA

It was wonderful to welcome more than 1200 of you to our historic 30th National General Assembly in Canberra.

There were so many memorable highlights, including the historic first public speech of Australia’s new Governor General Her Excellency the Honourable Sam Mostyn AC.

During the week, we also heard from Federal Ministers the Hon Catherine King MP and the Hon Kristy McBain MP, as well as Shadow Ministers the Hon Senator Bridget McKenzie and the Hon Darren Chester MP, and many outstanding keynotes and panellists.

I was honoured to speak at the National Press Club on 2 July, where I highlighted how councils improve the lives of Australians every day in many ways that other levels of government simply can’t.

We also considered a record number of your council motions this year, and I look forward to bringing these NGA resolutions to our next ALGA Board meeting, and using them in our federal advocacy.

Win! Second round of HSP funding

At the Australian Council of Local Government Forum on 5 July, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the second stream of the Government’s Housing Support Program (HSP) is now open for applications from state, territory and local governments.

The $450 million Community Enabling Infrastructure Stream will provide funding for enabling infrastructure and community amenity projects, and applications are due by 16 August.

We advocated for this new funding program, and I urge you to think about the shovel-ready projects your councils can nominate.

New reports released

During the NGA, I was delighted to officially launch the 2024 National State of the Assets report Future proofing our communities.

Prepared with the support of IPWEA, the report showed since 2021 the amount of local government buildings and facilities in poor condition has dropped from 10 per cent to eight per cent.

We also released new research from SGS Economics and Planning, which shows a sustainable local government sector could boost Australia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by up to $7 billion per year.

National housing summit

Finally, a reminder to register for ALGA’s inaugural National Local Government Housing Summit at the Adelaide Town Hall on Friday, 16 August. This is an important opportunity to have local government’s voice heard on a complex but pressing issue across the nation.

We will be releasing a more detailed program this week which will focus on the key role we can play addressing Australia’s affordable housing crisis.

I hope to see you there!

New SGS research about local government sustainability

SGS Economics and Planning partner Marcus Spiller launched new research about local government financial sustainability in Australia at the 2024 NGA on 3 July.

The report analyses long-term trends in financial sustainability of Australia’s 537 councils, and was prepared to support ALGA’s submission to the inquiry into local government sustainability.

Some of the key findings include:

  • Local governments could boost Australia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by up to $7 billion per year if councils were sustainably funded by the Federal Government.
  • A $1 billion dollar investment in local government road maintenance will deliver a $3.5 billion increase in real GDP.
  • $250 million invested in better supply and curation of parks and gardens will result in a $900 million GDP boost.
  • Efficient design of regulatory processes within councils can yield an annual benefit of $1.6 million. If realized across Australia’s 537 councils, this would increase GDP
    by $1.7 billion.
  • Increased block transfers of funds from Commonwealth and states to local government can save $235.64 million in administrative costs and increase GDP by
    $300 million each year.
  • Increase retention of local government workers can save up to $424.5 million in administration costs and boost GDP by $600 million each year.

Download the full report here.

President’s Update – 1 July 2024

Local government inquiry hearing

On behalf of Australia’s 537 councils, I was delighted to appear before the Parliamentary inquiry into local government sustainability in Canberra last week.

During the hearing, I highlighted new ALGA research showing local governments could boost Australia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by up to $7 billion per year, and create more liveable communities if councils were sustainably funded by the Federal Government.

Due to be released this week, the research shows a $1 billion annual investment in local government roads would increase Australia’s GDP by $3.5 billion per year, and an extra $350 million for parks and open space could increase GDP by $900 million per year.

With more responsibilities being forced on to Australia’s councils, I also highlighted a range of solutions to consider and address the financial challenges and funding shortfalls currently faced by local governments.

As part of our comprehensive, evidence-based submission we made five key recommendations to the committee, with the number one priority being increasing untied Financial Assistance Grants for local government to at least one per cent of Commonwealth taxation revenue.

(L-R): ALGA President Cr Linda Scott, Chair of House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport Luke Gosling and ALGA CEO Amy Crawford at Parliament House.

Win! Early payment of FA Grants

In an advocacy win, the Government responded to our call and delivered an early payment of Financial Assistance Grants to councils last week.

This untied funding is critical for councils, and bringing forward 85 per cent of our 2024-25 allocations will greatly assist with budget planning and certainty for the new financial year.

We appreciate every dollar of federal funding we receive, which helps to build and maintain local pools, libraries, cultural centres, cycleways and skate parks that are vital for vibrant, liveable communities.

Meeting with WA Minister Hannah Beazley

I was honoured to meet with Western Australia’s Minister for Local Government Hannah Beazley in Canberra last Thursday.

We discussed the importance of emergency management support for our councils, particularly with increased frequency of emergency events.

We also talked about the Government’s local government inquiry and the long-term needs of councils linked to sustainable funding.

(L-R): ALGA President Cr Linda Scott, WA Local Government Minister Hannah Beazley and ALGA CEO Amy Crawford.

National housing summit

I’m delighted to invite all councils and local government leaders to ALGA’s National Local Government Housing Summit on Friday, 16 August.

The inaugural national summit, to be held at the Adelaide Town Hall, will provide an opportunity for key stakeholders and experts to discuss critical issues to deliver housing across the nation with the aim of forging actionable strategies to support local governments.

NGA countdown

Finally, I can’t wait to see you in Canberra for our historic 30th National General Assembly in Canberra starting tomorrow.

A record 1230 mayors, shire presidents and councillors from across Australia will converge in the capital for our annual conference at the National Convention Centre.

This year’s NGA will also lead into the Australian Council of Local Government on Friday.

Councils to boost national economy by $7 billion with sustainable funding

Local governments could boost Australia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by up to $7 billion per year and create more liveable communities if councils were sustainably funded by the Federal Government, a Parliamentary Committee was told today.

New research, due to be released by ALGA next week, shows a $1 billion annual investment in local government roads would increase Australia’s GDP by $3.5 billion per year, and an extra $350 million for parks and open space could increase GDP by $900 million per year.

ALGA highlighted the research while appearing at a House of Representatives inquiry into local government sustainability, along with a number of key reforms to show how local communities could grow and thrive with more federal funding and better partnerships in the future.

President Cr Linda Scott said: “With extra responsibilities being forced on to Australia’s 537 councils every year, we highlighted a range of solutions to consider and address the financial challenges and funding shortfalls currently faced by local governments.

“This inquiry presents a valuable opportunity to outline the value and services we are delivering in our communities and to highlight the much-needed funding reforms local government needs to be sustainable.”

As part of its comprehensive, evidence-based submission to the inquiry, ALGA made five key recommendations to the committee, with the number one priority being increasing untied Financial Assistance Grants for local government to at least one per cent of Commonwealth taxation revenue.

Cr Scott said the best way to support increased efficiency and productivity in Australia was increasing federal Financial Assistance Grants so councils get our “fair share” of national tax revenue.

“ALGA’s research shows over the past decade local government expenditure per capita has flatlined, while spending by other levels of governments has continued to rise,” Cr Scott said.

“We are committed to partnering with the Commonwealth, and state and territory governments, to facilitate more affordable housing, better prepare for natural disasters, and deliver on our national emissions targets, but we can’t do this without greater support.”

Read ALGA’s submission to the national local government inquiry.

Photo caption: (L-R): ALGA President Cr Linda Scott, Chair of House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport Luke Gosling MP and ALGA CEO Amy Crawford at Parliament House.

Countdown to 2024 NGA

A record number of local government leaders are expected to attend the historic 30th National General Assembly in Canberra from 2-4 July.

Around 1200 mayors, shire presidents and councillors from across Australia will converge in the capital for the annual conference, being held at the National Convention Centre.

This year’s theme is Building Community Trust, which aims to explore the critical importance of trust in governments, between governments, its institutions and citizens, acknowledging trust as a fundamental building block of our nation’s democracy.

There is also a new addition to the 2024 program, with four concurrent listening sessions providing you with the opportunity to have your say about federal policies affecting our communities.  These sessions will be held directly after the Regional Forum on before the NGA officially commences on Wednesday morning.

This year’s NGA will lead into the Australian Council of Local Government on Friday 5 July, and ALGA is thrilled to once again be partnering with the Federal Government to host the ACLG event.

More information here.

Infrastructure Management System shutdown

Councils are advised the Federal Government’s Infrastructure Management System (IMS) portal will be unavailable from 11 pm on Wednesday 31 July until 12 pm on Monday 19 August, to cleanse and migrate data to the new Reporting and Program Management (RPM) portal.

Please note, during this time local governments will not be able to access IMS.

Land transport programs to be affected include Roads to Recovery, Black Spots, Bridges Renewal, Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity and Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Programs.

For Roads to Recovery from 1 – 31 July 2024, councils will be able to enter projects to the work schedule in IMS and submit project mapping to have projects assessed by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communication and the Arts. This is important to receive the first quarterly payment which is expected to be paid in late August 2024.

The Roads to Recovery team will communicate directly with councils about the timing and access to IMS to support the first payment for the 2024-29 funding period.

If you have any questions regarding the RPM program or shutdown, contact RPMtaskforce@infrastructure.gov.au

Dumped tyres costing councils $6.5 million a year

The removal and management of illegally dumped tyres in Australia is costing local governments more than $6.5 million a year, according to new research supported by ALGA.

These findings were outlined in the Stockpiling and illegal dumping of tyres report prepared for Tyre Stewardship Australia, and produced with assistance from ALGA members.

The report, released in April this year, also found local governments cleaned up an estimated 300,000 end-of-life tyres in 2022-23. with an average cost of $22 per tyre.  These costs can be up to $31 per tyre in regional areas.

The study showed these costs were almost triple the average cost of disposing of a passenger car tyre, collected through retailers, which is about $7.60.

Councils on the urban fringes are dealing with the most illegally dumped tyres, which is adding to their financial pressure to build community infrastructure and services.

ALGA supports a national mandatory product stewardship scheme as the current voluntary scheme is not functioning properly around Australia.

Read more information about the Tyre Product Stewardship Scheme.

Submission for shutdown of 3G mobile network

ALGA has provided a submission to the Senate Standing Committees on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport’s inquiry into the shutdown of Australia’s 3G mobile network.

The submission highlighted many councils located outside of metropolitan areas or urban centres and are faced with the challenges of living further away from key infrastructure, economic opportunities, and in some cases reliable mobile and digital connectivity.

ALGA strongly encouraged the Federal Government to undertake a targeted education campaign to support communities that will be most vulnerable after the 3G shutdown and who will not have upgraded to newer handsets.

ALGA also urged the committee to recommend that mobile network operators (MNO) work with local governments to identify how many active 3G handsets and devices there are in regions, and how many community members may be impacted.

Read submission

President’s Update – 17 June 2024

Local government inquiry update

We look forward to presenting to Parliament’s inquiry into local government sustainability after recently lodging our evidence-based submission.

This inquiry is a valuable opportunity to outline the value and services we are delivering in our communities and highlight the funding reforms our sector needs to be sustainable.

I encourage you to continue to engage with your local federal members and senators about the need for financial sustainability, including the importance of restoring Financial Assistance Grants to at least one per cent of Commonwealth taxation revenue.

Together we can highlight how our communities can grow and thrive with more sustainable funding and better partnerships into the future.

LGNZ Infrastructure Symposium

On behalf of Australia’s councils, it was an honour to speak at the Local Government New Zealand Infrastructure Symposium via Zoom last week.

We share a close bond with the Kiwis, as ALGA and LGNZ have enjoyed a strong Trans-Tasman working relationship over many years.

I highlighted our nation couldn’t survive without the vast network of local roads and community infrastructure – managed by our councils – that Australians use and depend on every day.

I also outlined the recent advocacy wins we have achieved to secure more funding for councils to maintain and revitalise our vital local assets.

National Press Club address

Finally, a limited number of tickets are still available for my National Press Club speech on Tuesday 2 July.

To celebrate our 30th year of gathering in Canberra, I will deliver a televised lunchtime address to highlight the importance of future-proofing local government in Australia.

I hope to see you there.

Pre-Budget submission 2024-25

ALGA submitted a pre-Budget 2024-25 submission to the Federal Government.

Investing in local government as a trusted partner with the Commonwealth will allow us to provide the services and facilities local communities need to more effectively and efficiently prepare for the future.

The submission outlines a three-tiered approach to partnerships that will build a stronger nation – now and into the future.

ALGA is a proud signatory to the National Housing Accord and National Agreement on Closing the Gap, and we look forward to continuing to work with the Government on new partnerships for the benefit of all Australians.

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NGA exhibition sold out

The exhibition booths for the 2024 National General Assembly in Canberra are sold-out.

However, there are still some last-minute sponsorship opportunities still available, including for the new listening sessions – so don’t miss your chance to be there.

Held at the National Convention Centre, the NGA is an opportunity for local government service providers to engage with more than 1,000 mayors, shire presidents, CEOs and senior council staff.

The NGA will officially open with a welcome drinks ceremony in the Exhibition Hall from 5pm on Tuesday 2 July, and the exhibition area will run until Friday 5 July.

For more information, click here.

Extreme space weather

On behalf of Australia’s councils, ALGA attended a special exercise from 22-23 May in Adelaide to prepare for an extreme space weather event.

Hosted by the Australian Government, Exercise Aurora 2024 was developed to allow Australia – and local governments – to plan for future space weather events, such as a geomagnetic storm that occurred on May 11 this year.

These types of solar activities have the potential to disrupt communications across the nation for differing lengths of time.

ALGA attended the event to remind emergency agencies, and other levels of government, that during a communications black-out, councils can be a key player in messaging, support, and coordination of emergency services, including through local radio.

A detailed plan, based on the exercise, is being developed between the Bureau of Meteorology, Geoscience Australia, and the Department of Home Affairs.

More information on the historic space weather gathering can be found here.

Be prepared for EOFY cyber attacks

Small businesses can access free training to protect themselves against cyber attacks, especially during the end of the financial year period.

The latest statistics show 43 per cent of cyber attacks target small businesses, and a single attack can cost an average of $46,000.

The simple online cyber security training is now available through Cyber Wardens, an initiative of the Council of the Small Business Organisations Australia and funded by the Federal Government.  The program is self-paced and quick to complete.

There is also an EOFY guide and other resources to complement online.

Enrol today.

Submission to Landfill Gas Method Options Paper

ALGA has provided a submission to the Reform Options paper for the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) Scheme Landfill Gas Methods 2024.

The submission said councils are at the forefront of dealing with climate change impacts and are committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

ALGA also said for the ACCU Scheme to be effective, it must have integrity and transparency. The review into the ACCU Scheme Landfill Gas Methods is a good opportunity to further refine the policy settings to ensure ACCUs generated correlate to additional abatement above current technological advances and regulatory requirements.

We look forward to continued engagement with the Federal Government on climate change and emissions reduction issues.

Read submission

President’s Update – 3 June 2024

Local government inquiry submission

On behalf of all Australian councils, ALGA lodged a comprehensive, evidence-based submission to Parliament’s inquiry into local government sustainability last week.

We have made five key recommendations to the Parliamentary Committee, with our number one priority being increasing untied federal funding for local government to at least one per cent of Commonwealth taxation revenue.

We also highlighted new research showing if local government annually received an additional $350 million for the maintenance and delivery of quality open space, Australia’s gross domestic product (GDP) would increase by about $856 million each year.

I sincerely thank all of you who have provided your own submissions to the inquiry and highlighted how we can better support our communities to thrive with more sustainable funding and better partnerships.

We look forward to appearing before the committee in the coming weeks to outline our key recommendations and policy principles in more detail.

National Press Club address

I’m excited to see you in Canberra next month for our NGA, and delighted to announce tickets are now available for my National Press Club address on Tuesday 2 July.

Marking our 30th year of gathering in the capital, I will deliver a televised speech to highlight the importance of future-proofing local government in Australia.

Please note, a limited number of tickets are available for this lunch time event, so be quick!

Save the Date: 2024 Roads Congress

Finally, I’m excited to announce our 2024 National Local Roads, Transport and Infrastructure Congress will be held in Margaret River, Western Australia from 3-4 December.

We are still finalising the details and will share this information with you soon.

Survey questions for NGA24 listening sessions

ALGA is seeking feedback from 2024 NGA delegates to help shape the new Listening Sessions forum on 2 July.

For the first time, four concurrent listening sessions will feature in the program about key issues will be held during the NGA, providing an opportunity to have a say about federal policies affecting communities.

These sessions will be held after the Regional Forum on the Tuesday afternoon, before the NGA officially commences on Wednesday morning.

The listening sessions provide a platform to discuss the efficacy of Federal Government policies affecting local governments with representatives from the Commonwealth.

We want to hear from you about the following topics:

Feedback closes on 17 June 2024.

Submission to Climate Change Authority’s 2024 Issues paper: Targets, Pathways and Progress

ALGA has provided a submission to Climate Change Authority’s 2024 Issues paper: Targets, Pathways and Progress.

The submission said managing the impacts of climate change is an important issue for local government, and ALGA welcomes a science-based target to achieve Australia’s international obligations under the Paris Agreement.

ALGA also said a 2035 target must drive progress towards deep and sustained emissions reductions to limit dangerous climate change. Our communities and local government’s ability to adapt will be in doubt if we do not achieve progress on emissions reduction.

We look forward to continued engagement and working with the Federal Government on climate change issues.

Read submission

President’s Update – 20 May 2024

2024-25 Federal Budget update – Wins and more to do!

In response to ALGA’s advocacy, Australian councils will receive an additional $330 million in federal funding in 2024-25, including a $150 million increase in the Roads to Recovery program, as a result of the recent Federal Budget.

However, the Government has not delivered on their election promise of fair funding increases to Federal Assistance Grants – there has never been a more important time for you to lodge your submission to the Federal Parliamentary Inquiry we secured together, calling for an increase of at least 1% of Commonwealth Taxation Revenue to be allocated to Federal Assistance Grants.

This Budget emphasises the need for a fair and sustainable funding model, and I urge all councils to put forward a submission to the Inquiry, which closes on 31 May. ALGA has developed a guide to support you to develop your own council submissions.

ALGA strongly advocated for increased support for councils, and we were thrilled when the Government announced last November that Roads to Recovery funding would be doubled to $1 billion over the forward Budget estimates, with this commitment reflected in the Budget.

Financial Assistance Grants to councils will increase from $3.115 billion in 2023-24 to $3.27 billion ($155 million increase) next year, in line with the legislated indexation formula.

The Budget papers indicated that for Financial Assistance Grants, the Government will work with states to advance funding to councils earlier than would usually occur, and I have written to the Treasurer to seek clarity that will support you in developing your annual budgets.

ALGA applauds the intent of new housing and active transport funding however, on Budget night we highlighted that having funding only flow to local governments via state and territory governments would limit their success.  We play a key role building enabling infrastructure, as well as cycleways and footpaths, and so should be eligible to apply directly to these new programs

Local Government Conference – Last chance!

Finally, time is running out to secure your discounted tickets for our 2024 National General Assembly, with early bird registrations closing on 7 June.

This year’s NGA will again lead into the Australian Council of Local Government on Friday 5 July.

This will be my last Conference as President and, together, our last chance before the election to come together and collectively advocate to the Government and federal Ministers for the fair funding our councils and communities need.

Councils left out in the cold on Budget night

The Albanese Government has broken its pre-election promise to provide “fair increases” to Financial Assistance Grants to Australia’s 537 councils in tonight’s 2024-25 Federal Budget.

ALGA President Councillor Linda Scott said these untied federal grants are vital to supporting local government to deliver more affordable housing, and cost-of-living relief through access to free and low-cost services.

“Local governments welcome the Federal Parliamentary inquiry into our financial sustainability over the long term, however councils and our communities need the immediate support that we were promised,” Cr Scott said.

“In the lead up to the 2022 election, Labor committed to providing fair increases to Financial Assistance Grants to councils. Tonight’s Budget was their last chance to deliver during their current term.

“Councils will welcome a $155 million increase in Financial Assistance Grants this year. However, this increase is the result of the legislated indexation formula, and far below the fair increases promised by the Government.

“This year’s Budget will be incredibly disappointing to many councils and communities that have been waiting for the Government to deliver on its fair funding promise over the past two years.

“Restoring Financial Assistance Grants to at least one per cent of Commonwealth taxation revenue is the key to unlocking the productivity of our cities, towns and regions, and building more liveable and vibrant communities.”

Cr Scott also welcomed the intent of new housing and active transport funding programs, and the ongoing Disaster Ready Fund, but highlighted that poor program execution would limit their success.

“The $1 billion to support new housing enabling infrastructure will be provided through state and territory governments with no guarantee it will flow to councils dealing with housing pressures,” Cr Scott said.

“Locking local governments out of federal funding to enable housing infrastructure will be a barrier to achieving the Government’s ambitious national targets.

“Councils need upfront support to upgrade our stormwater and sewerage infrastructure, or we can’t unlock the additional homes our country needs.

“The Government aims to build 1.2 million more homes, including 40,000 social and affordable homes and new remote homes in the Northern Territory.  The Treasurer has acknowledged we all must work together but it’s disappointing there is no new support in this Budget to help councils play our part.

“While councils celebrate the aim of the Government’s new $100 million National Active Transport Fund, it doesn’t make sense to exclude councils from applying when we build and maintain thousands of kilometres of footpaths and cycleways.”

However, Cr Scott said councils will be delighted to see the Government follow through on its November 2023 commitment to significantly increase road funding to local government.

“Councils maintain 75 per cent of Australia’s local roads, and independent research from the Grattan Institute last year highlighted a $1 billion per year maintenance funding deficit,” Cr Scott said.

“This year’s Budget includes an extra $150 million for the Roads to Recovery program, as well as a commitment to increase this funding to $1 billion per year over the forward estimates.

“With increased federal road funding, we can significantly improve the safety and effectiveness of the roads Australians use every day, increasing our nation’s productivity while addressing our unacceptable national road toll.”

Background

  • Financial Assistance Grants have been a fixture of local government funding since 1974. The grant is paid to local governments via their state or territory grants commissions according to an agreed formula set by the federal government.
  • In 2024-25, Australian local governments will receive $3.27 billion in federal Financial Assistance Grants, which is approximately 0.51 per cent of Commonwealth taxation revenue. The last time FA Grants were equal to one per cent of Commonwealth taxation revenue was 1996.
  • FA Grants are untied, meaning that local governments can use this federal funding to address local issues and priorities.

Q&A with David Jenkins, IPWEA CEO

ALGA News sat down with the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia’s (IPWEA) CEO David Jenkins to discuss the importance of building, maintaining and revitalising community infrastructure to benefit communities.  Mr Jenkins also highlighted that improving local assets like libraries, community halls, sporting facilities and playgrounds as well as local roads enhances the quality of life for all Australians, and boosts national productivity.

ALGA: We know communities across Australia are struggling to build and maintain local infrastructure. How important is it for local governments to be sustainably funded to renew their playgrounds, community centres, storm water systems, libraries, sporting grounds and bike paths?

David Jenkins (DJ): One of the most significant challenges our local government engineering members remind me of regularly is having to do more with less. Coupled with a history of local government infrastructure funding being fragmented and short-term at best only exacerbates what our members experience.

As the saying goes, ‘a stitch in time saves nine’. The lack of timely and regular maintenance not only leads to accelerated  deterioration of infrastructure but also results in significantly more expensive rehabilitation projects in the future. Having a long-term, sustainable and affordable financial plan that funds the maintenance and renewal of these infrastructure assets provides economic stability for communities.

ALGA: IPWEA supported ALGA’s Federal Budget priority for a dedicated $500 million per year fund to build, maintain and revitalise community infrastructure. Why is this so crucial for communities and what local and national benefits does direct funding provide?

DJ: Local government is the mainstay of infrastructure in the country. Since most of the public infrastructure in our communities is owned and operated by local councils, local government supports nearly every aspect of our day-to-day activities.

Our communities depend on this vast network of assets for their livelihoods and well-being but often take them for granted until something fails. When these assets fail, councils are forced to react, which erodes confidence and wastes valuable resources.  Dedicating sufficient funds to build, operate, maintain, and revitalise community infrastructure is imperative.

ALGA: It’s exciting IPWEA has again partnered with ALGA to deliver the next National State of the Assets (NSoA) report to be released in the coming months? Why is this evidence-based research needed and how does this support positive policy and advocacy outcomes?

DJ: Regular self-assessment against agreed-upon metrics is an essential tool for guiding investment decisions on infrastructure. It also promotes accountability and trust and ultimately achieves positive policy and advocacy outcomes that enhance the quality of life in our communities.

ALGA: How important is it to refresh and update these landmark reports, and how will this evidence-based data be used by to support councils and stakeholders??

DJ: The NSoA report demonstrates local government’s credibility, capacity and leadership at a national level and is the only credible source of consolidated data and information on infrastructure planning and performance reporting.

It enables closer collaboration, facilitates dialogue with state and territory stakeholders and allows for the development and maintenance of a coordinated capability-building and advocacy framework for local government.

ALGA: What long-term economic and social benefits are there from future-proofing the $500 billion worth of public infrastructure, owned and managed by local governments across Australia?

DJ: Well-maintained infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, and public transportation systems, facilitates the movement of goods and people, enhancing productivity and efficiency. This, in turn, can attract businesses, encourage investment and stimulate economic growth within the community.

Accessible and well-maintained infrastructure also promotes social equity by ensuring that essential services, such as public transportation and sports and recreation facilities, are available to all residents, regardless of income or location. This helps reduce disparities and improve the overall quality of life for our communities.