ALGA recently submitted its 2023-24 Pre-Budget submission to the Treasury outlining key national funding priorities for Australia’s 537 councils.
These major priorities include:
- Restoring Financial Assistance Grants to at least one percent of Commonwealth taxation revenue;
- Making the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure (LRCI) Program permanent with ongoing funding of $500 million per year, with funding indexed annually;
- An increase in Roads to Recovery funding to $800 million per year;
- $300 million per year for four years for a strategic local roads program to address road congestion and first and last mile issues;
- $250 million per year for four years for a new Regional Infrastructure Recovery Program; and
- $100 million per year over four years to help councils facilitate the delivery of affordable and social housing.
ALGA’s submission also highlighted that local government directly impacts broader economic productivity in at least nine ways, including with urban infrastructure, mitigating externalities in urban development, placemaking and the visitor economy, land for housing, better local labour markets, climate mitigation, providing land for business, innovation and circular the economy.
While the current financial pressures on Australian councils are immense, increased investment will support local governments to provide the services and facilities our communities need now and into the future.
ALGA’s full 2023-24 Pre-Budget Submission can be downloaded here.