Win! Thank you to Education Minister Jason Clare for recognising ALGA’s contributions to shaping the Government’s new childcare bill in Parliament this week. This bill will mean cheaper early education and care for families, while supporting local governments who provide these important services to our communities.
Thank you to North Sydney and Western Downs Regional Council who have moved resolutions calling for ALGA to advocate for cheaper and better-quality childcare at our Conferences, and to those who have advocated alongside ALGA to see this change.
In some parts of Australia local government is the biggest provider of early education and care services and plays a major role supporting increased productivity in these communities.
We are just three weeks out from the October Federal Budget, and ALGA has submitted a comprehensive, evidence based Budget submission focussing on ensuring the Federal Government will maintain its funding to local government.
This means that if programs are discontinued, then any funding councils could have expected to receive should be reallocated to fair and transparent local government funding programs.
It was fantastic to see the Government’s Regional Banking Taskforce listen to our concerns and recommend that banks more closely engage with local councils when considering regional branch closures.
When councils have a full picture of what is happening with branch closures then they can help communicate these decisions and any alternative banking options to their community.
Finally, we have extended the early bird registration for this year’s National Local Roads and Transport Congress until Friday 14 October.
This is a must for anyone involved in planning, building or maintaining our nation’s roads, cycle paths and pedestrian thoroughfares, and I hope to see you there next month.