President’s Update – September 2026
A recent experience has really driven home to me the heavy and sometimes disproportionate impact of rising costs for communities across Australia. At ALGA’s 2026 National Local Roads, Transport and Infrastructure Congress in Cairns a couple of weeks ago, Cr Keith Fell of Torres Strait Island Regional Council shared with delegates the daily challenge of managing basic logistics such as moving freight as the cost of diesel approaches $4 a litre in his community. Fairer funding has never been more critical for communities like Cr Fell’s, which he described as “out-of-sight remote”.
His comments came during a discussion on fuel security and supply chain resilience. The impacts of the fuel crisis have been front of mind for councils across Australia this year, and delegates were very engaged in the discussion with the Australian Logistics Council’s Dr Hermione Parsons and Samantha Leighton, and Dr Richard Yeo from the National Transport Research Organisation. Their conversation about the need to align national policy with community experience generated a lot of interest because every council has a story to tell about how it continues to be affected by fuel shortages and price fluctuations.
Delegates also explored key issues including road safety, heavy vehicle access, accessibility and emerging technologies, which reinforced the critical role councils play in planning, delivering and maintaining the infrastructure communities rely on every day. The Congress concluded with a clear message: achieving Australia’s housing, productivity and transport objectives will require sustained investment in local roads and infrastructure, alongside strong partnerships between all levels of government. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this important national conversation.
I’m firmly focused on progressing the promise of a Federation Compact, as announced at the ALP National Conference. This provides a real opportunity to embed our long-standing ask for a 1% increase in Financial Assistance Grants into a modern agreement reflecting the modern pressures on our councils.
The ALGA team is also currently focused on the next Federal Budget cycle, and will share its pre-Budget submission in coming months. They are also continuing close engagement with the Federal Government to ensure that no council will be worse off under the revised Disaster Recovery Funding Framework.
And on a high note, with the Road and Infrastructure Congress in the bag, the ALGA team are turning to National General Assembly 2027, and a celebration of 80 years of local government representation in Canberra. It will be an opportunity to celebrate the work you all do every day for your communities, continuing a long and strong Australian history of local service. I hope we can look forward to a bumper turnout at next year’s National General Assembly, to make it the most memorable one yet.