2026 NGA Resolutions

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to establish a nationally coordinated, independently governed, long‑term funding mechanism to support climate change adaptation, disaster resilience and emissions reduction, including a dedicated, accessible funding stream and data support for Local Government to strengthen community, asset and infrastructure resilience in the national interest and for current and future generations. The Australian Government should look at innovative funding models including revenue from non-renewable resources.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to support a nationally coordinated, long‑term approach to coastal hazards by working with State and Local Governments to deliver appropriate frameworks, strategies and funding that strengthen local government capacity to plan for, mitigate and manage increasing coastal risks associated with climate change, including sea level rise and extreme weather. B)-Establishment of emergency funding for episodic storm erosion and rapid shoreline retreat where there has been a history of Defence activities that may have contributed towards accelerated coastal erosion.

This National General Assembly calls upon the Australian Government, when considering applications for new water storage projects, to consider the potential for flood and drought mitigation as a result of increased water storage, and the risk of increased incidences of floods and droughts due to climate change.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to hold a Parliamentary Inquiry into the adequacy of the National Adaptation Plan and its support for local government, given the risks identified in the National Climate Risk Assessment released in 2025 and the costs that local governments are already facing. This Inquiry should hear from local governments and communities in climate-impacted regions to identify concrete ways to increase funding available to local government to address climate impacts.

Note: Motion 92 (City of Sydney) was subsumed into this motion.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to provide a climate adaptation fund and data tools for councils and co-fund regional emissions reduction plans that address agriculture, transport and asset resilience priorities identified by councils.

This National Assembly calls on the Australian Government to consider a consistent National approach and legislation that ensures decommissioning of renewable energy sites is funded by the energy proponent and that greater setbacks are put in place to protect the health and amenity of residential properties adjacent to the renewable energy site.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to strengthen rural crime prevention and youth justice outcomes in regional and remote communities by providing sustained investment in community‑led, culturally informed and place‑based approaches that prioritise early intervention, youth diversion and wellbeing, particularly in remote Aboriginal communities. This includes sustained investment in community‑controlled services, prevention partnerships and community infrastructure that addresses disadvantage, strengthens social cohesion and reduces justice system contact.

Roper Gulf Regional Council (Council) calls upon the National General Assembly to Resolve to call upon the Commonwealth Government, particularly the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to urgently review its regulatory oversight of National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) service providers noting the unconscionable exploitation of vulnerable participants, in particular, vulnerable Indigenous participants in regional and remote areas.

This National General Assembly calls on the Federal Government to restore federal funding for the Green Army or similar grassroots program that supports environmental action in collaboration with First Nations people and Councils, potentially amplifying the work of Caring for Country indigenous rangers, and bringing associated regional social, economic, and environmental benefits.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to provide sustained national leadership by delivering a consistent, adequately funded approach to local government cyber security, fraud resilience and the safe use of artificial intelligence. This includes a shared and scalable cyber defence capability, minimum assurance standards aligned to national frameworks, workforce and governance uplift, protection of critical infrastructure and sensitive community data, and targeted support for small, rural and regional councils.

The National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government and pending outcomes of the currently open federal inquiries into data centres to report by end 2026, and other state or territory expectations papers, to establish a nationally consistent, performance‑based policy and regulatory framework for data centres that recognises the national importance of artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure, promotes best‑practice siting, design and operation, ensures efficient and transparent management of energy and water use including renewable energy integration and low‑water cooling technologies, safeguards and enhances human oversight and jobs, including local government jobs, and formally recognises local government as a key partner in planning, sustainability and community impact management.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to establish a nationally coordinated licensing and procurement framework for enterprise software and cybersecurity solutions used by local governments, in consultation with state and territory associations.

This National General Assembly call on the Australian Government to establish a dedicated Local Government AI Readiness Program, aligned with the 2025 National AI Plan, to ensure councils have the funding, tools, digital infrastructure, and skills necessary to safely and effectively adopt artificial intelligence in community service delivery, infrastructure management, and local decision-making, and that any solutions for improved productivity and service delivery prioritise fairness, transparency, and accountability, identify opportunities for increased efficiencies for workers and operations while ensuring adequate human oversight and no loss of existing jobs, and prioritise ethical considerations and responsible use of all technology to protect the privacy and other rights of the community.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to provide national leadership on disaster‑resilient infrastructure by investing in and regulating resilient electricity and telecommunications networks, including funding the strategic undergrounding of powerlines to reduce disaster risk and recovery cost. In addition mobile and data network operators should be required to meet minimum reliability and peak‑load standards comparable to other critical infrastructure, to ensure communities receive emergency warnings, maintain essential services and are protected from the escalating impacts of extreme weather and natural disasters.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to support local governments to strengthen emergency management and bushfire response by enabling the safe use of recycled wastewater for firefighting in high-risk areas. Including targeted funding, national guidance, regulatory support for recycled wastewater infrastructure – storage, hydrants, fill points and non-potable reticulation – designed to meet fire authority water quality requirements (e.g., Class A+ for hydrants/hose reels) and hydrant location/coverage standards, with materials and burial depths appropriate for fire exposed corridors at the urban–bushland interface. The Australian Government should recognise such systems as critical emergency management and climate adaptation infrastructure.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to retain five-minute flood warnings rather than the 15 minute intervals being proposed by the Bureau of Meteorology and, if required, source a different computer software solution.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to assign the relevant federal regulatory body (ASIC/ACCC) explicit mandates to monitor insurance affordability, require pricing transparency and identify market failures.

This National General Assembly call on the Australian Government to establish a proactive national funding program enabling local governments to implement voluntary home-purchase and house-raising initiatives for dwellings located in high-risk flood areas that cannot be adequately protected from future events.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to substantially increase and sustain funding for flood warning infrastructure across Australia, and to immediately resolve governance and ownership arrangements for this infrastructure in partnership with states, territories and local government. Reliable flood warning systems are vital to community safety and disaster resilience, yet fragmented ownership and inconsistent governance arrangements continue to undermine its effectiveness. An improved nationally coordinated and timely response to resolving these issues will enhance performance, data access and ensure systems meet local needs, particularly in high-risk flood-prone regions.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to establish and fund a national program to: Support councils to increase access to publicly accessible automated external defibrillators through grants to purchase, installation, maintenance and replacement of AEDs in high-use community locations, council-managed facilities and at community events. Fund evidence-based community education and awareness sessions that are scalable and delivered in partnership with community-based health organisations with expertise in this area. Establish a simple monitoring and evaluation framework to track AED coverage, registration rates, community capability uplift, and improvements in bystander intervention and survival outcomes over time.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to form a national fund and agency for disaster response urgently and recognise the growing role of rural and regional local governments as emergency responders amid increasing disaster frequency and the impacts that has on Councils to perform their day to day and legislated services and responsibilities.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government, in partnership with the Murray‑Darling Basin Authority, to ensure the 2026 Murray‑Darling Basin Plan Review and associated legislation appropriately models and considers the impacts of population growth, drinking water demand and climate‑related reductions in flows on consumptive water requirements and water allocations for communities, irrigators, industry and the environment including water buy backs.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to support a nationally consistent right‑to‑repair framework that improves the repairability and durability of consumer products, incentivises repair, reduces barriers to affordable repair, and supports waste reduction, circular‑economy outcomes and cost‑of‑living relief for communities.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to increase investment in modern, effective and evidence‑based approaches to reducing shark‑bite risk, including technologies such as drone surveillance, shark listening stations, tagging and research programs, and non‑lethal deterrents, while phasing out obsolete and ineffective measures, to improve public safety, support coastal communities and protect marine ecosystems.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to fully commit to the long‑term eradication of red imported fire ants by providing sustained funding for the National Fire Ant Eradication Program beyond 2027, including urgent support for suppression activities, and by expanding assistance to Local Governments in eradication and suppression zones to cover the resourcing of general biosecurity obligations, to ensure eradication is achieved by 2032 and communities, economies and the environment are protected.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government, in partnership with Local Government, states and territories and First Nations, to deliver a long‑term, funded and nationally coordinated approach to water security and inland and coastal waterway health through investment in resilient water infrastructure, wastewater treatment, and catchment restoration that ensures safe, reliable water supplies and healthy river and coastal systems.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to recognise and clarify the roles and costs borne by local governments in environmental biosecurity, weed and pest management; and for national funding agreements and operational arrangements to be reformed to reflect these roles and costs, to ensure a strong, sustainable and consistent ‘place-based’ approach across Australia.

That the National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to: Recognise that artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure are critical to Australia’s future productivity, research excellence, sovereign capability and global competitiveness, and that local government is a key partner in delivering sustainable digital infrastructure. Establish a nationally consistent, performance-based policy and regulatory framework for data centres that supports best-practice siting and design, mandatory renewable energy integration, fit-for-purpose water use, innovation in low-water and non-water cooling technologies, measurable community benefits, and transparent reporting of energy, water and emissions.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to resource and implement the Australian Biochar Industry 2030 Roadmap in partnership with states/territories /local government, and to act on Productivity Commission recommendations to enable nationally consistent regulation and markets for organic waste-derived circular-carbon products. This includes: establishing consistent regulatory definitions; distinguishing circular-carbon production from energy-from-waste incineration; enabling organic waste streams to become saleable materials; developing technical/procurement guidance; progressing an ACCU method pathway for carbon-negative biochar; supporting time-limited funding aligned with local waste strategies; and, embedding biochar within national circular-economy and waste policy frameworks.

The National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to increase grant funding and investment of infrastructure to support the delivery of their National Feral Deer Action Plan 2023 which aims to limit the spread of feral deer into new areas and reduce their negative impacts on agriculture, communities and the environment.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to introduce a mandatory, nationally consistent requirement for builders and construction companies to separate construction and demolition (C&D) waste at the source, supported by a mandatory product stewardship framework and payments to local governments for residual resource recovery services. This reform would reduce landfill pressures, improve recycling rates, cut illegal dumping and align with national waste and circular economy goals. It would also ensure industry, not councils, bears the cost of C&D waste management, easing the $3.5billion annual burden on local governments.

That the National General Assembly call on the Australian Government to: Establish a Circular Economy Acceleration Fund targeted at regional, rural and peri-urban local governments. Provide capital and operational funding for organics processing infrastructure, construction and demolition material recovery, local re-manufacturing and repair hubs, and regional waste aggregation partnerships. Support local government procurement frameworks that prioritise recycled content and circular design.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to conduct an inquiry into rooftop solar curtailment powers and the social and financial impacts on local communities.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to create a centralised national regulated dog database that records ownership, registration and relevant behavioural or compliance history.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to establish national standards to ensure that local governments have sufficient resources and funding to implement and administer FOGO recycling.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to work with local governments and wastewater service providers to reduce microplastics and emerging contaminants in waterways. This should include action to prevent pollution at its source (for example, microfibres from clothing and banned microplastics in products), support for upgrading wastewater treatment systems, consistent national standards and guidance, and a national monitoring and reporting framework to track progress and outcomes, aligned with the National Waste Policy and Action Plan.

The National General Assembly to Resolve to call upon the Commonwealth Government to review its water planning with the State and Territories, noting with concern, that regional and remote areas across the country face water security issues with minimal local input.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to increase funding to local governments for litter management programs to address the environmental, amenity, and financial impacts of roadside litter by targeting products or services which generate common roadside waste such as plastics, wrappers, cigarettes and vapes.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to: Investigate the social, environmental and economic impact of light pollution in Australia. Establish a national light pollution reduction policy which addresses artificial light at night (ALAN). Encourage all local councils to investigate what steps they can take to reduce light pollution within their own LGAs.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to undertake a national inquiry into the affordability, availability and practices of insurance markets, including public liability insurance, to assess impacts on communities, small businesses and local economies, ensure pricing and coverage arrangements are fair and proportionate to risk, and identify any consumer protection concerns.

That the National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government’s Productivity Commission to investigate the current and future productivity of Australia’s major economic activity centres, capital cities and regional communities, and their competitiveness compared to global peers. Specifically, this should include the efficiency and appropriateness of current finance and governance arrangements as it relates to infrastructure and service delivery.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to increase financial assistance to Australian pensioners and low-income concession card holders.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to reform the Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) regime to expand housing, relocation and travel concessions for workers in regional, rural and remote Australia, modernise outdated “remote area” definitions, and introduce equitable incentives that support permanent regional residency, workforce attraction, housing uptake and national decentralisation objectives.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to consider a percentage of Gross Regional Product collected as tax revenue from tourism industries to be distributed back to Local Government for the purposes of addressing asset management and maintenance impacted by tourist populations.

That the National General Assembly call on the Australian Government to work with states and territories to reduce financial barriers and provide incentives to downsizing for older Australians. This may be achieved through measures such as targeted grants, tax incentives, or inclusion in the National Housing Accord, to improve housing availability for families and support downsizers to age in place. This includes undertaking a national review of financial barriers to housing mobility.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to establish a funding stream to support local councils who are experiencing or preparing for significant growth due to government policy such as housing targets, in order to facilitate strategic planning and preparedness for the implications of rapid population growth.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to ensure that decisions on the divestment, disposal or reuse of Defence Estate land are guided by a national framework, that includes a transparent and place‑based approach, developed in genuine partnership with Local Governments and communities, that balances national interests with public benefit and delivers enduring environmental, heritage, social and economic outcomes.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government, in partnership with Local Government, to deliver a nationally coordinated, place‑based investment framework that delivers outcomes for communities including housing delivery, sustainable renewal, regional jobs and local economic development.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to modernise and strengthen the National Construction Code, in partnership with State and Local Governments, to support the timely delivery of safe, inclusive, affordable and diverse housing, including enabling innovative construction methods and consistent adoption of minimum liveable housing design standards across all jurisdictions, consistent with the ‘Livable Housing Design Standard’ in the National Construction Code(NCC) 2025.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to provide sustained, new investment through a nationally coordinated framework that strengthens community‑led, place‑based responses to prevent and reduce homelessness. This includes funding for early intervention, assertive outreach, local coordination and crisis resilience infrastructure, to support councils and community organisations to respond effectively to rising housing stress and homelessness.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to provide national co-ordinated funding for Local Government that supports the delivery of social and affordable housing and its enabling infrastructure, particularly in rural, remote and high‑need communities, through place‑based approaches that respond to local housing shortages, overcrowding and infrastructure constraints.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to introduce a national framework to support local communities to manage the impact of short-term accommodation (e.g. Air BNB) on local communities in the context of growing housing pressures.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to work with state, territory and local governments to establish a nationally consistent and enforceable definition of “social housing” and “affordable housing” to be applied across legislation, planning schemes, funding programs, and reporting frameworks. A national definition should reflect income based affordability, community need, and eligibility criteria, and be aligned with the National Agreement on Social Housing and Homelessness. Consistent definitions will strengthen accountability, improve measurement of housing targets, reduce confusion across jurisdictions, and support more effective planning and delivery of non-market housing.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to require that major projects of national significance subject to Commonwealth approval, funding or facilitation include a Housing and Community Impact Assessment, including cumulative impacts from concurrent projects, and that Commonwealth decisions be supported by a deliverable plan to address identified housing and essential community infrastructure pressures.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to establish a fund in collaboration with local governments to invest in night-economy placemaking initiatives. This will support suburban and regional night‑life precincts to drive economic growth and improve community safety.

This National General Assembly urges the ALGA to facilitate a national conversation about policy change that delivers flexible housing options for older Australians that offer choice, dignity and community-enabled solutions.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to establish a national register of vacant social (public, community and Aboriginal) housing and surplus (state and federal) government land and property for the purpose of policy solutions to the national housing and homelessness crisis.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to: Extend mandates under the Commercial Building Disclosure program to residential apartment buildings, making NABERS ratings mandatory for apartment buildings in a manner similar to requirements for commercial properties. Support widespread uptake and reduce barriers for building owners and managers, direct NABERS to waive all submission and assessment fees for apartment building ratings for the next five years. Amend relevant legislation to require NABERS ratings to be disclosed in all rental and sale advertisements for apartments, ensuring prospective tenants and buyers have access to transparent energy efficiency information.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to work with state and territory governments to exempt council owned land from increased tax liabilities when rezoning is undertaken to deliver social or affordable housing. Although Windfall Gains Tax (WGT) is Victorian a state based mechanism, other tax liabilities also occur in other states and territories, and their application to council land creates a major financial barrier to unlocking public land for community benefit. A federal-state coordinated exemption would remove this disincentive, support councils to activate strategically located land, accelerate social housing delivery and contribute to national housing supply targets.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to support the release of additional titled, freehold residential lots and the expansion of regional townsite boundaries to enable continued population growth, and to provide increased funding for essential infrastructure required to facilitate new housing development.

That this National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to renew ageing social housing stock through the development of a Retrofit Program by: Funding a targeted of housing retention and renewal through a second round of the $2 Billion Social Housing Accelerator funding to States and Territories; Focussing on retrofit and refurbishment of older public housing dwellings; and Driving innovation and value for money by investing in Modern Methods of Construction.

This National General Assembly call on the Australian Government to provide dedicated financial assistance ensuring rural, regional, and remote councils can access, maintain, and effectively utilise modern mapping software and spatial technology consistent with national geospatial data standards.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to have a greater presence in leading discussions with States and Territories to deliver planning controls that require earlier delivery of cellular telecommunications infrastructure in new residential and commercial estates, particularly in Australia’s growth areas.

This National General Assembly call on the Australian Government to increase dedicated and broaden ongoing financial assistance to local governments to unlock rural and regional housing supply and support the activation of major strategic precincts. This should include funding for enabling infrastructure design, investigations, and upgrades, such as water, sewer, and road networks, required to service new subdivisions, as well as co-contribution programs that stimulate private development and targeted support for bringing infrastructure-ready projects to market.

That National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to address housing impacts in regional and rural communities arising from mining, renewable energy and infrastructure projects by: Providing targeted funding for key worker accommodation including residential housing in areas facing housing pressure; Supporting flexible, place-based housing solutions to meet construction workforce demand without displacing residents; Working with local governments to prioritise key workers who are often priced out of housing markets; Ensuring national programs recognise the cumulative impacts of multiple major projects; and Strengthening collaboration with LG and project proponents to address workforce accommodation as part of nationally significant projects.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to introduce a system to incentivise retirees (with the appropriate safeguards particularly around capital gains tax and assessable income) to rent out vacant rooms in their family home to alleviate the existing rental crisis.

That ALGA calls on the Commonwealth Government to: Explicitly recognise local governments as strategic planning authorities within national housing and urban policy frameworks, including in the implementation of the National Housing Accord; Through the portfolio of the Minister for Cities, strengthen national urban policy settings to reflect the legislative responsibilities of local governments in land use planning; and Embed structured and ongoing engagement with local governments within the governance architecture of national housing supply initiatives.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to lead the development and funding of a national co-ordinated framework including education and partnerships to combat antisemitism and all forms of racism, hatred and bigotry and to strengthen social cohesion. This should be done in partnership with Local Government recognising Local Governments’ role in fostering safe, inclusive and connected communities.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to: ACKNOWLEDGE the increasing vulnerability of local government Elected Members to online bullying, harassment, intimidation, and reputational harm, and associated psychosocial safety risks under the Work Health and Safety Act 2020, particularly where harmful conduct occurs through social media and digital platforms; RECOGNISE that unlike State and Federal Parliamentarians, local government Elected Members do not benefit from absolute parliamentary privilege and only hold limited qualified privilege in the chamber when debating agenda matters. This leaves Elected Members vulnerable to significant personal legal and reputational risk when responding to misinformation, harassment or defamatory claims made outside formal Council proceedings; PROVIDE strengthened legal and procedural guidance for elected members responding to targeted misinformation, digital disinformation, or online harassment arising from the performance of their role.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to consider developing a national integrity standards framework that applies to federal, state and local tiers of government. The aim is to ensure a unified approach for the national and state-based integrity commissions and oversight bodies towards handling breaches, investigations and decision outcomes.

That the National General Assembly strongly advocates to the Federal Minister for Communications to strengthen national capability to respond to volumetric (network-level) cyber-attacks, and to consider appropriate legislative and policy mechanisms across cyber security and telecommunications frameworks. This should include clarifying the role of the eSafety Commissioner and ensuring relevant agencies have the necessary legislative support to effectively address such threats.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to undertake a national review of councillor workloads and remuneration models in consultation with Australian Local Government Association (ALGA).

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to strengthen investment in accessible, affordable and evidence-based alcohol and other drugs (AOD) treatment and support services within communities, by: Working with state and territory governments, Primary Health Networks and local government to increase investment in end-to-end treatment pathways, enabling people to move from early identification and initial contact through to specialist treatment, recovery support and aftercare, with the aim of reducing service gaps and improving continuity of care; and Updating the National Drug Strategy to provide a coordinated national framework that supports prevention of AOD-related harms and promotes evidence-based responses.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to formally set up an ongoing Intergovernmental PALM Engagement Forum consisting of, at least, the Department of Employment and WorkPlace Relations (DEWR), the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Department of Home Affairs, Australian BorderForce, the Fairwork Ombudsman, Welcoming Australia and Local Government to address issues and opportunities related to the PALM Scheme.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to increase funding for primary prevention and early intervention mental health and wellbeing programs for young people.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to incentivise domestic tourism to regional areas by federal tax incentives.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to initiate a coordinated strategy across member councils to advocate for the constitutional recognition of local government in Australia, aimed at: Strengthening local democracy; Enhancing council autonomy; and Securing direct and equitable access to federal funding.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to ESTABLISH and MAINTAIN a Protective Infrastructure & Public Safety Enhancements Fund that will improve the Local Government Sector’s capacity to target harden key Activity Centres and Public Places against the risk of terrorism and other hostile activities.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to ensure the State Governments engagement with Local Government on reforms and issues impacting the local government sector are genuine and feedback considered before decisions are made.

That the National General Assembly calls on the Federal Government to support a national campaign to strengthen volunteering, in line with the findings and recommendations of the National Volunteering Strategy; and that this includes adequate resourcing for local councils to work as part of their local community volunteering ecosystems, to promote capacity building in order for local communities to more effectively attract, support and retain volunteering across priority areas.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to permanently include Local Government representation on the Murray Darling Basin Ministerial Council.

That the National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to: Formally recognise the role of local governments in planning for food system resilience during both normal conditions and emergencies, including natural disasters such as floods and bushfires. Provide direct funding to local governments, including full reimbursement for costs incurred in activating local relief responses during disasters, to ensure timely, coordinated and dignified access to food for affected communities. Support the development and implementation of regular and comprehensive monitoring against the six dimensions of food security in Australia.

This National General Assembly calls on the NBN to deliver an equitable NBN Fibre Upgrade Pathway for Multi-Dwelling Units across Australia. This includes the formal publication of a nationally funded FTTB-to-FTTP upgrade program by NBN and/or the Australian Government with no cost-shifting to local government or low income strata and ideally with a clear eligibility criterion and transparent rollout timetable for multi-dwelling buildings, and ensure that any funded NBM upgrade pathway also recognises regional, rural and remote communities experiencing poor reliability, congestion or no practical upgrade path from long copper, fixed wireless or satellite services.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to recognise and support local government’s critical role as land managers and service providers in drowning prevention and water safety, and to partner with councils in implementing the Australian Water Safety Strategy to achieve the 2030 drowning reduction targets.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to provide the Australian Local Government Association with the resources or opportunity to: Expand and formalise the involvement of Local Government in the development of Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) research topics and programs, and Develop a streamlined mechanism for Local Government to be informed about relevant research outcomes as they come to light throughout the life of a CRC.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to provide ongoing, equitable support for non‑metropolitan University Study Hubs, including Country Universities Centres, through sustainable funding and policy settings that reduce access barriers for regional, rural and remote students, support local skills development, workforce attraction and regional population growth, and enable these centres to appropriately support international students.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to provide greater support for the Early Childhood Education and Care sector, including by recognising the sector as essential workers, supporting sustainable, place‑based service and workforce models, improving education and skills pathways, and ensuring regulatory and investment settings prioritise safe, high‑quality outcomes for children while meeting the needs of regional, rural and remote communities.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to directly support Council-led, place based strategy and capacity building initiatives that address job losses from large scale industry closure; including future land use and industry options for mining sites, employment and training opportunities in local governments, and de-risking private investment to create new jobs, particularly in regional and rural communities undergoing large‑scale industry change toward a net zero future.

That the ALGA calls on the Australian Government to recognise and support the vital role of councils in assessing and managing complex mining, energy and renewable infrastructure proposals, particularly in regional and rural communities, by: Providing dedicated funding and capacity support to councils facing pressures from large-scale projects; Supporting access to specialist planning, environmental, legal and community engagement expertise; Ensuring councils are properly resourced and engaged in national energy transition and critical minerals policy frameworks; and Recognising the disproportionate cumulative impacts of multiple major proposals on councils with limited rate bases and staffing capacity.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to strengthen healthcare workforce supply, retention and service continuity in regional, rural and remote communities by: subsidising locum medical services where permanent supply is insufficient; funding programs to transition locums into extended term and permanent rural roles; coordinating with states/territories to improve Visiting Medical Officer arrangements for hospitals/emergency services without cost shifting to councils; and, requiring Primary Health Networks to facilitate an independent accountability review function to address systemic issues affecting access, continuity and workforce sustainability, without conferring regulatory, legal or financial responsibility on local government.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to partner with the Australian Local Government Association to establish a National Social Prescribing Framework. This framework must provide sustainable federal funding for a skilled Link Worker workforce embedded within local government community infrastructure, such as libraries and community centres. By formalising non-medical referral pathways between primary care and local social assets, the Government can address the social determinants of health. This structural reform is essential to reduce the burden on the national healthcare system, combat loneliness, and improve health equity across all Australian communities.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to formally recognise Local Government as a national priority employment sector and provide dedicated funding for traineeships, apprenticeships and vocational training in critical local government occupations. This should include increased incentives for councils to train and retain staff, expanded support for regional face-to-face delivery of VET qualifications, and targeted funding for low-volume but essential roles—particularly water and wastewater operators. Without federal action, councils will continue to face significant workforce shortages that directly impact essential community services, infrastructure delivery, public health and environmental outcomes.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to strengthen healthcare workforce supply, retention and service continuity in regional, rural and remote communities by: Expanding rural and regional training places in Obstetrics, Anaesthetics, Emergency, Aboriginal medicine, surgery, internal medicine, paediatrics and academic medicine. Establishing simulation-based and hybrid “hub and spoke” training models to ensure continuous rural training pathways from university to intern, to junior doctor to Rural Generalist qualification. Enhancing financial support for rural clinical placements. Partnering across governments to provide accommodation and support programs to grow and retain a local nursing and medical workforce.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to Recognise and fund from the National Skills Agreement a National Regional Skills and Training Pilot based in a working resource region. Support coordinated delivery of industry aligned training through partnerships between regional training providers, universities and employers. Establish a scalable national model for regional workforce development based on real operational environments.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to provide sustained, equitable and untied infrastructure funding that supports councils to renew ageing essential assets including roads, stormwater, water and sewerage infrastructure. This will reduce infrastructure backlogs, whilst recognising evidence‑based asset management planning across urban, regional and rural Australia.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to ensure federal road and transport funding arrangements are equitable and responsive to regional conditions, including longer road networks, higher freight and heavy‑vehicle use, greater exposure to climate and weather impacts, and the limited revenue capacity of councils, through sustained investment that supports safe, reliable and resilient regional road infrastructure.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to establish an ongoing regional infrastructure funding program that reinstates and builds on the intent of the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program by providing flexible capital funding to regional councils for local roads, bridges and community facilities to support sustainable regional growth.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to provide increased, sustained and non‑competitive funding that enables councils to renew and improve local road, stormwater and drainage infrastructure, strengthen road safety and freight resilience, recognise evidence‑based asset management planning, and address infrastructure backlogs critical to regional connectivity, economic productivity and community safety across urban, regional and rural Australia.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to work with State, Territory and Local Governments to increase investment to improve the safety, efficiency and community impacts of heavy vehicle movements through coordinated investment in freight road networks and fit‑for‑purpose truck parking and rest area infrastructure. This should be supported by national policy and regulatory settings that address fatigue management, road safety and local amenity, particularly in regional and rural communities.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to establish an ongoing funding program for local government that provides support for community and enabling infrastructure in high‑growth areas, including roads, drainage, open space, sporting and recreation facilities, libraries and community hubs, to support infrastructure renewals and upgrades, unlock housing supply, and ensure communities are serviced comensurate with growth.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to strengthen national vehicle safety frameworks to better protect pedestrians and cyclists, including through modernising Australian Design Rules and vehicle safety assessment systems in line with international best practice for large vehicles, and appropriately considers operational impacts for large public transport operators, including grandfathering arrangements for existing vehicles including high-fronted passenger vehicles and utility vehicles.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to establish an ongoing national funding program to support the renewal, replacement and modernisation of council‑owned public swimming and aquatic facilities, recognising them as essential community infrastructure and prioritising ageing assets—particularly in regional and remote areas—to improve community health, safety, resilience and long‑term asset sustainability.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to establish an ongoing, nationally coordinated active transport and green infrastructure funding program that enables local councils to plan and deliver safe, accessible and connected walking, wheeling and cycling network, including paths, trails, green infrastructure and supporting amenity, across urban, regional and rural communities, improving safety, accessibility, environmental outcomes, public health and low‑emissions transport.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to ensure equitable access to essential banking, postal and cash services for regional, rural and remote communities.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to strengthen the aged care system by providing adequate funding certainty and transition support for home and community‑based care, ensuring essential medication safety supports remain accessible where clinically required, and improving coordination with States, Territories and Local Governments to support timely care delivery, smooth transitions between programs, and better outcomes for older Australians, particularly in regional, rural and remote communities.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to fund, in consultation with Local Government to deliver a nationally coordinated, place‑based program to improve digital connectivity and telecommunications access, reliability and resilience in rural, regional and remote communities, including investment in mobile, broadband and satellite services and strengthened baseline service standards.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to recognise early childhood education and care as essential enabling infrastructure in regional, rural and remote communities, and to provide targeted, sustainable funding and support that enables Local Governments to operate, deliver or facilitate childcare services and infrastructure where market failure limits access, supporting workforce participation, community sustainability and regional growth.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to provide funding of neighbourhood power sharing schemes in Local Government Areas with a high proportion of medium /high density residential and commercial buildings.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to invest in public transport in fast‑growing local government areas that are high growth and that consistently meet or exceed housing targets.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to: Lead systems reform for grant funding within Federal Government to: Reform grant funding to non-competitive, multi-year block funding aligned to Local Government election cycles and Local Strategic Plans. Build consistency in the governance frameworks, systems and documentation required across various funding programs to reduce the administrative burden on Local Government. Improve the delivery of grant funding to councils across Australia to ensure equity and provide funding up front rather than in arrears.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to provide targeted funding for the upgrade of roads, rail and structures that serve critical distribution functions adjacent to ports.

The National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government, in their development of national data centre principles & approval processes to include: Strategic assessment of: Suitability of location, ideally where services are available and where other important land uses are not compromised as a result Local place-based impacts–e.g. potential strain on energy grids, water supply and ecosystems effects, land use trade-offs, clustering issues, impacts on local jobs Meaningful community engagement Transparent public reporting That councils have a central role in decision-making Engaging with councils for feedback into the preparation and finalisation of these documents.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to cover all expenses and running costs for BOM weather equipment located at regional airports and aerodromes.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to: Establish a dedicated, ongoing funding program for local governments to plan, upgrade and deliver sports and recreation infrastructure that aligns with locally adopted strategic objectives, community sport plans and inclusion strategies. Prioritise funding for projects that address inequity in access, particularly the persistent shortage of female-friendly sporting facilities in regional, rural and remote communities, including: Safe, fit-for-purpose change rooms and amenities for women and girls Facilities that support participation across all life stages, from grassroots to elite pathways. Leverage major national and international sporting events as legacy funding opportunities, ensuring that the Rugby World Cup 2027, Women’s Rugby World Cup 2029 and the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games deliver lasting community benefit through: Targeted investment in local government-owned community sporting infrastructure A clear focus on improving female participation outcomes beyond host cities Equitable distribution of legacy funding to regional communities that support training, participation and event-related activity Recognise local governments as the primary providers and custodians of community sporting infrastructure, and reduce co-contribution requirements that disproportionately disadvantage regional councils. Require that funded projects demonstrate alignment with local government strategic planning, including community infrastructure plans, gender equity strategies and participation growth objectives, to ensure long-term sustainability and value for money.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to call on the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) to reform its Regulatory Investment Test for Distribution (RIT-D) process to better reflect the needs of rural and geographically dispersed communities, not just urban density when assessing distribution network upgrades.

The National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to provide targeted funding and policy support to strengthen cemetery and funeral services by: Establishing a national funding stream to enhance cemetery safety infrastructure, including grave shoring systems and protective covers, to ensure compliance with workplace health and safety obligations. Creating a national program to support local governments in adopting digital memorialisation technologies and practices that address land shortages and modernise service delivery. Developing equitable funeral assistance programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, resolving delays and inconsistencies across jurisdictions.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to provide funding for increased independence, dignity, and inclusion in communities through the MLAK-Scheme by: Supporting new public toilets to be fitted with the Master-Locksmiths-Access-Key (MLAK) system; Working with the Master Locksmiths Association of Australasia (MLAA) and owners to retrofit publicly-accessible toilets (e.g. at parks, playgrounds, shopping centres, and petrol stations) with the MLAK system where able and appropriate; and As an important provider of MLAK facilities and keys to individuals in our communities, supporting Councils in the cost of promoting and increasing use of the MLAK Scheme.

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to: Provide clarity on its long-term intentions for Inland Rail beyond Parkes, noting that the current “consolidation” decision does not articulate a pathway for completing the nationally planned Melbourne–Brisbane railway; Recognise Inland Rail as infrastructure of national significance whose productivity, congestion-reduction and resilience benefits depend on full delivery, and that prolonged uncertainty places those benefits at risk; Affirm that commitments made to local governments, landholders and communities as part of Inland Rail planning, acquisition and construction processes form part of the project’s social licence and call on the Australian Government to ensure all genuine and recorded commitments are honoured in full, regardless of staging or sequencing decisions. Commit to progressing Inland Rail beyond Parkes (Narromine) by working through identified cost, scope and delivery challenges, consistent with the treatment of other nationally significant, complex infrastructure projects; and Ensure this approach is underpinned by transparency, including releasing the supporting cost, cost-benefit and productivity analyses and engaging with local governments to advance the project in the national interest. Affirm that, in the national interest, infrastructure deemed nationally significant through an agreed and transparent methodology requires enduring commitment, long-term planning horizons, and perseverance through complexity.

That this National General Assembly calls on the Federal Government to: Abandon the proposed changes to the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) that would shift the Commonwealth/State funding split from 65/35 to 50/50; and Maintain existing Commonwealth funding proportions to ensure local councils are not further burdened in recovering from natural disasters.