The Albanese Government has been challenged to provide more support for Australia’s 537 local councils, after the Coalition committed $1 billion for local roads and community infrastructure.
Shadow Minister for Local Government Darren Chester said the Coalition’s decision to bring back the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure program (LRCI) had been universally welcomed by councils struggling to keep up with increased costs.
“Before the last election, Labor promised councils they would receive ‘fair increases’ to Financial Assistance Grants, but that promise was broken in every Budget and they cut LRCI completely,” Mr Chester said.
“Our revamped LRCI will continue the essential work of supporting local councils, creating jobs, reducing the cost of living and strengthening the resilience of our communities.
“Only the Coalition is willing to partner with local councillors and trust them to achieve the best outcomes while keeping costs down for ratepayers.”
Mr Chester said the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) had enthusiastically supported the Coalition’s position, with President Matt Burnett calling it a ‘game changer’ for local government.
“We are thrilled that the Coalition has recognised the value of investing in our communities, and committed to bringing back the Local Roads and Community infrastructure Program at $1 billion per year if they form government,” Mr Burnett said
“Reinstating the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program will support every council, and more importantly, provide tangible benefits to every Australian community.
“The state of our regional roads is a big concern, and we are pleased that the renewed LRCI will include funding for regional councils to build and maintain safer local roads.”
The announcement has also been welcomed by the Local Government Association of Queensland, with CEO Alison Smith challenging the Labor Party to match the commitment.
“If Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Labor Party want the support of local communities, then they need to match this commitment immediately,” Ms Smith said.
Under the Coalition’s plan, local councils will receive funding under an allocative model that trusts councils to set their own priorities in consultation with community groups.
“In government, we were able to partner with councils to deliver thousands of local projects with a cost-effective model that avoided the need for a grant writing competition, which is a waste of time and resources for smaller projects,” Mr Chester said.
“The LRCI also takes the pressure off councils to increase rates when local residents are struggling with Labor’s cost-of-living crisis.
“But the pipeline of local projects has dried up because the Labor Party doesn’t trust local councils to make decisions on local priorities.
“The Canberra-knows-best attitude has seen councils across Australia receive less funding and place more pressure on the cost of living as ratepayers pick up the bill.”
