Australian Local Government Association

6th National Local Roads and Transport Congress

5 July 2005, Launceston, Tasmania

Preamble

More than 430 local government leaders from across Australia met at the 6th National Local Roads and Transport Congress in Launceston on 3-5 July 2005.

Local government is responsible for 680,000km - or almost 85 per cent - of the entire Australian road network. Maintaining this $75bn asset is a significant task requiring additional assistance from state and federal governments. The current maintenance backlog approaches $350 million.

Local government has a critical interest in sustainable, accessible transport in urban, regional and remote areas and remains concerned at problems including congestion, pollution, safety, residential amenity and affordability.

Local government remains committed to openness, transparency, accountability and discipline in its implementation of local road and transport grants.

Resolutions

1. Delegates called on the Australian Government to provide fair funding to local government and replace the archaic system of financial assistance grants with growth funding based on at least one per cent share of national taxation revenue.
2. Delegates urged ALGA to successfully conclude negotiations on a meaningful intergovernmental agreement to put an end to cost shifting once and for all.
3. Delegates acknowledged by acclamation the work and commitment of the retiring Minister for Transport and Regional Services, Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson MP. They applauded the introduction and renewal of the Roads to Recovery program. This program is providing vital assistance to local government to help reduce the gap between what councils can afford to pay to maintain local roads and what is needed to bring them up to fit-for-purpose standard.
4. Delegates acknowledged Mr Anderson's comment that in the early 1990s the Australian Government had estimated the local road maintenance backlog would require an investment of $3bn and that a third phase of Roads to Recovery funding would be required to achieve this.
5. Delegates asked state and territory associations to call on state and territory governments to ensure they played their part in addressing the shortfall in local road funding.
6. Delegates resolved to monitor developments in road user charges and called for research into potential access by local government to revenue from these charges generated from the use of local roads.
7. Delegates called for a national roads and transport strategy for local government to be developed by the Australian Local Government Association with a draft strategy to be presented to the 2006 National Local Roads and Transport Congress for consideration.
   The national roads and transport strategy for local government should be based on four key elements:
   1. Long-term certainty for local road funding
   2. Strengthening partnerships across all spheres of government to address areas of specific need
   3. Greater federal involvement in sustainable transport
   4. Assistance to build local government capacity in data and asset management.
8. Delegates encouraged collaboration with other organisations in advocacy of a national roads and transport strategy for local government.
9. Delegates called on the Australian Government, in conjunction with state and territory governments, to play a stronger role in urban and passenger transport issues. Delegates also called for development of a national infrastructure strategy.
10. Delegates resolved to support ALGA's call for a further $250 million to be added to the AusLink strategic regional program.
11. Delegates resolved to meet again at the 7th National Local Roads and Transport Congress to be held in Alice Springs on 9-11 July 2006.

Contact:

Cr Paul Bell AM, ALGA President.   0418 791 596

Rohan Greenland, ALGA Public Affairs.   0412 85 9434 / 02 6122 9434