Budget Bonanza for Local Roads
May 08, 2007
The President of the Australian Local Government Association, Cr Paul Bell, said that communities around the nation would benefit from the Australian Government's commitments to transport infrastructure.
Cr Bell said: "I am pleased that the Federal Government has recognized the transport expectations of local communities that are beyond the financial capacity of local councils."
"I especially welcome the $250 million for the AusLink Strategic Regional Program made available immediately. The initial program was over-subscribed by more than a billion dollars and this additional funding goes some way to meeting this enormous unmet demand for economic infrastructure in regional areas."
"I have been asking the Government for additional funding for these projects and I now urge councils that have projects selected for funding to move quickly to settle funding agreements with the Australian Government so that funds can be released," Cr Bell said
Cr Bell also welcomed the longer term commitments from the Federal Government to community transport infrastructure through the $1750 million for the Roads to Recovery Program over the 5 year period of AusLink 2 and the $300 million for the Strategic Regional Program over the same period.
"Roads to Recovery is a highly successful program which, along with the Black Spots Program, has enhanced community safety and boosted economic development in regional economies over the past seven years,” he said. “ALGA has been working closely with the Government to ensure its continuation and we applaud this announcement which virtually ensures the program will be a permanent fixture in future Budgets."
Cr Bell also welcomed the announcements supporting air services regional and remote and remote communities. "The new program worth $22 million over 4 years will greatly assist those communities that are having difficulties maintaining their airstrips to safe standards. The continuation of the Enroute Charges Payment Scheme by another 4 years will also assist regional communities by keeping the cost of their air services down," he said.
Cr Bell said the Local Community Infrastructure Renewals Fund (LCIRF), as recommended by the recent PricewaterhouseCoopers report into local government financing, was an important initiative which local government would continue to fight for in the lead-up to the election campaign.
"Local government is facing an infrastructure backlog of $14.5b nationally," he said. "An LCIRF would focus on renewing and replacing community infrastructure such as community centres and public halls, swimming pools, walking tracks, ovals and playing fields, libraries and tourism information centres.
Investing in upgrading community infrastructure will improve the health and well-being of communities and, in many cases, act as a catalyst in the rejuvenation of local economies."
ALGA's full Budget analysis will be available on the ALGA website tonight and over the next 24 hours: www.alga.asn.au
A PDF version of the media release can be downloaded here
- Contact
- Cr Paul Bell AM, ALGA President - 0418 791 596
- Amanda Lynch, ALGA - 0419 123 862
