Infrastructure funding will help communities
November 18, 2008
The Federal Government has received plaudits from over 400 mayors across Australia with the announcement of much-needed funding for councils under the new Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Fund.
The President of the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA), Cr Paul Bell, said the announcement at today's inaugural Australian Council of Australian Government meeting was the culmination of over two years of work by the Association and meant a 'great deal' to communities.
"The acceleration of funding for community infrastructure has been a critical plank of ALGA's advocacy on behalf of local communities," Cr Bell said. "The announcement of the $300 million Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program, with a minimum payment of $100,000 going to each council to be spent by September 2009, will see swimming pools, community centres, libraries, sporting grounds, parks and council-run Meals-on-Wheels kitchens renewed and brought into the 21st century. These facilities are the life-blood of our suburbs and our towns."
Cr Bell also welcomed the Government's commitment to constitutional recognition and statements by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Anthony Albanese on working together to achieve this long-cherished goal for local government. "I look forward to ALGA's Constitutional Summit in Melbourne on December 8-11 to establish a unified local government position on the main options for recognition - symbolic, institutional and financial recognition," he said.
Cr Bell said that discussion at the Australian Council of Local Government had been 'vigorous and robust' and had strengthened the relationship between the two spheres of Government. "There is no doubt that we have made progress on areas as diverse as health, climate change, water shortages and urban congestion," he said. "We still have a way to go in the area of fair funding for local government, but I am encouraged about the progress we can make over coming months."
"Local government will go away and continue to serve our local communities and also consider these and many other issues in the months leading up to the next meeting of the Council," Cr Bell said.
"Communities are looking for strong local leadership on the challenges that are facing Australia and local government, which is the closest level of government to the people, in partnership with the Commonwealth is well-placed to deliver tangible results as we have already proven with the highly successful Roads to Recovery Program."
- Contact
- Cr Paul Bell, ALGA President - 0418 791596
- Amanda Lynch, Director, Public Affairs - 0419 123 862 / 02 6122 9434
