WA Local Government Association President, Cr Bill Mitchell emphasised that while the Federal Budget had gone some way to redressing local infrastructure needs, the State Government now needed to make a serious contribution.

“If the State and Federal Budgets are to complement each other and achieve the best strategic outcomes for WA communities, then we would expect that our State investment proposals to the Treasurer for Safer Local Roads, Roads to Indigenous Communities, Bridge Infrastructure and Asset Management will make sense, given the emphasis on road funding as the major Local Government take away from the Federal Budget,” Cr Mitchell said.

“We are particularly pleased to see the government’s commitment to local roads infrastructure in the form of an increase in the funding for, and duration of, the Roads to Recovery program, which we hope will herald a permanent commitment to the program. We also welcome the immediate availability of $250 million for the AusLink Strategic Regional Program.

“The maintenance of Local Government financial assistance grants in real terms at around $1.2bn, and Local Roads Grants at $537m, will see Councils hold the line on these important funding sources and will contribute to addressing the challenge of sustainability faced by many Local Governments.”

However, Cr Mitchell said Local Government was disappointed that the Federal Government hadn’t as yet responded to the national campaign for a Local Community Infrastructure Renewal Program.

The Association, through its national partner the Australian Local Government Association, had campaigned hard for funding to be provided for local community infrastructure – buildings, recreation centres, halls, pools, ovals, sports courts, walking trails, tourism facilities – as part of the budget announcements. ALGA commissioned research has identified that Local Government is facing an infrastructure backlog of around $14.5bn nationally. In WA this backlog is well in excess of $1.75bn.

Economic commentators have already observed that this budget is as significant for what it doesn’t say, as much as for what has been revealed.

“It’s very clear that the Federal Government has a lot more to say in terms of funding announcements in the count down to the election, and we’re hopeful that the real investment in local infrastructure is to be revealed as part of that process,” Cr Mitchell said.

Ends