The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has outlined a series of partnership opportunities in its 2022-23 Federal Pre-Budget Submission. 

ALGA President Linda Scott says Australia’s 537 local government have the capacity for growing partnerships with the Commonwealth Government – as well as state and territory governments – to support economic and community recovery in every community, improve Australia’s transport and community infrastructure, increase local resilience to emergency events and the impacts of climate change, and help build a new circular economy.

“Only local governments can deliver a locally led recovery in every corner of our nation,” Cr Scott said this week.

“Our local government priorities for the Federal Budget have been independently assessed, and if funded and implemented they would contribute at least $6.65 billion per year to Australia’s Gross Domestic Product and create 44,905 new jobs.

“Councils are offering solutions to achieve a tailored, community-focussed post-COVID economic recovery - from creating jobs to supporting local business to building new community facilities like libraries, community centres, roads, recreation trails and playgrounds.

“Councils have an excellent track record of partnering with the Commonwealth on projects and programs that improve our communities and build better lives for all Australians.

“Working together, we can build a stronger, more inclusive and sustainable Australia on the other side of COVID-19 and ensure that no community is left behind.”

The key funding requests in ALGA’s 2022-23 Pre-Budget Submission are an initial injection of Financial Assistance Grants worth $1.3 billion to drive economic recovery across the country, and for the total value of these untied grants to be gradually restored to at least one percent of Commonwealth taxation revenue.

The submission can be found in PDF form, here.