Councils across the country are waiting to see whether the new Turnbull ministry will finally bring a proper focus on local government issues.

Paul Fletcher has been announced as the Minister for Territories, Local Government and Major Projects.

The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) says it wants an opportunity to work with him on local government matters.

ALGA president Mayor Troy Pickard said the appointment has finally elevated community priorities to the Federal level.

He believes it illustrates the importance of the partnership between Federal and Local Government to ensure the sustainability of local communities.

“As the third tier of government, and the level of government closest to the community, a strong partnership with the Australian Government ensures the continued and consistent coordination of national policies at the local level to deliver positive outcomes for Australian communities,” Mayor Pickard says.

“A Federal partnership with, and investment in, Local Government will assist in generating improved economic outcomes for the nation by driving growth and opportunity at the local and regional level, improving productivity, and improving equity and resilience for individuals and communities.

ALGA says it will look to the new Local Government Minister to end the freeze to the indexation of Financial Assistance Grants (FAGs).

FAGs provide general purpose funding to councils from the Federal Government.

They are vitally important to improving local government's capacity to provide communities with an equitable level of services.

“As a result of the decision to freeze FAGs indexation in the 2014-15 Budget, councils across the country are missing out on an estimated $925 million in revenue over the period until 2017-18 that would have otherwise been used to fix local community infrastructure and fund crucial community services such as parks, swimming pools, libraries, community amenities, and recreation and cultural facilities,” Mayor Pickard said.

“The Commonwealth must ensure that our local councils have the resources necessary to provide the level of services that every Australian community deserves.”