Councils have welcomed this week’s “solid investment” in local government.

Councils are set to receive $3.1 billion in Financial Assistance Grants over the next 12 months, according to documents released this week. 

“For Australia’s 537 councils, $3.1 billion of local government funding is a vital investment in Australia’s productivity, allowing us to employ nearly 200,000 Australians and provide local services in every corner of the nation,” says Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) President Cr Linda Scott.

“However, it’s disappointing that another Federal Budget has passed without the Government delivering on their pre-election promise of ‘fair increases’ to these grants.”

She says many councils are dealing with local roads in a state of significant disrepair, with increasingly frequent natural disasters as a result of a changing climate.

ALGA has welcomed the $500 million in local road funding in the Budget, and will continue to advocate for a significant increase to the Roads to Recovery Program.

Cr Scott said local governments would miss the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure (LRCI) Program, which was not extended in this year’s Budget.

“Established in 2020, the LRCI program has been successful in helping all councils deliver much-needed local infrastructure projects, including libraries, community sporting fields, local roads, parks and playgrounds,” said Cr Scott.

The demise of the LRCI Program will be partially offset by two new urban funding programs – a $200 million Thriving Suburbs Program and a $150 million Urban Precincts and Partnerships Program, alongside the Growing Regions and Regional Precinct Funds.

Local governments successfully advocated for the establishment of the $200 million Disaster Ready Fund, to enable them to invest to better prevent damage from natural disasters. 

Councils are reportedly delighted to see the Disaster Ready Fund continued, along with new Flood Warning Infrastructure Network Remediation.

ALGA has also welcomed the extension of the Remote Airstrip Upgrade Program, a new $10 million National Waste Education campaign, as well as an extension of $20 million per year supplementary road funding for South Australian councils disadvantaged by the national local roads funding formula.