The federal opposition wants to include local government representation in National Cabinet.

Councils have been left out of important decision-making processes since Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced in May 2020 that COAG would be disbanded and replaced by a permanent National Cabinet.

Local government lobbies have been pushing for a place at the table ever since. They have welcomed comments made by opposition leader Anthony Albanese this week. 

“We will ensure local government has a voice in a genuine National Cabinet process, bringing a focus on urban policy to the national stage,” Mr Albanese said at a business forum in Sydney this week.

Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) president Linda Scott said excluding councils had deprived decision-makers of the collective energy, wisdom, and on-the-ground knowledge of 537 local councils across the country.

“If we want Australia to emerge from the pandemic more resilient and dynamic than before, Local Government must have a seat on National Cabinet and be involved in discussions about the broader objectives of recovery and how we’re to achieve them,” Cr Scott said.

“We need to ensure that the policies and programs of all levels of Government are aligned and working towards a single goal.”

Mr Albanese gave the undertaking to include local government in National Cabinet during a speech to the Australian Financial Review Business Summit.

In light of the Opposition’s commitment, Cr Scott has called on the Prime Minister to support local government’s inclusion in National Cabinet and to raise the issue with his state colleagues.

“People expect the three tiers of government to work together on their behalf, especially during emergencies like COVID-19,” she said.

“By continuing to exclude local government from the National Cabinet, we potentially risk leaving some local communities and regions behind as well as prolonging Australia’s journey to full economic recovery.”