ALGA is calling on councils to register with them projects in their communities that are in urgent need of upgrade, replacement or maintenance and that offer quality outcomes for their local community.
The goal is to create a list of projects that highlights local government’s challenge of meeting the backlog and underspend in community infrastructure.
To date, the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has received 172 submissions from 51 councils across Australia.
“So far the majority of submissions received from councils are for community recreational facilities such as swimming pools and playing fields with many of the projects submitted requiring an investment of more than $5 million,” said Mayor Troy Pickard, ALGA President.
“It's still early days in our collection, but what we can see so far is that councils have shovel-ready projects that would enhance their communities and facilitate important social policy outcomes, particularly in the area of preventative health, but they need more financial support to enable the construction.”
The registry, which is open indefinitely to councils, provides ALGA with a list of real-life examples to demonstrate their argument when lobbying.
“Our experience shows that it is far more effective to be able to provide concrete examples of what we are trying to achieve than argue in the abstract,” said Mayor Pickard.
The information collected through ALGA’s register will be used to support its case for Federal funding of $300 million per year over four years for a regional and community infrastructure fund identified in ALGA’s recent budget submission. This case will be presented to the Government and Opposition ahead of the Federal Election.
Mayor Pickford said that a Federal investment in a regional and community infrastructure fund couldn't come at a better time with the subsiding mining boom and softening economic growth forecasts.
“Projects delivered under such a fund would not only strengthen local economies, but would continue to have benefits for the broader community for decades to come,” he said.
“We would hope that MPs from all sides of politics will talk to their councils and look at the register to see what they can do to help their local community.”