The National State of the Assets Project

The National State of the Assets (NSoA) Project is a strategic initiative led by the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) to assess and report on the planning and performance of local government infrastructure across the nation.

Since its inception in 2012, the project has delivered consistent, evidence based insights into the state of assets managed by local governments - helping to inform policy development and reform, funding decisions, and long-term planning at local, state, and federal levels.

Purpose of the NSoA Project:

The NSoA Project aims to:

• Evaluate the performance of local government infrastructure.
• Identify investment needs and funding gaps.
• Support policy development and integrated planning.
• Promote best practices in asset management.
• Enhance transparency and public accountability.
• Provide benchmarking to encourage continuous improvement.

Key Benefits:

Measured on a consistent national basis, the NSoA Project provides:

• Support for Long-Term Infrastructure Planning: Enables better planning and resource allocation and life cycle planning based on real data.
• Improved funding justification: Highlights infrastructure investment funding gaps, helping councils advocate for funding.
• Evidence to guide national and state policy: Informs strategies that promote sustainability and resilience in local governments.

Project Delivery:

ALGA partners with the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (IPWEA) – Australasia’s peak association for public works and infrastructure professionals – to operate and maintain the project. Together, they ensure the data collection, analysis, and reporting align with industry best practices and the needs of local government stakeholders.

By improving transparency, guiding investment, and promoting best sustainable asset management practices, the NSoA Project has become a cornerstone for advancing the quality and resilience of infrastructure in Australia’s local government sector — ensuring communities have access to safe, reliable, and fit-for-purpose assets. These outcomes help create resilient, well-maintained infrastructure that meets community needs both now and into the future.

Q&A

Q: Where do I input the data?

A: Data is submitted via the IPWEA+ Portal. Participation is free for every Australian local government.

• Local government officers need to log in using their IPWEA username and password

• If you don’t have an account, you’ll need to create a free account from the IPWEA website using your council-issued email address.

Q: What data is required?

A: The NSoA Project is underpinned by three consistent indicators designed to answer the question:

“Is local government infrastructure getting better, worse or staying the same?”

The indicators are:

Each is reported as a proportion of total replacement cost in the following gradings:

Additionally, councils provide data on their asset management and financial planning capability, reflecting the implementation and alignment of Asset Management Plans (AMPs) and Long-Term Financial Plans (LTFPs).

Q: How long will it take to input the data?

A: The effort is minimal. The data aligns information most councils collect for Financial Statements and Asset Management Planning.

• Valuation data connects to your financial reports.
• Asset performance data comes from your AMPs or condition assessments.

Q: How is the data reported?

A: Submitted data is aggregated and reported against nationally agreed indicators covering:

• Investment
• Planning
• Performance

The report provides: 

• A nationally consistent framework for tracking performance
• Insights into long-term challenges for infrastructure
• Evidence to support future infrastructure investment needs

Each participating council can download its own customised NSoA report.

Q: When will the report be released?

A: The National State of the Assets Report is released every few years by ALGA.

Past and current versions can be downloaded from ALGA’s website.

Q: Will our performance be compared with neighbouring councils?

A: No. The NSoA Project does not enable comparison or competition between councils or promote comparison between individual local governments.
It recognises that rural, regional, remote, and urban councils face different needs and operating environments and infrastructure conditions.

Q: What are the benefits for our council in participating?

A: Participation supports both your council and the broader sector. Key benefits include:

• Strengthens the sector’s case for funding and infrastructure investment
• Supports local infrastructure planning and lifecycle management
• Provides a snapshot of current service levels and investment needs
• Demonstrates asset management capability (AMP and LTFP implementation)
• Helps identify gaps in funding and capability
• Contributes to the development of a coordinated capacity-building strategy for local government

The data also informs government programs such as: 

• Financial Assistance Grants (FAGs) 
• Roads to Recovery (R2R) 
• Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program (LRCI) 

Q: What happens if our council chooses not to participate? 

A: Participation is voluntary, but non-participation may: 

• Limit your council’s visibility in national-level reporting 
• Weaken the overall evidence base for infrastructure funding and policy 
• Miss the opportunity to benchmark and highlight local progress 

All councils are encouraged to participate to strengthen sector-wide advocacy.  

Q: Who owns the data that is supplied by councils?

A: Data ownership is clearly defined: 

• Councils own their individual data 
• State/Territory LGAs access aggregated state-level data 
• ALGA holds aggregated national-level data 

Other stakeholders (e.g. Infrastructure Australia) may access de-identified, aggregated data under controlled conditions to reduce the reporting burden on councils.  

Q: Why is there data already in my council’s profile?

A: Pre-populated data may come from previous collection rounds.  Councils are encouraged to review and update their data annually based on the most recent reporting period.

Q: Can we update our data after initial submission?

A: Yes. You can update your council’s data at any time via the IPWEA+ platform to reflect the most recent reporting period or improved data quality. 

Q: Will this help our council become more strategic?

A: Yes. Tracking the value and performance of infrastructure over time builds a clear picture of whether things are improving or deteriorating. 

This supports more informed decision-making, improved strategic planning, and greater accountability for infrastructure outcomes. 

Q: How does the NSoA support elected members? 

A: The NSoA provides elected officials with: 

• A clear, evidence-based view of local infrastructure needs 
• Insight into the effectiveness of asset management strategies 
• Information to support funding submissions and community engagement 
• Material to inform long-term financial planning and prioritisation 

Log in to the IPWEA+ Platform to start entering or updating your council’s NSoA data.