The National State of the Assets Project

The NSoA Project, or National State of the Assets Project, is an initiative led by the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA). Its primary purpose is to assess and report on the condition, performance, and financial sustainability of local government assets nationwide. Through regular data collection and analysis since 2012, the NSoA Project provides insights into the state of infrastructure managed by local governments, helping inform policy, funding needs, and planning at local, state, and federal levels.

Main purposes of the NSoA Project are:

• Evaluate the Condition and Performance of Local Government Assets;
• Inform Investment Needs and Funding Gaps;
• Support Policy Development and Planning;
• Promote Asset Management Best Practices;
• Enhance Transparency and Public Accountability; and
• Benchmark for Continuous Improvement

Measured on a consistent basis, the key benefits are to:

• Support Long-Term Infrastructure Planning: Provides a clear picture of infrastructure needs and allows for better planning and resource allocation;
• Improve Funding Justification: Highlights infrastructure investment gaps, enabling local governments to make a stronger case for funding.;
• Guide National Policy: Informs federal and state policies to address infrastructure needs and sustainability in local governments.

The NSoA Project has delivered valuable outcomes, providing a data-driven foundation for effective asset management and helping to secure sustainable investment in Australia’s local government infrastructure. By improving transparency, guiding funding decisions, promoting best practices, and encouraging continuous improvement, the project has become a cornerstone for advancing asset management across Australia’s local government sector. These outcomes help create resilient, well-maintained infrastructure that meets community needs both now and in the future.

ALGA has partnered with the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (IPWEA) as the peak association for professionals who deliver public works and engineering services to communities in Australia to operate and maintain the project.

Q&A

Q: Where do I input the data?

A: Data is collected via IPWEA+ portal. It is free to participate and as an IPWEA member you can login using your IPWEA username and password. If you’re not a member, you will need to create an account.

Q: What data is required?

A: The underpinning methodology for the NSoA Project uses three very simple indicators that answer the question:

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

This is a fundamental question that local government must answer within their planning frameworks.

The three indicators are:

The indicators are measured as a proportion of the total replacement cost in the following gradings:

Asset Management and Financial Planning knowledge and capability data provides an assessment of the degree of implementation (and alignment) of Asset Management and Long-Term Financial Plans.

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

A: The data input effort is minimal as the data is aligned to source data and systems that are typically required for regulatory purposes as at the last reporting period. Valuation data connects to the Financial Statements and Asset Performance data connects to the Asset Management Plan.

Q: How is the data reported?

A: The data is reported against nationally agreed sustainability, knowledge & capability and performance indicators that:

• Present a nationally consistent framework for ongoing measurement
• Identify the challenges for infrastructure in the future
• Demonstrate a need for additional infrastructure investment

Each council can download their own customised NSoA report for use in its own advocacy, planning and reporting purposes.

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 and copies are normally distributed to every local government when it is published.

Q: Could our council’s asset base or performance be compared with a neighbouring local council, giving ratepayers or media commentators an opportunity to unfairly criticise us?

A: The report does not enable comparison or competition between local councils, nor does it encourage a ‘league ladder’ approach between rural, regional, remote and urban council groupings as they all have different needs and operating conditions.

Q: What are the benefits for our council in taking part?

A: By contributing data, local governments strengthen the sector’s advocacy efforts and contribute to enhancing their own infrastructure planning effort.

The NSoA provides consistent, evidence-based, infrastructure data and information for use by all levels of government. This includes support in the consideration of extending existing or initiating new government funding programs (e.g., Financial Assistance Grants, Roads to Recovery and the Local Road and Community Infrastructure Program, etc).

It also provides a snapshot of current service levels and shows what proportion of community infrastructure requiring additional investment is needed to be in a state of good repair.

The NSoA communicates local government’s level of asset management capability with respect to implementing Asset Management and Long-Term Financial Plans.

It also demonstrates a need for additional infrastructure investment by reporting financial sustainability and performance trends against nationally adopted indicators; and demonstrates a need for capacity building in the sector.

Allows for the development of a coordinated capability building and advocacy framework for local government in delivering infrastructure-based services.

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

A: The data is owned by those councils that provide the data.The aggregated data is vested in the interests of all parties on the following basis.

• Councils - individual council data
• State & Territory LGAs - aggregated state data
• ALGA - aggregated national data

Other stakeholders (e.g. National Transport Commission, Infrastructure Australia, etc.) can access de-aggregated data with limitations for research and advocacy, therefore easing the burden on local government providing the same data more than once to other entities.

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

A: Any pre-populated data existing in your profile is there because it was provided in a previous round of data collection. We are encouraging councils to update their data on an annual basis as at the last reporting period.

Q: Will this exercise help our council become more strategic in our long-term thinking?

A: Understanding and tracking the value and performance of local government infrastructure assets over time on a consistent basis will help build an appreciation if things are getting better, worse or staying the same.

“The online NSoA data collection form for your organisation is available on the IPWEA+ Platform and is ready for you to start entering your data.”