Geoff Helisma, Clarence Valley Independent

Clarence Valley Council (CVC) has signed up to the Australian Local Government Association’s campaign – Don’t Leave Local Communities Behind – to be conducted during the weeks leading up to the May 21 federal election.

Councillors unanimously supported Cr Ian Tiley’s mayoral minute, to “support the national funding priorities of the ALGA, which would contribute an estimated $6.46 billion per year to Australia’s GDP and create 43,444 jobs” if successful.

Councillors resolved to write to “the local federal member(s) of parliament, [and] all known election candidates in local federal electorates” about the ALGA’s campaign.

“The goal of the campaign is to secure funding and policy commitments that will support every Australian council and community,” Cr Tiley said in a CVC media release, “and ensure all Australians have an equal opportunity to share in the benefits of Australia’s post-pandemic recovery.”

The ALGA puts it this way on its website: “As we face social and economic challenges unseen in peace-time Australia, our nation needs its decision-makers working together.

“Australians want, expect, and need funding programs that deliver a locally led recovery from COVID-19 and a focus on opportunity rather than austerity.”

Cr Tiley’s mayoral minute advised: “All [537] Australian councils have been asked to participate in this campaign to ensure a coordinated approach that will deliver the best possible outcomes.

“This campaign will highlight opportunities for increased partnerships between federal and local governments in the areas of economic recovery, transport, and community infrastructure, building resilience, circular economy, and Intergovernmental relations, while also progressing Closing the Gap measures across the country.

The Independent asked the mayor: “In practical terms, doesn’t this really amount to lobbying the next government (eg: no action until 2023/24 budget), given the current government’s 2022/23 budget is already set?

Cr Tiley said, “It is about supporting ALGA and its 17-point agenda [and appealing] to all sides of politics for greater support of local governments.”

In the context of where any extra funding would be invested, councillors resolved to “request [that] the president of the ALGA does on CVC’s behalf: a) express support for ALGA’s funding priorities; b) identify priority local projects and programs that could be progressed with the additional financial assistance from the federal government being sought by ALGA; and c) seek funding commitments from the members, candidates, and their parties for these identified local projects and programs”.

One of the 17 priorities includes increasing Roads to Recovery funding to $800 million per annum and the Black Spot Program to $200 million – the current federal budget’s funding for these programs is $490 million and $128 million, respectively.

However, Roads to Recovery and Black Spot Program spending by 2025/26 is budgeted at $499 million and $110 million, respectively.

Other priorities include:

• A targeted disaster mitigation program of $200 million per annum which will reduce the costs of response and recovery and strengthen community resilience.
• A Local Government Climate Response Partnership Fund of $200 million over four years to enable planning and preparation to minimise the impacts of climate change in local communities and enable councils to achieve climate neutrality as soon as practicable.
• $200 million over four years to assist councils to develop and implement innovative housing partnerships.
• $100 million per annum provided directly to local governments to support the capabilities of Indigenous councils and the implementation of the Closing the Gap local voice.
• $100 million per annum to fund local government circular waste innovation projects.

This article appeared in the Clarence Valley Independent, 4 May 2022.