Transcript of press conference, Ballarat

KING: Well, thank you for coming out on what is a glorious Ballarat day but is also a terrific day for local councils and people driving on local roads all across this country. Today I am very proud to announce that the Labor government will be investing more money in local roads. We will gradually be, as of next year, increasing the Roads to Recovery program, doubling the Roads to Recovery program. That is a program that goes to every single local council across the country based on a formula to allow them to improve our local roads.

I live in the country, I know just how hard it is for our local councils to keep up with the maintenance and improvement of our local roads. We know that with increasing weather events that that has meant that they are finding it really difficult to keep up with that maintenance of our local roads. We’ve heard what local councils have had to say. The Infrastructure Investment Program review said more money needs to go to local roads, and that is exactly what the Labor government will be doing – up to a billion dollars for local councils, doubling Roads to Recovery. It will really improve our local roads across this country.

At the same time we’re also going to be putting more money into the iconic Black Spots Roads program. This is program across the community again, that local governments can apply to but also community members can nominate a road that they think needs improvements for safety. We’re going to be increasing the amount of money available to the Black Spots Roads program as well.

We're also moving towards a new specific program for local governments to apply for some larger infrastructure projects. That safer local infrastructure program will mean that councils will have available when it’s at its full amount up to around $200 million across the country for some of those larger scale projects. We’ve done that by merging the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program with the Bridges Renewal program and also topping that up as well.

I know just how important our local roads are. I know how important it is that people are safe on our local roads. I don’t think you have to go very far in any community to see that the local government has been struggling to keep up with the maintenance of these roads. We’ve seen story after story after story about potholes. The weather has been pretty terrible. Let’s get on with the job of actually improving our local roads, [indistinct] Albanese government, that billion dollars commitment to our local roads across this community is going to help.

I'm really happy to take any questions about this first and then any other issues.

JOURNALIST: You did just mention potholes, for example. But can you talk us through what are the state of some of our local roads and why this investment is so important?

KING: Well, as you can – you don’t have to drive far to see with particularly the wet weather we’ve had right the way across the country it’s eroded the road base in many areas and it’s meant that there are significant potholes, there are edges across roads that have been eroding, and local councils have really struggled to keep up. And this money will really – basically by doubling the money the federal government gives to local councils will allow them to spend money on road crews getting these – not only these potholes filled but actually fixing some of these roads so that we’ve got better roads and safer roads to drive on.

We also want to see with this money that local councils are employing locals. That we’ve got the road crews in place, we’ve got that local procurement to keep jobs in our community to improve the roads that we and our families all drive on.

JOURNALIST: How will you decide how much money each local council gets?

KING: So the Roads to Recovery is a really longstanding program and it’s baked into the budget. We are now baking in that we will double Roads to Recovery up to a billion dollars when we [indistinct] that up. What that’s going to [indistinct] a formula – we can give you that later – but there’s a formula that it’s based on – population and distance of roads, state of particular roads. That formula is a longstanding formula and it means every single local government area where everyone lives will get extra money for local roads.

JOURNALIST: When will this all kind of happen?

KING: So we’ll start increasing the funding from next year’s budget. So every single year over the next four years the Roads to Recovery funding will increase year on year until it hits a billion dollars. And now that is baked into the budget in perpetuity, doubling the amount of money the Albanese Labor government is committing to our local roads.

JOURNALIST: With all due respect, did this need to maybe happen sooner? I mean, Victoria has had so many fatalities on our roads this year?

KING: Well, again, we’re increasing money from next year, and we also know that there is a lot of money still in the system that is currently making its way through. We want to do this in a sensible way, a way in which will make sure we don’t add to inflation, we don’t create further problems with our labour market shortages, but we want to a make sure we double and increase the amount of money going to our local roads.

JOURNALIST: Are there any Victorian roads in particular that [indistinct] where you’d like to see the money go?

KING: Well, I think that will be a matter for councils. How this money is spent in terms of the Roads to Recovery. Local councils make that decision themselves. They look, they know their local road networks better. We also know that many councils have now got the capacity for people who live in the local community to be able to actually contact your council, put a message online to identify where there is a problem and get that fixed immediately. But this money is determined – local government will determine where this money is spent.

In terms of the Black Spots program, you can get on to my department’s website now and you can nominate where you think a black spot is. Local councils can apply and that money will continue to flow. But we’re increasing that as well.

In terms of the new local safety infrastructure program, that will be a competitive program. We’ve got to work with local government to get the guidelines for that up and running, but it will be very similar to the Bridges Renewal and the Heavy Vehicle Program that exists currently. Again, nominated by local government. Communities know best where the problems are. You’re driving on those roads all the way across your community. A bit tricky for me in Ballarat or Canberra determine which the best ones are.

JOURNALIST: Do you mind if we ask just some questions on the NDIS this morning.

KING: Of course you may.

JOURNALIST: We know it’s been a bit of a talking point. You know, there’s this extraordinary amount of people accessing the NDIS for funding related through autism. Will the federal government be making it tougher or more difficult for people with autism to access NDIS funding?

KING: So, as you’re aware, there’s been a review into the NDIS. There’s a couple of things that we really want to see happen. The first is that it is a more human and less bureaucratic program. I know that [indistinct] to get access to some of the services and equipment that they need. And we want to improve that. That is the first priority of the review.

We also want to get some of the shonks out of the system. We’ve heard where people have been charged excessive amounts of money or where people have suddenly set up companies that are providing NDIS services and not necessarily providing those services. We want to make sure every single dollar of NDIS goes to people with disabilities. That money should be getting into those – into them.

As you know, the review has now been provided to the states and territories and it will be discussed at national cabinet. In terms of what decisions and what comes out of that, it’s really not appropriate for me to comment at this stage.

JOURNALIST: So there aren’t any plans to rein in those costs and make that bar a little higher?

KING: As I said, the review has been provided to the states and to the territories. That will go to national cabinet in December and we’ll leave it to the states and territories and the national cabinet to have a look at that review. But, as I said, the motivation for the Commonwealth – you know, this is a huge Labor reform, a reform we are really proud of and one that has changed the lives of people with disability across this country. What we want to make sure is that this is a more human, less bureaucratic program and that every dollar of this program is actually going to people with disabilities that need it across the community, including those who’ve got early diagnosis of learning difficulties and difficulties that we know early intervention will really set them up for a life of success.

JOURNALIST: How much money are you planning to, like, save on slashing funding for autism in the NDIS?

KING: Again, as I said, the review has now gone to the states and territories. It will be discussed at national cabinet. There is no – you know, there’s no intention to cut funding for NDIS. This is all about making sure we actually provide NDIS funding to the people who need it most – people with severe disabilities, people who need it most – to make sure that this program actually stands up to the vision that we all have for it. This was a really proud Labor government reform, and, as I said, it is changing lives, and we want to make sure it continues to change lives into the future.

JOURNALIST: What happens if the federal government can’t reach an agreement with the state governments?

KING: I’m not going to speculate on any of that. As I said, the review has been provided to the states. It’s now with the states to understand and have a look at, and it will be discussed at national cabinet later this year.

JOURNALIST: Appreciate that it is still sort of pending that review and those discussions. Hypothetically, if there were to be some changes around funding, would the federal government be looking at sort of additional avenues of support for people who may be – you know, were previously covered by the NDIS who may not be in the future, for example, if that were to be people with autism? What other, I guess, apparatuses are there for these people?

KING: Yeah, again, I know there’s lots of speculation and interest out there. It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to do that. The review is with states and territories. It will go to national cabinet. But, again, at the heart of what we want to do – this is a Labor government reform, this is a Labor government initiative to actually make sure we are providing the best possible services we can for people who are covered by the scheme, and make sure we’re doing everything we can so that people with disabilities can fully participate in the economic and social life of this country. That’s what we’re focused on – making sure it is a more human, less bureaucratic program and actually that money gets to people and getting, frankly, some of the shonks out of the system as well.

All right, thank you so much.