Speech - Australian Local Government Association 2024 National General Assembly

E&OE 

Introduction 

Thank you, Linda, for your kind introduction.

It is wonderful to be with you today, to see so many mayors, councillors, friends and colleagues in the audience.

 

Acknowledgement of country

I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the lands we are meeting on – the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples.

I acknowledge and extend my respect to their Elders, past, present and emerging.

I extend this respect to all First Nations people joining us today.

Every corner of our nation is defined by its landscapes and its people. For thousands of years, the places we love have been cared for and protected by Indigenous Australians – a tradition that is carried on to this day.

It is only right that we recognise that throughout these proceedings.

Looking out at this audience, one thing is clear – the incredible diversity of our nation and the councils that play such an important role in all of our communities.

In Australia today, all 537 councils have different needs, different constituents, and different opportunities.

From our capital cities to the remotest corner of Australia, and every community in between.

But you all have one thing in common.

I know that each and every council across Australia is feeling the pressure of delivery services in our local communities.

Inner cities are dealing with rising populations and housing affordability issues.

Regional councils are dealing with large road networks and increasing maintenance demands.

All of you are dealing with workforce challenges and rising costs for goods and services.

I want to particularly acknowledge all the council workers across the country who deal with these challenges every day, from supporting communities in need all the way to dealing with protests and confronting scenes at offices and, disturbingly, inclusive social events at libraries.

Everyone deserves to feel safe in their workplaces.

And, of course, you are dealing with all these challenges at a time when you know that your communities are under pressure, that state governments are increasingly relying on you, and that you do not want to pass on even more costs to your ratepayers.

As a government, we understand that councils need more assistance, and we are working to help you.

 

Infrastructure support

First, we are delivering increased infrastructure support.

We are maintaining our $120 billion commitment to our 10-year infrastructure pipeline to deliver nation-building infrastructure all across Australia, but we are also giving more money to you, our local councils.

We are doubling Roads to Recovery, giving more money to every single council across Australia to invest in the local roads that get us around every single day.

By 2027-28, the annual investment through roads to recovery will have risen to $1 billion.

This will enable more regular maintenance and more roads upgraded.

And we are tackling the most dangerous sections of local roads by boosting the Black Spot program to $150 million a year, ensuring smoother, safer trips home for drivers across Australia.

What is so important about our changes is that they are not a one-off increase, they are baked into our budget for years to come. 

This means you can better manage your budgets, your roads investment and – I hope – we can take a bit of the burden of local roads funding off your ratepayers.

Of course, those aren’t the only ways we are investing through councils.

We have announced a merger of the existing Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program and Bridges Renewal Program into the new Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program.

This will provide more flexibility to address current and emerging priorities in road infrastructure.

The Australian Government has committed $200 million per year over 10 years towards this program, which will be open to state, territory and local governments.

The guidelines for all of these programs have now been published and are open for applications.

 

Social infrastructure

I know as well that the same pressures of rising populations and costs is putting pressure on your social and community infrastructure.

For the first time, our government has grants programs targeted at every community in Australia – from rural to the inner cities, and the peri-urban areas in between.

Our Growing Regions Program is supporting projects across regional Australia, providing funding of between $500,000 to $15 million to local governments and not-for-profits for eligible capital works projects.

I was very proud to recently announce funding for 40 local priority infrastructure projects under Round 1 of this program.

At the same time, we are focusing on our more urban communities.

This year, we are rolling out our new Thriving Suburbs Program, which was announced as part of the 2023-24 Budget.

Through this initiative, we will invest in infrastructure projects in urban, suburban and peri-urban communities across Australia.  Supporting projects which will drive economic growth, enhance liveability, bolster social inclusion and support local amenity.

In Budget week this year, I released the Forecast Funding Opportunity for Thriving Suburbs, which provides program information and will assist potential applicants to start developing their projects ahead of the program’s opening, later in the year.

As a government, we have been required to take time to develop funding delivery mechanisms with our state and territory colleagues.

With this process nearing completion, I am pleased to advise that final guidelines and an eligibility checklist will be released over the next fortnight and I expect the program to be open by the end of this month.

And – even more importantly – I can announce we will be contributing an additional $150 million to Thriving Suburbs, taking the total size of the fund to $350 million.

I know all the urban councils here will be working away on their applications.

 

Housing Pressure

We are also working with you on one of the great challenges of our time – housing affordability.

Councils are on the front line of this challenge.

I saw that just last month when I visited the Boyd development in Southbank with Melbourne Lord Mayor, Sally Capp. 

Combining new build to rent housing in an area already well served by public transport with community facilities like a library and a park, this is a fantastic example of how inner-city councils can create more affordable places in their cities.

As a government, we are joining in that fight.

My colleague Housing Minister Julie Collins is leading on a range of critical policy approaches there – including the $2 billion Social Housing Accelerator, the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund and the National Housing Accord.

In my portfolio space, I am working on two key levers – enabling infrastructure and planning reform.

Through the Housing Support Program and its Priority Works Stream, we are partnering with state, territory and local governments to ensure local roads, utility connections and community infrastructure are developed alongside new housing.

We have nearly $1.5 billion on the table through that program to unplug blockages in the housing pipeline.

At the same time, we are undertaking planning reforms to enable new housing developments.

To help the process along, the Australian Government has funded the planning stream of the Housing Support Program, which provides $50 million for state, territory and local government to try new planning approaches. 

This means getting more people into the industry, getting planning settings right and accommodating new housing targets in existing plans. 

What it means is taking more pressure off families and communities, and building more housing that they can afford.

I know the Prime Minister will have more to say about these programs very soon.

 

Net Zero

Next, I know that all your councils are facing pressures from our changing climate. 

All councils are facing different challenges on this front – from farming communities dealing with shifting weather patterns to metropolitan councils trying to decarbonise transport networks.

As we pursue our net zero targets, our government is awake to the unique challenges facing every region, and we will continue to roll out more support.

As many of you would remember, in this year’s Budget, we announced $100 million over four years for a new Active Transport Fund. 

This fund is to help people move around our communities more safely and more cleanly.

While the guidelines for this fund are still being developed and consultation on them is underway, I expect that this funding will also be open to councils across the country. 

Thank you to ALGA, local government peak bodies and local governments themselves who have advocated strongly for this.

 

Inquiry into local government sustainability

Finally, I encourage you all to participate fully in the House of Representatives inquiry into local government sustainability.

It has been 20 years since the last inquiry into local government financing. 

I know how much has changed in that time, and that it is now crucial that we have an objective, honest and thorough review into this topic.

The inquiry will help explore how councils’ capacity to deliver better outcomes in our communities can be strengthened.

It isn’t about cost shifting from state governments to the commonwealth – we of course have our own budget pressures – it is about how the system can be made to work better.

Recognising that the experiences of each local government will be varied and different, I want to thank the many councils who have made submissions and encourage you all to continue to take part.                                                                                       

Thank you very much for your time today – I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible, and I wish you all the best with you assembly and deliberations.

Thank you.