Over 450 delegates attended the Australian Local Government Association’s (ALGA) third National Local Roads Congress held in Toowoomba on 29 and 30 July. Councillor Mike Montgomery, President of the New South Wales Shires Association, told delegates that, should the remainder of Telstra be sold, it is vital that any proceeds from the sale is invested in national infrastructure, particularly Australia’s local road network.
“Local roads are vital threads in the social and economic fabric of both urban and rural communities,” he said. “With 60 per cent of the nation’s road network still unsealed, long term funding commitments must be made now, if our infrastructure is to meet the needs of the 21st century.
“The $1.2 billion Roads to Recovery program is an important first step in addressing this challenge. However, the shock decision, in this year’s Federal Budget to defer $100 million of the 2002-3 funding commitments to 2004-5, has shaken our confidence in the Government’s commitment to this task.”
He said that ALGA was disappointed by the inability of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport, John Anderson, to attend the congress to discuss this and other issues.
“The magnitude of the transport task is great and must be addressed now, otherwise, in 20 years time, Australia’s roads, rail, airports and ports will be akin to that of a third world country,” Councillor Montgomery said.
Councillor John Wearne, Chair of ALGA’s Local Roads Committee, reported to delegates that much has been achieved since the Mildura congress last year.
“This has been characterised by a significant effort by the State Local Government Associations on asset management,” he said. “Most of this effort has been through a collegiate arrangement with respective State Governments which is particularly important. The Commonwealth has come on board in a big way both in terms of its desire to work with us on a review of projects funded from the Roads to Recovery program and in support for a national approach to asset management.”
He said that the Local Roads Committee has been incorporated into the ALGA structure which will ensure that the ALGA continues to receive advice consistent with the views of this National Local Roads Congress.
“The Committee is on track to produce a report on projects funded from the Roads to Recovery program by the end of this year,” Councillor Wearne said.
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Transport and Regional Services, Senator Ron Boswell, told delegates that the Green Paper on Auslink will be released by the end of August. Auslink, the Federal Government’s new Land Transport Policy, aims to integrate all levels of government, the public and private sectors, industry and the community to establish a national land transport network that could see the incorporation of the national highway, regional corridors and local roads, as well as rail solutions.
“A national transport vision will be linked directly to a five to ten year infrastructure plan to build a transport system capable of sustaining the rate of growth of Australia’s burgeoning transport task,” Senator Boswell said. “Currently about 40 per cent of all Federal roads spending is done through Local Government through the delivery of programs such as Roads to Recovery and the Black Spot Programme. I want to talk about that partnership, how we can strengthen it and how we can deliver better roads. We must be smarter in putting our money where it will achieve the most benefits and we must attract more revenue from the private sector.”
The Senator said that he expected Local Government would make considered submissions in response to the Auslink Green Paper providing valuable input before the release of the White Paper. It is expected subsequent legislation will be introduced into Parliament later this year.
Shadow Federal Minister for Regional and Urban Development, Transport and Infrastructure, Martin Ferguson, told delegates that he is concerned that Auslink opens Commonwealth funding for roads programs to rail, and other modes, other tiers of government and the private sector.
“But there is no extra money,” he said. “Instead, all transport infrastructure requirements, such as roads, rail, aviation, ports or shipping will be funded from the same money pot. This can only mean a reduction in additional allocations to roads.”
On the Government’s push for greater involvement of the private sector in funding roads projects, the Shadow Minister said that this sector will only participate in projects where they can receive a return acceptable to their shareholders. As such, private sector contributions to local roads projects would not rate as a high probability.
“It will only be through a strategic, integrated approach with the States that you will ensure Auslink is not another great cost shift from the Federal Government to the States, Territories and Local Government,” Martin Ferguson said.
A fourth Local Roads Congress is planned for 2003. It will be staged in Western Australia with the location and dates yet to be confirmed.
