The Federal Government’s Community Infrastructure Program (CIP) recently passed $1 billion, with a second round of funding for councils worth $220 million announced in October at a joint meeting between the Australian Council of Local Government and the Local Government and Planning Ministers’ Council.
The CIP is part of the Federal Government’s $42 billion Nation Building – Economic Stimulus Plan.
Under the first round of CIP more than 3,000 projects have been supported, including new and upgraded sports grounds, swimming pools, town halls, community centres, disability access, walkways and environmental upgrades.
“These projects have created jobs and delivered an economic boost in local communities, while improving quality of life for local residents,” said Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Anthony Albanese.
The Federal Opposition’s views on the program were provided by its Shadow Minister for Local Government, Scott Morrison.
“Spending on community infrastructure will always deliver some worthy outcomes,” the Shadow Minister said. “What matters is whether you can deliver a funding program quickly and meet your own benchmarks for success.
“This is where the Rudd Labor Government has failed to follow through, with excessive bureaucracy and a failure to place real trust in the judgement of Local Governments across the country.
“Announcing the initial payments in November last year, the Prime Minister told ‘immediately, I mean now’. However, the first payment to any council in Australia wasn’t made for another three months, in late February this year.
“More recently the Prime Minister says he wants to tie cities funding to reform and improved planning.
“As Shadow Minister I have been consistently calling for reforms to be tied to funding, but it has taken Mr Rudd almost two years to acknowledge how important this is. He must now turn words into real action.
“More than $1 billion was allocated under the Community Infrastructure Program but there was not a single incentive to deliver streamlined planning and development approvals or faster, better provision of infrastructure or to release one block of land to ease housing affordability pressures.
“I am sure councils will move past these difficulties and make the best of opportunities under the CIP.”
