Addressing the National General Assembly of Local Government in Canberra last December, the Prime Minister, John Howard said that his message on behalf of the Federal Government is that ‘there is great respect and support for the key role of Local Government in the governance of Australia’.He continued, providing further music to the ears of those present, stating that, ‘the old idea that Local Government is purely a creature of State Government and dealt only with State Governments is well and truly over’.
On the recently announced Roads to Recovery Program, that will deliver an increase of $1.2 billion for local roads over the next four years, the Prime Minister added that the Federal Government likes to deal directly with Local Government, rather than have funding filtered by State bodies.
After years of Local Government telling successive Federal Governments that road funding was well below what was needed to both maintain, and make provision for the lifecycle costs of this vital community asset, the Roads to Recovery Program took most by total surprise.
Cynics were quick to point out that this is an election year. There is certainly truth in the matter that governments will loosen the purse springs in the lead up to what is expected to be a close run race. Either way, desperately needed funding is now on the way.
It would also appear the Federal Government is now listening to what Local Government has been advocating for sometime, that the benefits of buoyant economic trends are not being shared across the nation. Many rural and regional areas and some metropolitan areas are still doing it tough. This additional road funding will provide a much needed boost for many local economies.
The unceremonious dumping of the Kennett Government, largely through the unprecedented loss of many safe rural and regional seats, areas that felt left out of Victoria’s so called ‘economic turnaround’, reinforced the message to all governments, not the least the Howard Government, ignore the ‘bush’ and regions at your own peril.
Diverging slightly, in reference to the deteriorating relations between State and Local Government in Victoria, it would appear the current Victorian Minister, Bob Cameron, has a short memory span. It was disgruntled Councils and their communities, unhappy about the lack of consultation and heavy handed, top down approach of the Kennett Government, that helped seal its fate at the polls in 1999.
Returning to the roads funding issue, ALGA President John Ross is correct when he states that individual Councils need to carefully plan how they will use this injection of funds.
At the same time, the Federal Government is keen to push things along and get things moving on the ground, as reported in this edition in the National Perspective supplement.
John Ross’s call for Local Government to be vigilant in using sustainable asset management practices is timely. In working towards making best use of these funds on behalf of their communities, Councils should attend the Mildura Roads Congress scheduled for 26-27 March.
