According to the Western Australia Local Government Association (WALGA), local communities are facing a decline in living standards as Local Government is starved of the profits emerging from the State’s continuing economic boom. The $1.75 billion infrastructure backlog facing Local Government, which was identified by the Systemic Sustainability Study, stands in sharp contrast to the $2.5 billion State Budget surplus announced in September and further highlights inadequacies in the revenue sourcing available to Local Government.
WALGA President, Councillor Bill Mitchell, said that although he recognised constraints on capital expenditure in the current environment, Local Government could benefit from State Government assistance on a number of fronts. He said that Local Government had been given additional responsibilities in a number of areas such as smoking legislation and emergency management, but to date had not received any additional resources in support of this increased burden.
“State Government has benefited enormously from the positive turn in our State’s economy and yet Local Government still struggles,” Councillor Mitchell said. “For example, Emergency Management Plans have been mandated as a Local Government responsibility. We estimate they would cost between $18,000 and $55,000 per Council to implement. Needless to say, additional funding has not accompanied this mandated responsibility.
“The sector is increasing in scope and nature and yet we remain reliant on land based revenue sourcing by way of rates, and are beholden to the benevolence of State and Federal Governments for access to the increased wealth from our State’s economic upturn. It is the local communities who are bearing the brunt of this shortfall. Without additional funding, it is people in these communities who will suffer a decline in the world renowned lifestyles offered in our State.”
Councillor Mitchell said WALGA will submit a proposal to the State Government including suggestions for surplus expenditure, such as spending to ensure safer local roads, improved infrastructure asset management, bio security measures (for example, protection from outbreaks of human pandemic influenza or bird flu), urban stormwater management and climate change initiatives, as well as additional resources to manage emergency management and Health Act maintenance.
“Now is the time for the State Government to commit to the recent intergovernmental agreement in a tangible way by providing resources for Local Government to maintain its services to local communities,” Councillor Mitchell said.
