Long overdue political focus on community infrastructure funding is backed by a new report into the deterioration of the local road network in Western Australia.
As the National Party continues to push for more funds for regional communities, the latest Western Australian Local Government Assets and Expenditure Report has found that local road funding fell short by almost $120 million
last year.
Compiled by the Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA) from information from all Western Australian councils, the report found that in 2007 $313.4 million was spent on road maintenance – about three quarters of what was needed to maintain 72 per cent of all Western Australian roads.
WALGA President, Councillor Bill Mitchell, welcomed the renewed political attention being given to local infrastructure. He said that while the funding shortfall was not limited to regional areas, there was greater pressure on rural councils.
The Assets and Expenditure Report found that Local Government met almost 50 per cent of local road expenditure last year, with 30 per cent coming from the Federal Government and about 20 per cent from the State Government.
“With half of the total expenditure on local road maintenance coming from Local Governments, it is not surprising that metropolitan local roads fare better than rural local roads, as the councils can draw on a greater population for funding,” Councillor Mitchell said. “Comparatively, rural Local Governments are spending more per capita on maintaining road assets and many councils are facing the impossible choice between allowing roads to deteriorate and contribute to unsafe road conditions or increasing the financial burden upon their ratepayers.”
Councillor Mitchell said that in the leadup to the State Election, WALGA had lobbied for an $80 million safer roads fund to assist addressing the shortfall in expenditure.
“The bulk of the State’s roads were constructed 40 to 50 years ago and continue to deteriorate, particularly in rural areas,” he said. “In addition, 68 per cent of all major crashes resulting in death or serious injury in Western Australia occur on local roads.
“The funding agreement with the State Government that allocated a portion of revenue from vehicle registrations was a welcome improvement, but has now been shown to be insufficient.”
