Two months since the referendum on constitutional recognition was cancelled, it remains a topic of discussion – namely whether councils will be reimbursed for campaign costs. Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Warren Truss has told the LGASA ‘Transitions’ conference in Adelaide that the government intended to ensure “local government is not out of pocket as a result of the referendum”.
Mr Truss also met with ALGA President Felicity-ann Lewis in October, and acknowledged there was a “reasonable argument for reimbursement”. Mr Truss’s assurances have been welcomed, but we are yet to see how and when the money will be back in council coffers.
In the lead up to the National Local Roads and Transport Congress in Alice Springs, roads are another hot topic. Increasingly frequent natural disasters like the recent NSW bushfires wreak havoc on infrastructure, and there’s no way councils can foot the repair bill. Tony Abbott’s promise to be an ‘infrastructure prime minister’ means roads are a high priority, but while the coalition has promised to fund a north-south road corridor through Adelaide, $100 million in funds previously promised to South Australia for two major rail projects is now in doubt. Infrastructure is not just about roads and a failure to uphold rail funding commitments would take some of the gloss off the government’s big spending on roads and bridges.
Warren Truss says the Abbott government is proud of the Roads to Recovery and Black Spots programmes and remains committed to revitalising the national highway and road system. The government also remains confident in the constitutionality of Roads to Recovery and it will be interesting to see what news the National Roads Congress brings on the future of this much-needed program.
