Queensland councils have won their long battle to convince the Federal Government of the value of using council workers rather than contractors to recover and rebuild their communities following natural disasters.
The Abbott Government has agreed to allow reimbursement for the use of so-called council day labour under Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements.
The move follows a protracted campaign by the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) to convince successive federal governments that day labour often saved taxpayers money.
LGAQ President Margaret de Wit said the resolution of the issue would be a big relief for local councils anxious to ensure their communities recovered quickly from natural disasters.
“I am grateful to the Abbott Government for putting common sense before bureaucratic rigidity in finding a resolution to this issue.
“I also thank Queensland’s Deputy Premier and Local Government Minister Jackie Trad for playing her part in taking the fight up to Canberra.
“But I particularly thank Queensland councils who held their resolve and never gave up the fight over day labour throughout what was a long campaign.’’
State Government figures show the use of council day labour rather than contract labour to clean up after floods and cyclones over the summer of 2011 and 2012 saved taxpayers $160 million.
