The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has launched the case for a Local Government Community Infrastructure Program, with a focus on rural and regional areas.
Launched at the 2015 National Local Roads and Transport Congress in Ballarat in November, the proposal recommends $300 million per annum for five years to fund the renewal and maintenance of existing community infrastructure and promote economic development opportunities.
The proposal comes after the release of ‘The 2015 National State of the Assets: Roads and Community Infrastructure Report’, which summarised data from 396 councils on roads and bridges, with 230 councils also providing data on all infrastructure, including buildings, drainage, parks, airports, water and wastewater infrastructure.
President of the ALGA Mayor Troy Pickard said the infrastructure proposal was developed following nearly 1000 submissions of examples of declining community infrastructure to ALGA’s Community Infrastructure Ideas Register from councils
Australia-wide.
“While some of these facilities are relatively new, many were built decades ago and require significant maintenance and upgrades. The 2015 National State of the Assets: Roads and Community Infrastructure Report launched [at the Congress] estimates that 10 percent of this infrastructure is in poor or very poor condition and in need of significant renewal, with some infrastructure being physically unsound or beyond rehabilitation.”
ALGA estimates implementing the Community Infrastructure Program would create 5000 jobs, and encourage communities to retain local workers.
