Massive Boost for Council Infrastructure

Local Government across Australia has welcomed the Federal Governmentâs announcement of the $300 million Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program.
While some estimates have put the cost of addressing Australia's local infrastructure backlog at around $15 billion, local government has heralded the funding announced at yesterday's inaugural Australian Council of Local Government (ACLG) as a good start.
The President of the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA), Paul Bell, said todayâs announcement meant a great deal to Australian communities. Bell said the funding âwill see swimming pools, community centres, libraries, sporting grounds, parks and council-run Meals-on-Wheels kitchens renewed and brought into the 21st century,�? adding âthese facilities are the life-blood of our suburbs and our towns.�?
The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) welcomed the funding as recognition that local government is well placed to stimulate local economies, MAV president Dick Gross saying âthis funding will help to breathe life into communities across the nation during the global financial crisis.�?
Cr Gross said each year in Victoria there is a shortfall of $280 million in spending âas councils struggle to raise the necessary revenue to ensure maintenance and renewal occurs at a faster rate than the infrastructure deteriorates�?.
âStruggling rural and regional areas already suffering from the prolonged drought will particularly benefit from this vital economic stimulus package.�?
President of the Local Government Association of NSW, Genia McCaffery says the program will help New South Wales to tackle its own sizeable backlog, adding âthe associations have been calling for a community infrastructure fund for a number of years and with a $7.8 billion infrastructure backlog in NSW, the program is definitely a positive step forward.�?

http://www.minister.infrastructure.gov.au/aa/releases/2008/november/AA176_2008.htm