The Federal Government is making local roads safer with $4.4 billion available under the Roads to Recovery program over the next five years.
The Federal Government has committed to progressively doubling the program's funding to $1 billion annually, delivered in the 2024-25 Budget. Roads to Recovery supports local road construction and maintenance by Local Government. It directly impacts the quality of our local roads, allows for potholes to be filled, pavements to be repaired, culverts to be installed to improve drainage and keep roads open during bad weather, and helps makes sure we all get home safely
Federation Council Mayor, Cr Pat Bourke said Council welcomes the additional funding through the Federal Government's Roads to Recovery program.
"Council will receive $12,289,525 in total across the five years of this program," Mayor Bourke said.
"In our Long Term Financial Plan, Council had budgeted to receive $8.4 million from this ongoing funding program. This latest announcement provides an additional $3.9 million on what we anticipated to be receiving and will be spent across our extensive road network."
Mayor Bourke said Council has been lobbying the State and Federal Governments for increases in road funding to address Council's deteriorating road network.
"Council will continue to lobby both levels of government to ensure our Local Government Area and other rural councils receive increased road funding. Road funding and maintenance forms a huge part of regional and rural councils' ongoing financial sustainability challenges and it is pleasing to see the Federal Government in this instance responding to our lobbying efforts and recognising the challenges we face as a sector."
The increase in funding will be phased in to avoid putting pressure on inflation, supply costs and the construction labour market.
Roads to Recovery funding for each local government area is determined based on factors such as population and road length. The Government has worked closely with councils to ensure that funding is distributed where it is needed and able to be spent more quickly. The increased funding is part of a series of changes aimed at strengthening investment in safer, more productive local roads across Australia.
Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King said the Albanese Government is committed to ensuring local government road funding is stable, predictable and fair into the future.
"Local Councils are our trusted delivery partners and they know where the work on local roads is most needed to improve safety," Minister King said.
"That is why we have increased the funding provided through the Roads to Recovery program, delivering on our commitment to improve road safety across Australia."
