Gunnedah Shire Council has joined the call for all parties and candidates in this year's federal election to put our communities first and commit to increased funding for Australia's 537 local governments.
Gunnedah Shire Mayor Colleen Fuller said Gunnedah Shire Councillors and the Gunnedah Shire community were all too well aware of the problems rising costs, unrealistic rate capping and shrinking funding were causing.
"We are also aware that Gunnedah Shire is not alone in these challenges," Cr Fuller said.
"That is why we are being forced to pursue a Special Rate Variation to address the shortfall in funding that will start to impact on our services and facilities.
"The Australian Local Government Association has outlined five priorities that will help ensure Councils across the country are better placed to serve their community into the future. Instead of ever-declining funds, these priorities will make sure at least some areas are better resourced."
Gunnedah Shire Council has endorsed five national funding priorities for local government, which include:
- $1.1 billion per year for enabling infrastructure to unlock housing supply
- $500 million per year for community infrastructure
- $600 million per year for safer local roads
- $900 million per year for increased local government emergency management capability and capacity, and
- $400 million per year for climate change adaptation.
The call is for this funding to be provided to all councils on a formula-basis - similar to the way Financial Assistance Grants and Roads to Recovery funding have been for many years - so that every Australian community benefits.
Cr Fuller said long-term and sustained funding would help the community think beyond the next grant funding round to a better future.
"Local government is the level of government that is at the grass roots of our community," Cr Fuller said.
"Without adequate funding, it is close to impossible to move forward with the best outcomes for our community. Issues such as affordable housing, disaster recovery and roads funding are critical, and we need certainty there will be funding available to address these areas.
"Councils also play an important role in facilitating and nurturing the economy, and to do so, we need a sustainable funding base."
Caption: Gunnedah Shire Mayor Colleen Fuller.
