Public facilities and services in remote and outback communities will be improved following a significant funding boost for the Outback Communities Authority (OCA) as part of this year's state budget.
Measures taken in the State budget result in a commitment to the OCA that has effectively been tripled, to a total of $2.24 million per year from 2023-24.
The OCA administers and manages public services to outback communities in a similar fashion to a local council. It covers 63% of South Australia, including towns and communities such as Andamooka, Blinman, Innamincka, Iron Knob, Leigh Creek, Oodnadatta, Fowlers Bay, Penong and William Creek.
The South Australian Government is now providing enough resources to the OCA to fully fund services that are used primarily by the hundreds of thousands of people who visit the South Australian outback every year. These services include airstrips, public toilets, UHF communications towers, environmental protection measures and waste management.
This funding will also cover administrative costs, meaning the OCA can invest the Financial Assistance Grant it receives from the Australian Government each year directly into services for outback communities.
Importantly, the OCA will now be able support critical community assets and services without imposing a new levy on outback residents and property owners.
As put by Tom Koutsantonis
The Outback Communities Authority does a great job ensuring communities in remote parts an area of almost 625,000 square kilometres, enjoy services that many people in the city and regional centres take for granted.
By tripling the funding to the OCA, we will make sure it can operate facilities and services for our outback communities, as well as the hundreds of thousands of people who travel to our spectacular outback areas each year.
This additional funding is the largest commitment of State funding in the OCA's history, allowing the Authority to prioritise vital upgrades and services.
The Outback Communities Authority serves an area of almost 625,000 square kilometres - that's as big as France or two and a half times bigger than the UK - so it is vital that it is well resourced and adequately funded.
I know Minister Brock advocated hard for the increase to the OCA's funding, because he knows that our outback communities have been increasingly required to put their scarce resources into accommodating the influx of tourists.
As put by Jan Ferguson, OAM, Presiding Member Outback Communities Authority
We are very excited by the opportunities this additional funding presents and look forward to improving the amenity of outback SA for residents and visitors alike.
We very much appreciate Minister Brock's support to gain such a significant increase in our funding.
Thanks also to our communities who participated in the Outback Futures project, which made it clear why the additional funding was required
