On March 21, a federal committee launched an inquiry into local government sustainability and sought written submissions from organisations and individuals to provide recommendations relating to the inquiry.
The inquiry aimed to look into local government matters focusing on financial sustainability, infrastructure, security for local government workers, retention of a skilled workforce and the role of the Australian Government in addressing these topics.
Council produced a 29-page submission focused on the forced reductions of services and infrastructure made by local governments due to “deficit budgets” and current funding arrangements that needed to be changed.
The document presented by council recommends Financial Assistance Grants to be raised by one per cent of taxation income, which would provide council with a further $15 million and would change the financial forecast from “one of deficits to one of sustainability”.
It recommended that the federal minister for local government advocate to state government ministers that a “set rate cap range” be put in place, and highlighted the increased community expectations that council could not “keep up” with due to changing infrastructure requirements.
The council also recommended the reinstatement of a “permanent rolling five-year non-competitive budgeted infrastructure program”, and asked for the continuation of support for Roads to Recovery funding.
The motion to accept the council submission was moved by Cr Paul Jarman, who said the document was “a key advocacy piece” for local government sustainability.
“It is not just the Campaspe Shire and the Bendigo and Loddon shires ... it’s across many of the other local government sectors in Victoria,” Cr Jarman said.
“I think that’s something that has to be sat at the feet of the two bigger parts of government because local government cannot do it by itself,” he said.
Seconding the motion, Cr Daniel Mackrell thanked the council executives for putting the document together.
“In rural and regional areas, our budgets are becoming more and more in deficit, and it’s becoming the norm,” Cr Mackrell said.
“I think this is quite timely ... I think it is pertinent that we step forward.
“It shows a snapshot of what we have, but also what we’re trying to voice there at the government levels.”
The submission was due and provided to the federal committee on May 31, 2024.
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