A Coalition pledge to bring back the Building Better Regions Fund (BBRF) by providing $250 million for local infrastructure projects in regional, rural and remote communities has been welcomed by the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA).
Under the Coalition’s proposal, councils and not-for-profit organisations would be eligible to apply for grants of between $25,000 to $200,000 for community initiatives and $50,000 up to $10 million for community and economic infrastructure.
“It’s great to see the Coalition once again supporting councils that are under financial pressures in our regional, rural and remote areas,” said ALGA President and Gladstone Mayor, Matt Burnett.
“This fund would be an important and additional funding stream to the non-competitive local roads and community infrastructure programs already announced by the Coalition during this election campaign.”
However, Mayor Burnett said councils want to see funding commitments to support stronger communities and local governments across all of Australia, including peri-urban and metropolitan areas, which are dealing with financial pressures associated with rapid growth and cost of living pressures.
“We want sustainable, long-term funding support. Councils achieve the best results for their communities when non-competitive funding is channelled to councils through formula-based programs, including Financial Assistance Grants,” President Burnett said.
In the final weeks of the election campaign, ALGA is urging all parties to commit to providing local government with $3.5 billion per year through five new non-competitive, formula-based funding programs, including:
- $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 adaptation.Â
Find out more at:Â https://putourcommunitiesfirst.com.au/.
