The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) is calling on the next Australian Government to establish a new $1.1 billion annual fund for council to help address the nationwide affordable housing crisis.
As part of the Put Our Communities First campaign, ALGA is asking for long-term, formula-based funding for all councils to build housing-enabling infrastructure, including local roads, power and water connections.
“We are a signatory to the National Housing Accord, which has set an aspirational target of 1.2 million new well-located homes over the next five years, and councils are fully committed to playing their part,” said ALGA President and Gladstone Mayor, Matt Burnett.
“However, our research shows 40% of local governments have cut back on new developments because of inadequate enabling infrastructure funding.
“This research also highlighted that building the enabling infrastructure to cover the gap between current housing constructions and the national housing target is estimated to cost at least $5.7 billion.
“What we need is a new five-year, $1.1 billion annual fund provided to all councils to get the foundations right to unlock new housing our communities desperately need.”
President Burnett said councils welcomed the Coalition’s $5 billion pledge last October for enabling infrastructure through a new Housing Infrastructure Programme.
“We were delighted the Coalition responded to our call for increased investment in enabling infrastructure, but it’s crucial this is new grant funding to local governments , and not loans,” he said.
“It’s vital that any new infrastructure funding is provided to all of Australia’s 537 councils.
“We’re also calling on Labor to recognise the size of this challenge, and commit to funding the enabling infrastructure gap.”
As part of the national campaign, ALGA has outlined four other key funding priorities to provide a significant uplift to all council budgets, including:
- $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.
Find out more: https://putourcommunitiesfirst.com.au/.
