The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) says an annual $400 million Local Government climate adaptation fund is urgently needed to support local, place-based solutions to protect communities from the impacts of Australia’s changing climate.
As part of its Put Our Communities First campaign, ALGA is calling for the next Australian Government to provide all councils with formula-based funding so they can remain at the forefront of climate adaptation and future-proof communities.
ALGA President Mayor Matt Burnett said: “The challenges and impacts of climate change, including more frequent and severe natural disasters, coastal erosion and rising temperatures, are being felt right across the country.
“Our councils are playing a leading role in anticipating future needs of their communities – whether it’s planting trees to combat heat or building and upgrading stormwater systems to manage heavy rains.
“The climate of every community is different, and each council knows what their community needs to prepare and adapt.
“Unfortunately, funding and support from other levels of government have failed to keep pace with these increased responsibilities, meaning the burden to deliver climate activities falls to local communities.
“Climate resilient infrastructure cannot be built overnight, and we need clear and sustainable funding sources so we can do the necessary long-term planning for our communities.
“We are calling on all parties, and independents, to recognise the important role councils hold to meet climate adaptation challenges in Australia – now and into the future,” he said.
ALGA is proposing a new $400 million climate adaptation fund, distributed to all Australian councils, to deliver “ongoing and sustainable place-based climate solutions”.
As part of the national campaign, ALGA has outlined four other key funding priorities – which total $3.5 billion – to provide a significant uplift to all council budgets, 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, and
- $900 million per year for increased local government emergency management capability and capacity.
Find out more: https://putourcommunitiesfirst.com.au/.
