The Times Australia
Mirvac Harbourside
The Times Politics

.

Councils left behind by Labor - Hon Darren Chester MP


Ratepayers will pay more for local services and councils will build less community infrastructure following the Albanese Government’s decision to cut funding for Local Government in the Federal Budget. 

Shadow Minister for Local Government and Territories Darren Chester said Labor had short-changed Australia’s 537 Councils and local communities would pick up the tab.

“As families grapple with the increased cost of living, we can expect less roadworks and community infrastructure to be built and ratepayers will be forced to pay for more services with potential rate rises to fill the gap left by the Federal Budget,” Mr Chester said.

“Labor’s mean-spirited treatment of local government will force councils to bid for reduced funds under competitive programs because the Albanese Government doesn’t trust locals to make good decisions for their communities.

“This ‘Canberra knows best’ attitude is a hallmark of Labor Ministers who don’t understand how small communities work.”

Mr Chester said Councils across Australia were disappointed with the decision to cease further rounds of funding for the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program (LRCIP).

“Under LRCIP, the previous Federal Government gave power to local councils to make decisions and build community infrastructure with a guaranteed allocation of funding and we trusted democratically-elected Councillors to make the right choices for their communities,” Mr Chester said.

“It allowed local councils to build thousands of community projects that they would never have been able to afford from their existing rate bases. It also meant they could develop a pipeline of community projects and didn’t waste time and resources applying for grant programs which are always over-subscribed.”

Mr Chester said the impact would be more severe in rural, regional and remote areas where Federal Government funding is a higher proportion of council revenue.

“Abandoning further rounds of LRCIP will be devastating for regional councils which depend heavily on the Federal Government for funding local projects,” he said.

“The pressure will fall onto locals with rate increases required to deliver road upgrades and community infrastructure. As building costs increase, councils will be able to build less, and communities will wait years for projects because of this decision.”

Mr Chester said Local Government had also been misled by the Albanese Government which promised prior to the 2022 Federal election that Labor would: “focus on the long-term financial sustainability of Local Government through increases to grant allocations, including fair increases to Financial Assistance Grants”.

On Tuesday, that promise was broken. The Federal Budget saw Financial Assistance Grants cut as a percentage of tax revenue from 0.52% to 0.50% in stark contrast to councils’ long-term aim of achieving 1.0% of tax revenue.

“I have met with Local Government Associations across the country and the resounding feedback is that many councils are increasingly facing financial challenges and they rely on a Federal Government which is willing to partner with them to deliver critical services and infrastructure,” Mr Chester said.

“Many councils will be frustrated with the Federal Budget outcomes and will have no choice but to increase rates to provide the services expected of them by their communities.”

The Albanese Government has also failed to continue both the Regional Airports Program and the Regional Airport Security Screening fund with local councils expected to pay the shortfall.

“Many regional airports are maintained by councils, who will now bear the entire cost of funding existing airports and security requirements with no realistic avenue for Federal Government funding,” Mr Chester said.

“Prior to the Labor Government being elected, councils which run a regional airport had access to dedicated regional funds which would assist them to do things such as meet the operational requirements of aeromedical and other emergency services in the region.

“They will have no choice but to find the money from elsewhere in their budget at the expense of ratepayers.”
Mirvac Harbourside

Times Magazine

YepAI Joins Victoria's AI Trade Mission to Singapore for Big Data & AI World Asia 2025

YepAI, a Melbourne-based leader in enterprise artificial intelligence solutions, announced today...

Building a Strong Online Presence with Katoomba Web Design

Katoomba web design is more than just creating a website that looks good—it’s about building an onli...

September Sunset Polo

International Polo Tour To Bridge Historic Sport, Life-Changing Philanthropy, and Breath-Taking Beau...

5 Ways Microsoft Fabric Simplifies Your Data Analytics Workflow

In today's data-driven world, businesses are constantly seeking ways to streamline their data anal...

7 Questions to Ask Before You Sign IT Support Companies in Sydney

Choosing an IT partner can feel like buying an insurance policy you hope you never need. The right c...

Choosing the Right Legal Aid Lawyer in Sutherland Shire: Key Considerations

Legal aid services play an essential role in ensuring access to justice for all. For people in t...

The Times Features

Macquarie Bank Democratises Agentic AI, Scaling Customer Innovation with Gemini Enterprise

Macquarie’s Banking and Financial Services group (Macquarie Bank), in collaboration with Google ...

Do kids really need vitamin supplements?

Walk down the health aisle of any supermarket and you’ll see shelves lined with brightly packa...

Why is it so shameful to have missing or damaged teeth?

When your teeth and gums are in good condition, you might not even notice their impact on your...

Australian travellers at risk of ATM fee rip-offs according to new data from Wise

Wise, the global technology company building the smartest way to spend and manage money internat...

Does ‘fasted’ cardio help you lose weight? Here’s the science

Every few years, the concept of fasted exercise training pops up all over social media. Faste...

How Music and Culture Are Shaping Family Road Trips in Australia

School holiday season is here, and Aussies aren’t just hitting the road - they’re following the musi...

The Role of Spinal Physiotherapy in Recovery and Long-Term Wellbeing

Back pain and spinal conditions are among the most common reasons people seek medical support, oft...

Italian Lamb Ragu Recipe: The Best Ragù di Agnello for Pasta

Ciao! It’s Friday night, and the weekend is calling for a little Italian magic. What’s better than t...

It’s OK to use paracetamol in pregnancy. Here’s what the science says about the link with autism

United States President Donald Trump has urged pregnant women[1] to avoid paracetamol except in ...