LGA President Mayor Sam Telfer said this $20 million per year top-up funding would help councils maintain and upgrade the roads South Australians use every day.
“South Australia has 11% of Australia’s local roads, and approximately 7% of its population, but receives only 5.5% of the Federal Government’s Identified Local Roads Funding,” Mayor Telfer said.
“We’ve traditionally received supplementary funding to address this inequality, although this allocation was cut in 2014, before being reintroduced for a two year term in 2017-18.”
“The LGA, ALGA and South Australian councils have campaigned strongly to have supplementary local roads funding extended beyond this June (2019), and we’re thrilled the Federal Government has done the right thing by our State with this two-year extension.”
“This commitment will ease pressure on council budgets, and help drive downward pressure on council rates for the next two years.”
“It will also provide us with time to work collaboratively with the Commonwealth to find a permanent solution, that will provide our sector with certainty as we look to maintain and strategically upgrade our local road networks.”
Mayor Telfer added that the LGA also acknowledged and appreciated the long-term commitments to national road safety funding programs announced in the Government’s 2019-20 Budget, which are likely to provide SA councils with additional funding of approximately $9 million next financial year.
“Councils collect just 4% of taxation, which means that funding our nation’s roads needs to be a shared responsibility between all three tiers of government,” Mayor Telfer said.
“As a result of tonight’s Budget, South Australian councils can expect to see a 25% increase in the Roads to Recovery funding they receive from the Federal Government in 2019-20 and each of the three following years, which will translate to additional funding of approximately $7.5 million per year.”
“SA councils are also expected to receive extra funding totalling about $1.5 million under the Black Spot and other Commonwealth road funding programs.”
“The LGA will continue to advocate to all levels of Government for strategic investment in road upgrades that will benefit our communities.”
Source: LGA SA