Maxine McKew (Bennelong, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak about an important week in the House, and perhaps not for the reason that many members would imagine. This in fact is the week when we see the Australian Council of Local Government meet for the second time, and this year’s theme is ‘Building resilience in local communities’. It is a theme that incorporates the challenges faced by local communities today—challenges caused by global economic recession and by natural disasters such as fire and flood, as well as challenges to our capacity to meet the requirements of climate change. These are tough times, we all acknowledge that, but I have high hopes for this meeting because local governments are resilient, as indeed are Australians.

Australians are also inventive. It is this combination, I think, that is going to see us through. The Carbon Pollution Production Scheme got thrashed about in the Senate, certainly. Local government members are discussing, though, how these challenges can be met on the micro level, the level where we all live: our local landscape—our homes, our parks, our towns, our shopping centres, our sports and leisure centres. There will be spirited discussion and dialogue this week about resilience at every level—how we cope environmentally and how we build social resilience.

We are investing in more than 3,300 projects right across the country. This is part of the government’s Community Infrastructure Program. The CIP will deliver $800 million directly to local governments for local community projects. That is designed with one purpose in mind: for local governments to be able to work on the projects that have been on the books but, importantly, to keep Australians in local government areas in work. There are many local mayors and local government associations I have been meeting with this week. They applaud this measure.

Last year we saw the ACLG announce the first round of CIP funding, and that was $250 million. That was distributed to 565 councils across the country. They were for projects that were ready to go. Some of the projects under that funding, for instance, that have been able to progress in my area in Bennelong include projects that the City of Ryde is working on—they are extending the Buffalo Creek walking trail. And Hornsby council is putting that money into eight different projects—upgrades to ovals and work on learning and leisure centres.

So this is a funding initiative from the Commonwealth direct to local government that has been widely applauded. There is a $550 million component of this which has been subject to a competitive bid for projects of more than $2 million. I am pleased to say 137 projects right across the country have been funded through this and in the member for Herbert’s electorate. (Time expired)