Joanna Gash (Gilmore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads. Would the minister detail how local councils in my electorate of Gilmore and throughout Australia will benefit from the 2006 budget?

Jim Lloyd (Robertson, Liberal Party, Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Gilmore for her question, and also for her tireless efforts on behalf of her constituents. I am pleased to inform the House that as part of the magnificent budget that was brought down recently in this place by the Acting Prime Minister, councils around Australia will receive some $307.5 million extra in Roads to Recovery funding. This makes a total of $615 million this current financial year for the 700 local government authorities around Australia. The Roads to Recovery program, introduced by this government, is now worth some $2 billion to the more than 700 councils around Australia over the next four years. It was of course welcomed by all councils around Australia and by the Australian Local Government Association president, Paul Bell. In his press release of 9 May 2006, he said:

This is what nation building is all about—investing in infrastructure that is essential to every Australian community …

On top of this, the Australian government is providing $1,676 million in financial assistance grants over this current financial year. Instead of falsely claiming that local government receives nothing from this budget, those who sit opposite should be encouraging their state Labor mates to stop ripping money out of local councils and to follow the federal government’s lead in providing additional resources for those local councils to provide services for their communities.

Peter Costello (Higgins, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.