The Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) has strongly welcomed a $100 million funding certainty for the much-heralded Works for Queensland program, announced by the LNP in Bundaberg today.
LGAQ Chief Executive Officer Alison Smith said Queensland councils have been advocating for untied funding to support local needs and infrastructure priorities, and have sought funding certainty for Works for Queensland as a key ask in the Association’s Vote for Local State Election platform.
“Works for Queensland is a program that is loved by our member councils and has a strong track record of delivering for local communities,” Ms Smith said.
“We welcome today’s funding boost and the commitment Works for Queensland will become a permanent program should the LNP form the next government.
“This $100 million boost would provide budget certainty for councils and enhance liveability for local communities.
“We welcomed Labor’s three-year announcement for Works for Queensland funding last year, but it’s now back to them to either match the LNP’s permanent funding commitment or go even better and provide annual indexation to Works for Queensland funding to help tackle the rising cost of delivering local infrastructure.”
Today’s announcement comes after Queenslanders have overwhelmingly responded to the call for more funding and a stronger partnership between State and local governments to deliver better local infrastructure in communities across the state.
Ms Smith said the big infrastructure push by Queensland councils was topping the list of issues being searched by more than 14,000 Queenslanders seeking to find out how the major parties were addressing their local priorities ahead of casting their vote this State Election.
“Statistics from our Vote for Local campaign website show stronger infrastructure is the number one community issue for Queenslanders – with voters in Nudgee, Warrego and McConnell electorates conducting the highest number of searches," Ms Smith said.
“With over 150,000 kilometres of local roads and $160 billion in assets, councils are doing the heavy lifting in maintaining critical infrastructure that Queenslanders rely on.
“From the water out of the tap to the local roads that keep communities connected, local infrastructure delivered by councils impacts the daily lives of Queenslanders.
“Councils manage all of this while only receiving three cents in the dollar of the national taxation pie - through rates, fees and charges.
“While financial sustainability challenges to councils are getting harder, the expectation to deliver community liveability is only growing stronger.
“State and Federal grant funding to councils is the only way our members can be sustainable. Every Queensland council relies on that funding support. Every community relies on the services from their councils.
“People pay federal taxes, state taxes and council rates, and they expect all levels of government to work together to ensure that these monies collected are spent where communities need it the most.
“That’s why Queensland councils are calling on more funding and a stronger infrastructure partnership with the State Government, ahead of the October election.
“Works for Queensland has been an infrastructure lifeline, with allocated State funding to address local infrastructure priorities.
“We’ve strongly welcomed the increase of $100 million in this three-year round, now we just need to see that made permanent and indexed annually to provide communities with long-term certainty from our state political leaders.
“The much-loved and highly successful Transport Infrastructure Development Scheme (TIDS) road program has plateaued around $70 million for a decade, yet gravel costs have increased by 62 per cent and bitumen by 28 per cent in the four years to March 2024.
“Water security and service delivery is heading towards an infrastructure cliff, with councils struggling to fund essential services and critical asset renewals.
“Providing safe and reliable drinking water is an essential service but funding its delivery is one of the biggest challenges for many Queensland councils.
“Better local roads, important community upgrades and delivering water services are the issues that our member councils have a laser-like focus on, but they can’t do it alone."
Key asks in the LGAQ’s campaign to deliver better infrastructure:
- Funding certainty for local infrastructure, guaranteeing $100 milliom per year for Works for Queensland and $50 million per year for SEQ infrastructure, indexed by CPI.
- Reintroduce a water service subsidy and a dedicated capital infrastructure program to assist regional councils maintain ageing infrastructure to provide safe drinking water.
- Improve road safety and upgrade regional roads with a permanent annual funding boost to $100 million, plus CPI, for the Transport Infrastructure Development Scheme (TIDS).
- Enhance project delivery by reintroducing a standalone infrastructure pipeline planning program.
For more information, please contact:
Dan Knowles, Media Advisor