In the lead up to the Queensland state election we focus on key issues the LGAQ are campaigning for on behalf of its members. This week the spotlight is on the returning traffic infringement revenue to local councils.
The LGAQ has called for the incoming government to return ten percent of revenue generated from traffic infringements to local governments.
The LGAQ’s 10-point State Election Plan argues that such an incentive would give councils more scope to support local road safety initiatives given that 51 per cent of fatal and serious injury incidents occur on local roads.
The plan highlights that councils currently manage $108 billion in infrastructure assets _ including more than 153,000 kilometres of local roads _ and that returning 10 percent of infringement revenue was a fair deal considering councils’ scope of responsibilities and commitment to maintaining local roads.
Bundaberg Regional Council Mayor Jack Dempsey said in a statement that with just ten percent of the revenue from safety infringements, councils could take meaningful measures to save lives on Queensland’s roads.
“By accessing that proper funding, what we can actually do is create the highways and byways that are to the expectation of the people of Queensland,” he said.
“Queenslanders deserve modern roads because obviously the two factors are driver behaviour and road infrastructure. We can change people’s behaviours, but we can also assist that by having a proper ten percent increase in funding for our roads right across Queensland.”
“By investing in local government, we can actually get real with that funding and get the best outcome.”