A $500 million annual, allocative fund to help councils in Queensland create jobs and build the infrastructure their communities want is the centrepiece of the Local Government Association of Queensland’s policy plan for the Queensland state election.
The proposed fund would use the model driving the Palaszczuk Government’s Works for Queensland plan, which has channelled $400 million into regional communities to help complete council-driven building projects.
The LGAQ 10 point plan, sent to all parties contesting the poll, said such a fund, properly indexed for inflation, would “prioritise community needs”.
The Association is also calling on all parties to establish a system of State Government grants and subsidies that enables greater certainty and long-term planning for councils to better manage their assets and revenue forecasts.
Raising just three per cent of the national taxation share, councils need to be vigilant in their long term financial management so they can manage their community’s assets responsibly,’’ the plan states.
“This can only happen when councils have greater certainty and input in directing funding to areas of genuine community need.”