Councils urge roads, water infrastructure and waste funding fix

Queensland councils have reiterated their calls for increased roads and waste infrastructure funding in the countdown to the State Budget on June 23. 

They are also issuing an urgent plea for a pause in reductions to waste levy annual payments, along with extra investment in much-needed recycling infrastructure. 

The peak body representing councils, the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ), says recent Federal Budget cuts to local government funding highlight the urgent need for more support for the sector when the State Government hands down its budget. 

“Councils are the closest level of government to the population, delivering many of the services that impact people’s daily lives,” LGAQ President Mayor Matt Burnett said. 

“Despite this, councils receive only three per cent of the nation’s overall tax revenue, which is far short of what they need to maintain everyday services.” 

The LGAQ’s State Budget Submission calls for: 

• Increasing the Transport Infrastructure Development Schemes (TIDS) to $100 million per annum; 
• Reintroducing a Water and Sewerage Infrastructure Program to ensure regional communities have the same access to essential services as those who live in the city;
• Pausing reductions in Waste Levy annual payments, and investing in a 10-year Blueprint for Resource Recovery to drive the future of resource recovery in Queensland to reduce waste and boost recycling;
• Providing ongoing funding for critical programs such as the SEQ Community Stimulus Program and the Indigenous Councils Critical Infrastructure Program. 

The pressing need for renewed water and sewerage infrastructure is highlighted in the LGAQ’s The Last Drop: Fixing Queensland’s Infrastructure Cliff report, which warns of a $5 billion funding shortfall without much-needed new investment. 

LGAQ CEO Alison Smith said independent modelling indicates the funding priorities outlined in its State Budget submission would boost Queensland’s Gross State Product by approximately $3.4 billion ($846 million per annum). 

“Investing more in roads, water infrastructure and resilience will also support an average of 5,107 FTE jobs a year across Queensland,” she said. 

“We’re encouraging the government to make this a State Budget which truly delivers for local communities and their growing infrastructure needs.” 

The LGAQ State Budget submission also includes requests for: 

• $24 million over two years towards the Fire Ant Suppression Taskforce to support the long-term goal of a fire ant-free Queensland;
• $20 million over four years to expand Queensland’s stock route network to support the state’s livestock industry and preserve an important part of Queensland's rural identity;
• $58 million over four years to partner with Queensland’s Reef councils to support measures to improve the health and prospects of the reef;
• Additional investment in Indigenous housing to reduce overcrowding;
• Extending the First Home Owner Grant to be available for the purchase of any new dwelling, any existing dwelling and for the renovation and refurbishment of existing housing stock in rural and remote communities;
• The continuation of key funded programs delivered by the LGAQ in partnership between the Queensland Government and councils.