Local government reps converge on Canberra

Local Government representatives from all over the nation have converged on Canberra this week for four days of forums, meetings and a conversation with the Federal Government.

Central Coast Council Administrator Rik Hart and CEO David Farmer were among more than 750 delegates attending the 2024 Australian Local Government Association’s National General Assembly on July 2-4 followed by the Australian Council of Local Government (ACLG) National General Assembly on July 5.

Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) President Linda Scott opened proceedings on day one and spoke of the continuing campaign to lift the percentage of Federal Assistance Grants (FAG) that all councils receive.

The FAG has decreased over the years to be about 0.55 per cent of Commonwealth Tax Revenue (CTR).

It used to be one per cent.

The Federal Government announced on June 28 that it had brought forward $2.78B in financial assistance, about 85 per cent of the allocations for the 2024/25 financial year to be paid in the 2023/24 financial year, meaning it should have been paid before July 1.

Second speaker Kristy McBain, Federal Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories, was questioned about the FAG timing and also about the size of payments.

A councillor from Kingaroy in Queensland said the money had come through after June 30 and that it was less than expected.

McBain said the Federal Government had signed off on the payment prior to June 30 and that it should have arrived before the end of the financial year.

She said she was not aware of any drops in payment and she would investigate.

Central Coast Council had also been waiting for the money to arrive before June 30 as it had been budgeted in the 2023/24 financial year.

Coast Community News has asked Council if the payment arrived in time to keep the 2023/24 Budget in surplus as planned.

The 2024 National General Assembly theme is “building community trust”.

Scott said trust in public institutions was in decline in many parts of the world including in Australia.

“We all know that if we are going to continue to deliver in the face of ongoing natural disasters, skills shortages, and cost-of-living pressures, then trust in government, between governments, our institutions and our citizens is fundamentally important,” she said.

Merilyn Vale