17-June-2010
Portfolio Media Releases, The Economy, Funding
A Coalition Government will cut out the state government middle man and fund councils directly, Shadow Minister for Finance and Debt Reduction, Andrew Robb, today told The National General Assembly of Local Government.
Delivering a speech on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Robb said: “We will continue the reforms we began between 1996-2007 which gave local government unprecedented recognition and direct funding to fulfil councils’ core responsibilities.
“In office we will take the next step. So today I want to announce that the Coalition will take action to fund councils directly. We will cut out the ‘middle man’ of state governments which get in the way of efficient spending at the local level.
“The shift toward direct funding will be part of a broader policy to place local government on a more sustainable financial footing,” Mr Robb said.
At the Assembly Mr Robb also put Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese on notice over dishonest claims he has made in relation to the future of the successful Roads to Recovery Program under a Coalition Government.
“We remain 100 per cent committed to the program. In fact we are going to go further than just maintain Roads to Recovery, we are going to expand it,” Mr Robb said.
“I wholeheartedly endorse Warren Truss’s announcement this morning that a Coalition Government will expand the program to include bridges. This will cost an additional $300 million over four years,” he said.
“Mr Albanese has been running a grubby and desperate local newspaper campaign, claiming that I have privately said the Coalition would fund new initiatives from Roads to Recovery funding, which is completely and utterly false.
“The claims are designed to cause anxiety among local government and local communities. I have this message for Mr Albanese – the Coalition will rebut his dishonest claims in the strongest possible way wherever they are repeated,” Mr Robb said.
Media Contact: Cameron Hill on 0408 239 521