Mond

‘FAIR GO’ GRANTS TO BOOST LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Local Councils would receive between $400,000 and $5 million extra each year if the Nationals ‘Fair Go’ Grants Scheme and Local Government Policy were implemented.

Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes, welcomed this week’s release of The Nationals Local Government Policy which tackles head on, the chronic under funding of Local Government and continuing cost shifting particularly by the Bracks Government.

Dr Sykes said, “The Nationals Policy is simple, initially 1% of the GST should be allocated directly to Local Government with the ‘lion’s share’ going to disadvantaged councils such as Mansfield, Murrindindi, Alpine, Strathbogie and Benalla, all of whom have a relatively small number of rate payers.

This would generate $80 million per year and as the percentage is increased to 3% per year, an extra $240 million per year would go direct to Local Government for roads, bridges and other vital infrastructure – just like the highly successful Federal ‘Roads to Recovery’ funding.

Local Councils would benefit as follows:
                1st Year        Subsequent Years
Alpine         $569,000            $1,750,000
Benalla        $614,000            $1,709,000
Mansfield    $442,000            $1,268,000
Murrindindi  $692,000           $1,877,000
Shepparton  $1,587,000        $5,071,000
Strathbogie   $759,000          $1,941,000
Wangaratta   $975,000          $2,823,000

Dr Sykes continued, “Given that the GST is growing each year, 1% - 3% of GST income can be directed to local government without compromising other programs currently funded by GST.

“Injection of this level of income would take the pressure off rate payers who are groaning under the burden of annual rate increases of 6% - 10%. Our crumbling roads and bridges could be repaired and footpaths and other basic infrastructure, which Melbourne people take for granted, would be put in place in our many small communities”.

Other benefits of the Nationals Local Government Policy include:
• extra funding for country libraries;
• $20 million to upgrade country halls;
• a differential farm rate;
• a Local Government Ombudsman to settle local disputes; and
• all councils to have at least seven councillors.

Dr Sykes concluded, “This is a commonsense, no pain proposal and whilst it is a National Party initiative, I would be very happy if the Bracks Government stole it in order to give a fair go to country councils and the people they service.

Media contact: Bill Sykes (03) 5762 2100 or 0427 624 989