Coffs Harbour: Put our communities first this federal election

City of Coffs Harbour (City) has called for all parties and candidates in this year’s federal election to put our communities first and commit to increased funding for Australia’s 537 local governments. 

Mayor Nikki Williams said increased responsibilities and extra costs had been pushed onto local government and there is a pressing need for increased funding to councils. 

“Federal governments have access to the biggest pot of taxpayer funds and so are in the strongest position to fund councils to support local communities at the grassroots level,” Mayor Williams said. 

At its 20 March meeting, City of Coffs Harbour Council unanimously backed a Mayoral Minute which extended support to the Australian Local Government Association’s campaign for increased federal funding. 

The association has identified five national funding priorities for local government: 

• $1.1 billion per year for enabling infrastructure to unlock housing supply 

• $500 million per year for community infrastructure 

• $600 million per year for safer local roads 

• $900 million per year for increased local government emergency management capability and capacity; and 

• $400 million per year for climate change adaptation. 

Mayor Williams said this funding should be provided to all councils on a formula-basis – similar to the way Financial Assistance Grants and Roads to Recovery funding have been for many years – so that every Australian community benefits.  

City Acting General Manager Andrew Beswick said federal funding could help toward a number of the community goals outlined in the draft Community Strategic Plan (CSP). 

“Federal funding increases would also assist with some of the unfunded items in the City’s Delivery Program.” 

The City of Coffs Harbour has written to the local federal members of Parliament, all known candidates standing for the seats of Cowper and Page on 3 May and the Australian Local Government Association President, expressing support for the association’s campaign and federal election funding priorities. 

You can watch the video here. 

Photo:  
City of Coffs Harbour Acting General Manager Andrew Beswick said federal funding could help toward a number of the community goals outlined in the draft Community Strategic Plan.