President's Invitation
The ALGA Board and I invite you to Shepparton for the 2008 National Local Road and Transport Congress.
This year's Congress from 15-17 June will follow closely after the Rudd Government's first budget in May. As usual we have invited the relevant Government Ministers and the Opposition representatives.
We have worked hard over the last couple of years developing a roads and transport strategy which was presented to both sides of politics in the lead up to last years Federal election.
The Labor Government during the election campaign committed to maintaining previously announced levels of funding for the Roads to Recovery, the Strategic Regional Roads and Blackspots Programs to 2014. The Rudd Labor Government as well has committed to continuing the Financial Assistance Grants identified for roads to local government.
These are good programs that deliver much needed infrastructure for our communities and have been the focus of many years of active lobbying and campaigning by local governments at national, state and local levels. We need to continue to reinforce the value of these programs and the Roads Congress is the national event to focus on delivering our message to the newly elected Rudd Government.
The Federal Government's commitments through these programs now totals more than $5 billion. The Government is making no secret that this year's budget will be difficult. Nevertheless local government will be continuing to press the point that stronger partnerships are needed with the Federal Government now more than ever.
The Rudd Government is proceeding with the establishment of Infrastructure Australia to undertake an audit of Australia's infrastructure and make recommendations to the government on investment needs. It is pleasing to see that at least one of the members of Infrastructure Australia will have local government experience and local government has had the chance to submit nominations for that position.
Local government has responsibility for $183 billion of infrastructure. A point reinforced by the Productivity Commission Review into Local Government's own funding. This Congress will provide delegates with the first hand opportunity to hear about Infrastructure Australia, and how the audit it is undertaking will impact on local government's infrastructure investment.
It is up to us to impress upon Federal Government the importance of the three spheres of government working together to meet the transport expectations of communities. I look forward to our Congress in Shepparton where together we can take forward the local government roads and transport agenda.
Cr Paul Bell, AM
President
Australian Local Government Association
