Media releases: 2021

New research shows that around one in 10 Australian libraries, recreation and sporting facilities, community centres, stormwater systems, swimming pools, local airports, bridges and roads are in poor condition with significant defects, requiring increased maintenance or in some cases replacement. ALGA President Linda Scott said this finding in ALGA’s 2021 National State of the Assets+

A Morrison Government pledge to increase the recycling of waste plastic, glass, paper, and other products has been welcomed by the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA). The Remade in Australia recycling initiative announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison in Sydney on Monday includes a renewed focus on improving recovery rates by getting consumers to buy+

The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has welcomed the release of guidelines for the $150 million community infrastructure component of the Commonwealth’s $600 million Preparing Australia Program. The Program is focused on disaster preparedness and responds to recommendations of the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements aimed at better preparing communities for more severe+

The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has welcomed a new Commonwealth Remote Roads Upgrade Pilot Program that will offer councils 80 to 100 percent of required funding to make unsealed local roads safer and more productive. Over 75 percent of Australia’s road network by length – about 678,000km in total – is owned and managed+

A new resource to accelerate efforts to provide greater opportunities for Indigenous Australians at the local community level has been published by the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA). Developed by ALGA and its state and territory association members, the guide sets out key actions councils can undertake to meet the priority reforms laid out under+

The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has applauded calls for the nation’s 537 councils to be given greater backing to protect local communities from the accelerating impacts of climate change. A landmark Climate Council/City Powers Partnership report published this week found extreme weather events driven by global warming are taking a growing toll on community+

Australia’s efforts to address and respond to climate change are not taking full advantage of the opportunity to partner with local government for more effective emissions reduction, mitigation, and adaptation solutions. Speaking after a meeting of the Global Covenant of Mayors Oceania, Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) President Linda Scott said the impacts of global+

Local government has renewed its commitment to preventing violence against women and children, saying it wants to work more closely with other levels of government to drive outcomes. Attending this week’s National Summit on Women’s Safety, Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) President Linda Scott called for dedicated domestic and family violence prevention officers in every+

23 August, 2021 The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has welcomed extra funding to help council-run early childhood education and care (ECEC) centres survive current lockdown restrictions. As a result of advocacy by Australian local governments, from today, early education and care centres impacted by extended Covid-19 lockdowns in NSW, Victoria, and the ACT will+

Joint Federal and NSW government financial assistance for businesses and households impacted by the Greater Sydney lockdowns has been welcomed by the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA). The $5.1 billion package includes payments for businesses and households impacted by current lockdowns, and followed calls for support from Local Government NSW, an ALGA member. A Federal+

23 June 2021 The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has welcomed Labor’s pledge to include local government in the National Cabinet. Federal Labor Leader Anthony Albanese told delegates at the 27th National General Assembly of Local Government today that people expected the three tiers of government to work together on their behalf, particularly as the+

22 June 2021 Delegates to the 27th National General Assembly of Local Government have backed moves to give Indigenous Australians a greater say in how they address entrenched disadvantage in their local communities. A motion put forward by East Arnhem Regional Council to support nationally consistent recognition of Aboriginal controlled councils was carried unanimously at+

20 June 2021 A national forum will today look at how rural and regional councils are successfully delivering jobs and economic leadership to ensure the COVID-inspired bush renaissance of 2020-21 is enduring and widespread. Convened by the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA), the forum will take the bush’s temperature, examine economic and political trends, and+

18 June 2021 Municipal leaders from across Australia will meet in Canberra next week to call for local government to be reinstated to National Cabinet. They are also expected to press the Federal Government to increase financial assistance to local government to ensure councils can respond more effectively to the social and economic impacts of+

The Australian Local Government Association has welcomed the announcement by the Federal Government of investments in major projects totaling more than $10 billion and called for similar commitments in local government infrastructure. The new commitments, expected to create more than 23,000 direct and indirect jobs, form part of the Commonwealth’s 10-year land transport and infrastructure+

The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has hailed the Federal Government’s National Plastics Plan 2021 as an important milestone on the road to a more environmentally and economically sustainable future. Released following long-standing ALGA advocacy for stronger action on national waste reduction and recycling, the plan will help achieve many of the 2020 National Waste+

The Federal Government’s new tourism and aviation support package will do little to ease the crisis facing many regional airports, the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) said today. While acknowledging the $1.2 billion package will help the struggling aviation and regional tourism sectors transition past the end of the JobKeeper program, ALGA said it offered+

The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has welcomed Federal Opposition Labor leader Anthony Albanese’s commitment to include Local Government in National Cabinet should the ALP win the next federal election. ALGA had been a member of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) until it was abolished and replaced by National Cabinet last May. ALGA President+

Infrastructure Australia’s new focus on ensuring that all communities have access to quality infrastructure has been welcomed by the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA). The infrastructure advisory body has added 44 new proposals to its 2021 Infrastructure Priority List prioritising: Improved digital connectivity; Support for economic development in regional communities; Road and freight connectivity to+

The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has renewed calls for public grants to councils and community organisations to be assessed against transparent criteria and awarded on merit. It comes amidst allegations that some state and commonwealth government grants and funding programs, including the Safer Communities Fund, have been “gerrymandered”. ALGA President Linda Scott said the+

To ensure the Covid-19 vaccination program is delivered safely and efficiently, the Federal Government should include frontline council workers in the cohort receiving the first shots, the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) says. Councils employ a significant number of aged care and disability care staff and ALGA is pleased this cohort has already been identified+

Recognising and supporting local government’s proven ability to work on behalf of its communities will help cement Covid-19 recovery, the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) said this week. In its 2021-22 Pre-Budget Submission, ALGA has urged the Morrison Government to prioritise local jobs, infrastructure investment, and community wellbeing initiatives. Economic recovery from Covid-19 and the+