NSW Country Mayors welcome Coalition funding pledge

Published on 15 April 2025

Chairman of the Country Mayors Association of NSW (CMA) Mayor Rick Firman OAM has welcomed yesterday’s Local Government funding pledge from the Coalition. “It is encouraging to see the most community-connected tier of Government receiving some of the attention it deserves in the Australian Government election lead-up.”

“Rate hikes in NSW have been due to State Government cost-shifting and Australian Government funding cuts from both major parties, during an era of major operational cost increases,” he said.

“The Dutton-Littleproud Coalition has announced in a campaign pledge that they would invest a promoted $1Billion into Local Government nationwide, through a revitalised ‘Local Roads and Community Infrastructure program’. This is certainly a positive step in the right direction and the CMA Board, Members and I say thank you!”

Yesterday, Federal Shadow Minister for Local Government, the Hon. Darren Chester MP criticised the Labor Government for failing to deliver on its’ previous election promise to deliver ‘fair increases’ to Financial Assistance Grants. Yet, he has told Country Mayors increasing that grant program would not be a Coalition policy.

“The CMA and every other peak Local Government body in Australia has been campaigning for Australian Government Financial Assistance Grants to be returned to one percent (1%) of Australian taxation revenue, from the 0.5% they have dwindled down to,” Mayor Firman said. “Country Mayors in NSW are pleased that the spotlight has been directed onto the inadequacy of the Financial Assistance Grants that they depend on. However, there is no commitment from the Government, Coalition or any other Party to improve the broad, untied funding program.”

The ‘Interim Australian Government Report into Local Government Sustainability’ was released in February. In a public statement following the release, Chair of the Committee, Mr. Luke Gosling OAM, MP, said “local governments around Australia are increasingly being called upon to provide healthcare services and housing, manage ageing infrastructure and assets, and respond to current and future climate adaptation needs. These additional responsibilities are placing a significant financial strain on local governments who are struggling to meet community expectations, especially in rural, regional and remote Local Government Areas.”

“If the Albanese Government is to approach this election with any credibility, we must see a genuine Financial Assistance Grants response to the Federal Local Government Sustainability inquiry,” Mayor Firman said.

“Again, we thank the Coalition for pledging the return of the popular LRCI Grant Program. It would be very well received.

We are yet to hear about any additional support for rural, regional and remote communities from the Labor Government, other Parties or candidates, which disappoints us greatly,” Mayor Firman said.

The CMA represents 89 rural, regional and remote councils in NSW. It focusses on the inequities and additional challenges faced by non-metropolitan Councils.

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Caption: CMA Chairman Mayor Rick Firman OAM, of Temora Shire Council at a recent CMA meeting with The Hon. Emily Suvaal, BN MLC, who was the Chair of the NSW Government Inquiry into the “Ability of local governments to fund infrastructure and services”.

Contacts:
Mayor Rick Firman OAM, CMA Chairman: 0429 204 060
Mayor Russell Fitzpatrick, CMA Deputy Chairman: 0400 956 388
Mr Gary Fry, CMA Secretariat, Mobile: 0427 008 572
Email: admin@nswcountrymayors.com.au