The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has called on the 2025 election parties to commit to establishing a new $1.1 billion annual fund for local government to address the housing crisis.
As part of the Put Our Communities First campaign, ALGA is asking for long-term, formula-based funding for all councils to build housing-enabling infrastructure, including local roads, power and water connections.
ALGA President, Mayor Matt Burnett, said, “We are a signatory to the National Housing Accord, which has set an aspirational target of 1.2 million new well-located homes over the next five years, and councils are fully committed to playing their part.
“However, our research shows 40 per cent of local governments have cut back on new developments because of inadequate enabling infrastructure funding.
“This research also highlighted that building the enabling infrastructure to cover the gap between current housing constructions and the national housing target is estimated to cost at least $5.7 billion.
“What we need is a new five-year, $1.1 billion annual fund provided to all councils to get the foundations right to unlock new housing our communities desperately need.”
Mayor Burnett said councils welcomed the Coalition’s $5 billion pledge last October for enabling infrastructure through a new Housing Infrastructure Programme.
“We were delighted the Coalition responded to our call for increased investment in enabling infrastructure, but it’s crucial this is new grant funding to local governments, and not loans,” Mayor Burnett said.
“It’s vital that any new infrastructure funding is provided to all of Australia’s 537 councils.
“We’re also calling on Labor to recognise the size of this challenge and commit to funding the enabling infrastructure gap.”
As part of the national campaign, ALGA has outlined four other key funding priorities to provide a significant uplift to all council budgets, including:
- $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
- $400 million per year for climate adaptation
Find out more, visit putourcommunitiesfirst.com.au
