In the lead up to the federal budget, the Council of Capital City Lord Mayors (CCCLM) is calling on the federal government to ensure that its funding keeps pace with Australia’s growing cities.
Key priorities for the CCCLM include more funding to tackle the housing and homelessness crisis, more support for climate resilience and waste management, for the delivery of strategic infrastructure projects in capital cities, and to relieve cost of living pressures.
The CCCLM rotates chairs each year, with Clover Moore, Lord Mayor of the City of Sydney, taking the reins in 2025 from City of Darwin Lord Mayor and previous Chair, Kon Vatskalis.
Lord Mayor Moore said that Australia’s economy is changing.
“With over 80 per cent of Australians living in our cities, we need the support of the Federal Government to create the space and conditions needed for our cities to thrive.
“While our economy has shown great resilience and an ability to adapt, climate change, rising inequality, the housing crisis and economic uncertainty remain as underlying vulnerabilities. We need to work together and with other levels of government to address these problems, while delivering the programs that our communities expect.
“The Council of Capital City Lord Mayors has been an important advocacy group for over 50 years and counting, and I am pleased to return as its Chair in 2025.”
Lord Mayor Vatskalis said that when Australia’s cities do well, the nation does well.
“As Lord Mayors, the more collective voices we have the more funding and projects we can get out of Canberra.
“Our communities expect the Federal Government to come to the party when it comes to infrastructure spending and delivering on their housing commitments.
“I know Darwin residents – and Aussies across the country – are doing it tough, so I look forward to seeing not only funding for more projects in our city, but of course more cost-of-living relief.
“In local government land we wear many hats – and it’s been a pleasure being the Council of Capital City Lord Mayors Chair in 2024. I look forward to working with the Sydney Lord Mayor in 2025 and my colleagues to be a strong voice for our capital cities.”
