MIDCOAST Council Mayor Claire Pontin has called on all candidates for Lyne in the forthcoming Federal election to commit to sustainable funding for local Councils.
Mayor Pontin said Councils are now receiving around half of the level of Financial Assistance Grants that were received 30 years ago.
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“This is very alarming,” Mayor Pontin said.
“We are trying to deliver all the services the community wants and deserves, but without the financial support we used to get from Government.
“I am asking every candidate for the electorate of Lyne to commit publicly to supporting this campaign to increase Commonwealth Government support to local Councils.
“If they don’t they need to explain why to the voters.”
Historically, the Federal Government provided one percent of tax revenue back to local councils to assist in providing vital local services and facilities.
This funding has since reduced to around 0.5 percent of tax revenue.
“Councils, especially regional and rural Councils without other non-rates income, have been hung out to dry,” said Mayor Pontin.
“We need to get our fair share of funding support from the Commonwealth.
“We cannot go on squeezing budgets to provide meagre services to our local communities.
“I ask all candidates to get behind this push for a better deal for our local communities.”
Mayor Pontin said that state and national advocacy groups for Councils (LGNSW and ALGA) are calling on the Commonwealth Government to provide Councils with significantly more funding for safer, better local roads; housing infrastructure; natural disaster emergency response; and mitigating the impacts of a changing climate.
“I will be writing to all candidates explaining the situation and calling for public responses.
“If residents want to see a change, they need to do the same.”
News Of The Area offered each candidate the opportunity to respond to Mayor Pontin’s funding commitment request.
Alison Penfold, Nationals candidate for Lyne, told NOTA, “Mayor Pontin has only recently written to me on this issue and I will provide a full and considered response to her correspondence in my formal reply to her.
“Despite the Mayor having several opportunities to raise this issue with myself and Dr David Gillespie in recent months, she has failed to do so, and it is disappointing that she has instead chosen to use both the media and the context of a Federal campaign to talk about the matter.
“A core issue with increasing Financial Assistance Grants is that the program favours big city Councils.
“That’s precisely why the Nationals in Government moved to provide regional and rural Councils with tied regional funding grants such as the Roads to Recovery Program, the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program, the Bridges Renewal Program and others.
“It is worth noting that MidCoast Council will receive almost $30 million in Roads to Recovery funding alone between 2024 and 2029 and has been the second largest recipient of LRCI funding in NSW, receiving over $20.2 million – a program that Labor has axed.”
Greens candidate Tom Ferrier said he supports the campaign to increase Commonwealth funding to councils.
“Councils increasingly must deal with the multiple impacts of the changing climate,” he said.
“It is vital at the very least to restore the one percent of Federal tax revenue to councils to fund disaster emergency responses in the regions – the areas often most hard hit by extreme weather events.
“Councils must be able to fund preparations that anticipate service disruptions at these times.
“With rapidly increasing populations in regional areas, councils must also be adequately funded for repair and construction of local roads and building infrastructure for new housing developments.”
Mark Hornshaw, Libertarian candidate for Lyne and a councillor on Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, told NOTA, “The Federal Government regularly makes grants to fund local council projects such as roads.
“But this grant money is not evenly distributed among councils.
“Funding is dependent on the council having its own house in order, doing the proper planning, and having shovel ready projects to fund.
“Unfortunately MidCoast Council is well behind in the race for funding, and the abysmal condition of the roads reflects this.
“I would urge Mayor Pontin to work with the Libertarian councillors on MidCoast Council to refocus council’s attention on road maintenance.
“The Mayor might also do well to contact neighbouring Mayors such as Adam Roberts in Port Macquarie, for pointers on how to reform the council to focus on essential infrastructure.
“When the will and the focus is there, the funding will follow.”
Independent candidate Jeremy Miller, who serves as the Deputy Mayor of MidCoast Council, said he wholeheartedly agrees with the call to return the Financial Assistance Grants to one percent.
“I have stated that position on my website and have talked about it many times at public events.
“Whenever I am asked about how to fix roads, I point out that the Federal government has ripped about $18m a year from local Councils.
“This puts more pressure on ratepayers to fix roads and other infrastructure.
“If elected, I will advocate for returning the Financial Assistance Grants to one percent.
“I do believe that our community is best served by their three levels of government working together and, if elected, I look forward to working constructively with you for the good of our community.”