Councils call out worsening financial burden

Cost shifting and inadequate federal grants are compromising public infrastructure and services, local governments say.

1 November, 2018

Budget double standard: Victoria’s local councils

Victoria in surplus but councils still squeezed.

27 April, 2016

Baird’s upsized councils an excuse to flog big loans: Labor

Infrastructure backlog unloaded onto ratepayers.

18 February, 2016

NSW councils buckling under cost-shifting topping $670 million

State government worse offender: survey.

14 December, 2015

Another kicking for NSW councils as rate cap reduced

Don’t raise your rates by more than 1.8%: IPART.

8 December, 2015

NSW councils give government minister a serve

Paul Toole in the firing line.

12 October, 2015

Rates, roads and water: Local Government NSW conference

NSW councils’ Rosehill meeting

8 October, 2015

Dear Joe Hockey … stop freezing our FAGs

Local councils appeal to Treasurer.

18 February, 2015

NSW councils fleeced by half billion in annual cost-shifting

A new report by Local Government NSW has laid bare rampant cost-shifting which has forced councils to pick up a $521 mil tab in the 2011/2012 financial year.

13 March, 2014

Councils aim cost shift broadside at National Commission of Audit

By Paul Hemsley and Julian Bajkowski The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has made a reinvigorated push stop the states and Canberra from dumping more service delivery functions on the doorsteps of councils without sufficient and ongoing funding. The peak body’s submission to the Abbott government’s National Commission of Audit, which is tasked with reviewing […]

3 December, 2013

Rises in council rates and utility bills contribute to inflation

By Julian Bajkowski Price rises in bills to consumers from council rates and state energy suppliers have helped nudge-up Australia's official inflation rate, the quarterly figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics this week have revealed. The stronger than anticipated rise in the ABS’ Consumer Price Index of 1.2 per cent in the September […]

24 October, 2013

Canberra told to make Roads to Recovery funding permanent

By Julian Bajkowski The electorally popular, multi-billion dollar Roads to Recovery program should be permanently funded and councils dealt into any new road-user charging schemes a pre-election list of demands issued by Australia’s peak body for local governments says. As the federal poll date draws closer, councils across the nation have put both sides of […]

18 June, 2013

NSW Treasury answers councils’ demands to end rate pegging

By Paul Hemsley Local Government New South Wales (LGNSW) joint president Ray Donald has said that calls for an end to rate pegging have been backed by the state government in the latest report about the financial sustainability of councils from the NSW Treasury Corporation (TCorp). Mr Donald said TCorp’s findings in the Financial Sustainability […]

22 April, 2013

NSW councils lash $500m in cost shifting

By Paul Hemsley and Julian Bajkowski The Shires Association of New South Wales has renewed its attack on cost shifting by the states and Canberra after a survey found that councils were left out of pocket by $499 million in the 2012/11 financial year through cross-jurisdictional financial manoeuvres. The Local Government and Shires Associations of […]

1 February, 2013