David Fawcett (Wakefield, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to address the issue of cooperation between the Australian government and local government. People in Wakefield have told me frequently that they are fed up with cost shifting and blame between different levels of government. Following the recent budget, I have received overwhelming feedback from people, particularly those in local government, as to their gratitude for the direct partnership and cooperation of the Australian government in dealing with them on road funding, and I refer specifically to the AusLink program and the Roads to Recovery program.

There are many council areas in South Australia, and in Wakefield there are councils such as Mallala District Council, who have a large road base but a very small population and therefore a small rates base upon which to raise revenue. I have been to a number of meetings, for example, with people from Thompsons Beach and I have tabled petitions on their behalf over things like Ruskins Road, and last year Mallala council put its entire Roads to Recovery allocation towards Ruskins Road, to make a start on this road that is the sole point of access by residents to schools, shops and other places. In wet weather it is a quite dangerous road.

I have had similar feedback from other councils that the Roads to Recovery program is welcome because it provides funding from the federal government directly to the councils so they can allocate it to the roads and infrastructure that are important to their communities. Importantly, this budget not only continued this scheme but also doubled an extraordinary amount—it doubled the amount that was given to councils under Roads to Recovery. So councils in Wakefield have received over $3 million extra this year that they can put towards local roads for the people of Wakefield.

Many people complain about the fact that politics is an area where things seem to be done in three-year cycles without a vision for the future. I believe it is one of the strong points of the AusLink program that this is a genuine attempt to engage local government, state government and the Australian government, along with users of infrastructure, to plan toward the future, to make sure that our investments address the highest areas of need and the highest priorities and to get corridors of transport for people.

I am pleased to be able to report that the feedback from local government in the electorate of Wakefield—from the Playford Council, the Salisbury Council, Mallala, the Clare and Gilbert Valleys, the town of Gawler, the Light regional council and the Wakefield regional council—has been very positive. I encourage them to consider the numerous applications, that have come in via my office and other offices and directly to them, for specific works that people have identified as requiring attention to improve their lives, their businesses and the safety of them and their families in the electorate of Wakefield.

This is a budget that does have a vision for the future. The AusLink program has a future and a vision for the future. I welcome the feedback and the cooperation of the local governments who see the value in it.