Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) acknowledges the vertical fiscal imbalance in the Australian federal system and the impact this has on local government's ability to meet its expenditure responsibilities;

(b) notes that Financial Assistance Grants to local government have been subject to an index freeze since the 2014-15 Federal Budget; and

(c) calls on the Government to lift the freeze on indexation of the Financial Assistance Grants in the 2017-18 Federal Budget.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government does not support this motion as the indexation of financial system grants for 2017-18 onwards was announced in May 2016 and is reflected in the 2016-17 budget papers.

Question agreed to.