ALGA welcomes Coalition pledge for $250 million Roads to Recovery boost
ALGA has welcomed the Coalition’s pre-election pledge to immediately increase the Roads to Recovery program to $1 billion per year.
ALGA President Mayor Matt Burnett said: “We have been advocating for increases to this vital local government road funding program for years, and were thrilled when the Labor Government announced in 2023 it would be doubled from $500 million to $1 billion over the forward budget estimates.”
“The Coalition’s commitment to bring forward these increases in full in 2025-26 would provide councils with an additional $250 million to build and maintain our local roads over the next four years.”
“Importantly, the Roads to Recovery program is a non-competitive, formula-based program, which means that under the Coalition’s proposal every council would receive an increase.”
Mayor Burnett said ALGA was calling on Labor to match the Coalition’s roads and infrastructure funding commitments.
“Earlier this week the Coalition committed to reinstate the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program if elected, providing $500 million per year for all councils to deliver community infrastructure, as well as a further $500 million per year for regional roads.”
“Today’s announcement brings the Coalition’s local government roads and community infrastructure commitments to $1.25 billion, and we’re urging Labor to put our communities first and match this amount.”
Mayor Burnett also welcomed the Coalition’s commitment to invest $16 million in road safety, including $10 million to establish a new Driver Reviver Site Upgrades program, and $6 million over three years to expand the scope of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.
“Australian councils maintain more than 75 percent of Australia’s road network, and tragically half of all fatal car accidents occur on these roads,” said Mayor Burnett.
“We welcome the Coalition’s promise of increased investment in road safety programs that will help address our unacceptable national road toll.”