Tony Zappia
Makin · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“Based on the most recent polling, cost of living remains the most pressing issue for Australians, with around 75 per cent of people putting it at the top of the list of issues that matter to them. Another survey has 3.7 million Australians living in poverty, whilst 122,000 are homeless.”
“However, two issues that I believe directly contribute to Australian poverty are gambling and illicit drug use. According to the most recent figures, $32 billion is spent annually on gambling in Australia, with Australians rated as the biggest gamblers in the world per capita.”
“Some 3.9 million Australians recently used an illicit drug, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Both gambling losses and illicit drug use are increasing. In particular, online gambling has increased by over 60 per cent in recent years and cocaine use has surged by 69 per cent in a single 12-month period.”
“Gambling and drug addiction are both, and often together, directly the cause of poverty, homelessness, suicide, divorce, financial stress, crime and other social problems. I welcome the Albanese government's latest gambling reforms, which I believe will make a difference to Australian gambling rates.”
“Every day there is new technology out there—and, yes, sometimes it's expensive—that allows for much more efficient procedures. As a result of that, you would think that perhaps the costs of those procedures would come down. But that hasn't always necessarily been the case.”
“The referral is to a specialist that they don't question, and they have no idea whether they could possibly get the same treatment at a much better rate using another surgeon. It's not often that people shop around when it comes to medical treatment.”
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“But what happened on 11 July 1995 at Srebrenica will not be erased from history and will continue to serve as a reminder to us all of the global failures at the time and that we all have a responsibility to do what we can. As a global community, we must do better.”
“The lives lost for ever, for those who survived but who live with the horrific memories of the atrocities or the daily absence of the loved ones that they lost, gave rise to a hope that Srebrenica would never happen again—to no-one and nowhere. Yet credible claims of killings, oppression, persecution and brutal violence continue each and every day—in Gaza; in Syria, where the Druze community in Suwayda is under attack; in Sri Lanka; in Iran; in Afghanistan; in Ukraine; in Myanmar; and in so many parts of Africa. Indeed, only earlier today we heard from the member for McMahon, the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, about the horrific situation in Sudan. It seems to me that humanity never learns. Human behaviour never changes.”
“The United Nations has since designated 11 July as the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica. To date, some 30 people have been indicted for participating in or complicity in genocide. There are still hundreds if not thousands of bodies that have not been recovered and that possibly lie in mass graves. The search for them continues. Each year, more bodies are recovered and identified and their names added to the list of those killed. With the passing of time and the benefit of hindsight, there is no doubt that the Srebrenica genocide was a dark chapter in recent history. The world failed the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina when it could and should have intervened. The killings, the brutality, the rapes and the humanitarian disaster could have been prevented.”
“The International Court of Justice, in its judgement of 26 February 2007, states: The Court concludes that the acts committed at Srebrenica falling within Article II (a) and (b) of the Convention were committed with the specific intent to destroy in part the group of the Muslims of Bosnia and Herzegovina as such; and accordingly that these were acts of genocide, committed by members of the VRS in and around Srebrenica from about 13 July 1995. The judgement goes on: … the Court considers that it has been established by fully conclusive evidence that members of the protected group were systematically victims of massive mistreatment, beatings, rape and torture causing serious bodily and mental harm, during the conflict and, in particular, in the detention camps.”
“Subsequent war trials and investigations by the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia have concluded that the killings, the destruction of Bosnian culturally significant buildings and the expulsion of some 20,000 Bosniak civilians from the area amount to genocide. It was very much an attempt to drive Bosnian Muslims out of Bosnia. Catholic Croatians were also driven out.”
“I hear the heart-wrenching stories from survivors, I see the tears in the eyes as they tell their stories, I see the grief in their faces for the family members and friends they have lost, and I feel the anger that such murderous brutality took place whilst the world looked away. According to a UNHCR research paper, between 1992 and 1995 around 100,000 people were killed in what is referred to as the Bosnian War. Of those killed, around 80,000 were Bosnian Muslims, more widely referred to as Bosniaks. By 1995, when the fighting ended, of a Bosnian population of around four million, 1.3 million had been internally displaced and 900,000 had become refugees.”
“It has been 30 years since the 11 July 1995 Srebrenica massacre, when 8,372 men, women and children were mercilessly killed by Bosnian Serb forces under the leadership of Radovan Karadzic, the then president of the self-declared autonomous Bosnian Serb republic. It was the worst massacre of civilians since World War II, yet outside of the communities affected there is very little awareness of what is a very dark chapter in recent history. For the people of Srebrenica who fled and survived the massacre, and for the Bosniaks more broadly, Srebrenica is a memory that will never fade and a grief that torments them daily. Each year on 11 July I attend the annual Srebrenica commemoration service at the Bosnian and Herzegovina Muslim Society of South Australia community centre at Royal Park.”
“The Campania club, initially developed through the drive of John Di Fede and some 14 other founding members and now led by a next generation club president Ross De Ieso, today stands as a visual example of the presence, determination and influence of the people who came from Campania. My thanks to all of them for all they have done. They have so much to be proud of.”
“For example, their community facilities at the Campania club at Modbury, San Giorgio La Molara Club at Payneham, Altavilla Club at Beulah Park and Molinara club at Holden Hill are regularly used by the wider community. In 2003, a book was published titled I Campani in South Australi a , documenting their extensive history and contribution to South Australia. At the recent 50th anniversary celebration of the Campania club, the large number of dignitaries—which included Governor of South Australia, Her Excellency Frances Adamson; Premier Peter Malinauskas; and Italian consul Ernesto Pianelli, with congratulatory messages from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Senator Francesco Giacobbe from Italy—highlighted the deserved recognition of the migrants from Campania in South Australia.”
“At Adelaide's Glynde Corner proudly stands an award-winning landmark stone monument as a symbol and reminder of South Australia's migration story. The common thread and primary driver of the examples I've just cited have been the Italian migrants from the Campania region of Italy, who came to Australia in the 1950s and 1960s and settled predominantly in the eastern and northern suburbs of Adelaide. They came with very meagre possessions but with a will to succeed in the land of opportunity, and succeed they did. Today Italian Australians of Campania origin can be found in successful businesses, professions, academia, trades, food production, politics, entertainments, sports—in nearly every sector of South Australian life. But they did not just succeed for themselves; they made a real difference to life in South Australia.”
“Last year marked the 70th anniversary of the St Francis of Assisi Catholic Community of Newton and the important role of the Capuchin friars in the parish throughout those years. The history and growth of the parish was recorded in a 320-page commemorative book published in 2024, titled 70 Years : A Celebration of Faith, Mission and Fraternity . On 26 July, the Campania Sports and Social Club in Modbury celebrated its 50th anniversary with a sold-out gala dinner, at which the member for Sturt and I were privileged to attend. Later this month, on 28 September, the annual religious celebration of the Madonna Di Montevergine held at the St Francis of Assisi Catholic centre—possibly the largest religious event of its type in Australia—marks its 70th anniversary.”
“My question is to the Minister for Defence Industry. How is the Albanese Labor government growing Australia's defence industrial base, supporting jobs and building a future made in Australia? Why is this important after a wasted decade?”
“The spiralling crisis in Myanmar, where Micah is calling for $110 million emergency package, is particularly concerning, whilst 1.9 million people face catastrophic hunger in Gaza and Sudan. Overseas aid is not simply a moral humanitarian response; it is a critical strategy to ensure Australian safety, security and stability. Overseas aid is an effective strategic investment that pays real dividends to Australia. There are now an estimated 305 million people throughout the world in humanitarian need, and the numbers are growing.”
“Last week, I met with representatives of the Micah women's network, who were in Canberra to raise awareness of the urgent humanitarian needs throughout the world and to call for Australia to increase overseas aid from 0.65 per cent to one per cent of the federal budget. Australia now ranks 28 out of 32 OECD countries for aid generosity, according to Micah. A combination of US cuts to foreign aid and an increase in global conflicts has left some 305 million people throughout the world in desperate need. Trade tensions and tariff wars, extreme weather events, conflict and climate driven displacement and strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific region are all adding to human misery. There are currently 59 active conflict zones in 35 countries, and one in six children live in a conflict zone.”
“I was with the minister at Tindo Solar in my electorate only a few days ago, which is another great example of an investment we're making in building solar panels here in Australia. Our support for veterans is something that I have been passionate about since being here and is something that I welcome. Time has run out, but I'm pleased to be part of a re-elected Labor government that has a real agenda that will make a real difference to the lives of all Australians.”
“We're strengthening Medicare. I could talk at length about all of that, but, again, our investment in restoring and securing the Medicare system in this country is not only making a difference to people's ability to access the health care they need but also making a difference to their out-of-pocket expenses as a result. We've increased child support in the last parliament, and our commitment to our climate change targets remain strong, as is our investment in renewable energy. Members would hear the Minister for Climate Change and Energy each day talking about, if nothing else, the home battery take-up, which is around 40,000 across Australia in such a short space of time.”
“Protecting penalty rates is another critical issue because it ensures that people will get increased wages or at least get the wages that they are entitled to and not lose money as a result of changes to their employment conditions. Reducing the cost of medicines, a bill that was debated in the parliament only up until this morning, is so critical to so many people. Quite often I have people say, 'So what are you doing to help with the cost of living?' Reducing the cost of medicines pretty much affects everybody in this country—in some cases, to a very large extent—and that's one of the critical differences that has been made in terms of assisting with the cost of living. We then have the real wage increases that have come about because of the changes in industrial relations policy by the Albanese Labor government.”
“There is a lot of truth to a lot of the comments being made, but, when you put it all together, it's also true that each decision sometimes has consequences that were not foreseen. Trying to get the balance right is not always easy, but I believe that the Albanese Labor government is doing that. In the last two minutes, I will touch on some of the other issues that I think are so critical to this term of government, which were referred to in our election campaign and which the Albanese Labor government is now getting on with. It is indeed a very ambitious agenda. We already have the legislation passed through parliament to reduce higher education fees by another 20 per cent—again, a very welcome move out there in the electorate.”
“Regrettably, in the last three years we haven't had much support from the other side of politics with respect to our housing policies, but I suspect that things are starting to turn around. I would like to think that the support for establishing the houses that we need in this country to meet the needs of the people at affordable prices is starting to take shape. With respect to that, it's also important to note that our economy is starting to stabilise, inflation is starting to come down, unemployment rates are still relatively low and wages are going up. All of those things will make a difference to people's ability to purchase their own home. It is true, and I accept some of the opinions I hear when I listen to the debates on housing. Everyone has a view as to what the solution is. Everyone seems to be an expert at it.”
“On 1 October a number of other changes will also take place, expanding the scheme. Firstly, there will be no place limits. All Australian first home buyers who have saved a five per cent deposit can apply. Secondly, there will be no income caps, which means that first home buyers with higher incomes can access the scheme. Thirdly, higher property price caps will also apply, and that will help buyers where property prices have increased. Fourthly, there will be simpler access in regional areas. The Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee will be replaced by the First Home Guarantee. I believe that they are all welcome steps towards fixing what has been a major problem for so many Australians across the country.”
“And that is understandable because, as I've said in this place on previous occasions, homeownership is one of the most important thing that a family can do because it ensures stability for the individual, family and local community. I was pleased that just this week the Albanese government announced that the expansion of the five per cent deposit for all first home buyers will now commence earlier, on 1 October of this year instead of next year. I think that that is a very welcome announcement. The way the scheme works is that the government guarantees a portion of the loan, which means that the first home buyer can purchase it with a lower deposit and not pay lenders mortgage insurance. That will make a lot of difference to a lot of people. Since 2022, 180,000 first home buyers have already been assisted with a lower deposit.”
“One of the critical issues that was debated in the 47th Parliament was the issue of what was referred to as the housing crisis across the country and across the world—and rightly so, because it is such an important issue. I want to spend a few moments talking about that. From day 1, the Albanese Labor government made a huge investment to try to restore and rebuild the housing market and address the housing needs of our country. We have the Help to Buy scheme, the Home Guarantee Scheme, the build-to-rent scheme and a $43 billion plan to try to restore some confidence and address the housing needs of this country.”
“He ends his email with a call for a royal commission to investigate nature loss and its consequences and to chart a way forward. Environmental degradation has reached a critical level both in Australia and across the world. We cannot continue to ignore the facts, ignore the advice of experts like Dr Wamsley and keep kicking the can down the road. In the time I have left, I'll return to one of the comments I opened with, and that is about the statement from the Governor-General and the agenda of the Albanese Labor government. It is indeed a very large agenda, which I'm proud to be a part of and which I hope we'll be able to deliver on.”
“Conversely, climate change is causing more environmental losses. The earth's plants and animals are disappearing at an alarming rate. In May this year, I received an email from Dr John Wamsley OAM, a mathematician and environmental scientist who has studied trend lines from reputable sources for many years, which point to a collapse of nature in Australia somewhere between 2040 and 2080. Dr Wamsley attributes the collapse to three main causes. Firstly, he attributes between a third to half of the losses to climate change. Secondly, he points to unsustainable agricultural practices. Thirdly, he states that we do not properly protect the areas that have been declared protected areas. Dr Wamsley states: Things look very grim for nature.”
“In a recent opinion piece, science writer Julian Cribb makes an excellent case for how humans are destroying their own world. He refers to a study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research working collaboratively with BOKU University in Vienna, which found that 60 per cent of the world's land area is in a precarious state and 38 per cent is already at high risk of degradation. The collapse of ecosystems has catastrophic consequences for humanity, yet, by and large, much of the world continues on its current trajectory, largely oblivious of the impending disasters. The global acceptance that climate change is real and that reducing greenhouse gas emissions is essential is welcome. However, environmental degradation—in particular, land clearing—continues and is contributing to climate change.”
“Climate change, species extinction, global conflicts, refugee numbers, mass migrations, fish stock depletion and ocean pollution are all consequences of increased consumption driven by population growth and corporate greed, in turn leading to people being at war over diminishing resources or leaving their homelands in search of a safer and more secure place to live. Too many of the world's people are now literally fighting for their survival, in a world that is being rapidly depleted of resources, while our natural environment is becoming unsustainable. Global population is now 8.2 billion and is expected to increase to more than 10 billion, or by about 25 per cent, over the next 30 years. By the time global population begins to decline towards the end of this century, it may well be too late to repair the damage.”
“I'm often contacted by a local railway historian, John Wilson, author of several railway books, who has become a terrific and articulate public advocate for restoring our national rail networks. John talks quite passionately about the importance of doing so. I appreciate that in recent years there has often been talk about rebuilding inland rail and the like, but I've seen very little evidence that we're making much progress in doing that. I now turn my remarks to population growth. I've previously raised my concerns about global population growth and global consumption being the underlying cause of many of the global crises the world is now facing.”
“Regrettably, and unlike those countries that have continued to invest in rail, Australia has over the past 50 years neglected its rail systems. In an expansive country like Australia, rail transport still makes a lot of sense. It is efficient, it is less polluting, it is reliable, it is cost-effective, and it saves wear and tear on our roads and therefore saves dollars for local, state and federal governments. Importantly, it also saves country and regional towns from dying, as so many did when they were cut from the rail networks. When regional towns decline, the effects are devastating for those left, and the downward spiral then continues. I know that rail systems rest primarily with state governments, but I believe that the federal government can show leadership in rebuilding a national rail grid.”
“According to one background paper—and I haven't read all the parliamentary debates—at the time that the CBA was established the argument was that Australia needed a bank that would benefit all citizens, a bank that would bring stability to the banking system and offer an alternative to high fees charged by the private banks. Nothing has changed. Those same arguments would be applicable today. With cash and cheques being phased out, today there is no option but to manage finances through a bank, which in turn adds to the case for a public bank. It is indeed an essential service, and people cannot do without it. The fourth issue I refer to is the importance of national reinvestment in Australia's rail system.”
“In the meantime, bank profits have soared, and I note that recently the Commonwealth Bank of Australia announced a $10 billion profit for last year. Services have been slashed, cash and cheques have been phased out, and bank branches have closed. Bank regulations have failed customers. I believe that the best form of regulation is a government owned bank that operates as an honest broker in the free market, a public bank that maintains a customer service standard and that keeps others honest whilst returning a profit to the people of Australia. Banking is an essential service. This was recognised when the Commonwealth Bank of Australia was established as a public bank in 1911 by the Andrew Fisher Labor government.”
“This is a matter I first campaigned for in my first federal election campaign years ago. Of course, it will add an ongoing substantial cost to the federal budget, but I expect there will also be savings through better health outcomes. There is no logic as to why dental care, which is essential to good health, was left out of Medicare, and it is time this anomaly is corrected. As an aside, if our gas supplies paid their fair share of tax, we could afford public dental care. The third issue I refer to is the Australian banks. When I first came to this place, former senator Doug Cameron and I met with Treasurer Wayne Swan to discuss the possibility of establishing a government or publicly owned bank. Of course, that hasn't happened.”
“Australians expect that Australia reserves enough gas to meet our needs, that Australia collects a fair level of tax from the gas producers, most of whom pay negligible tax, and that Australians pay for gas at prices which reflect the cost of production, not global prices. On the issue of taxes, if Australia and the rest of the world continue to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels, as they should do, then Australia's ability to collect a fair level of taxes from Australia's fossil fuels, particularly from gas exports, will not be available to us in years to come as the transition to renewable energy continues. We have a diminishing opportunity to ensure Australians fairly benefit from the nation's gas reserves. The second issue I raise is the inclusion of dental care into Medicare.”
“Regardless of the views about whether we should or should not use gas, it is ludicrous that, as the world's first- or perhaps second-largest gas exporter, we don't have enough gas for ourselves, that we pay world parity prices for it and that we receive comparatively very little tax income from gas exports. I can only imagine what people in other countries must think of us when, in countries such as Qatar, Norway, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, fossil fuel exports underpin their entire economy. Even more frustrating is the inability or lack of interest by successive governments to do anything about it.”
“On the opening day of the 48th Parliament, as is customary, the Governor-General outlined the Albanese government's agenda for this term of parliament. It's an ambitious agenda which first and foremost delivers on Labor's 2025 election commitments. Quite rightly, delivering on election commitments should be a priority because that is what the majority of Australians voted for. However, in a parliament with such a clear majority, there should also be room for new ideas and bold reforms that will make Australia an even better country—reforms that we know are needed, which Australians have been calling for, which other countries have often embraced and which I believe are in the public interest. I begin with Australian gas supplies.”
“The 2025 federal election resulted in an extraordinary outcome. A record number of 94 Labor members were elected to the House of Representatives. At 28.7 per cent of the seats, the coalition probably received its lowest-ever percentage of representation in the parliament. For the first time that I can recall—and I believe it's the first time on record—the opposition leader lost his seat. Representation of the Greens party, a party that was supposedly on the rise, was reduced from four seats to one, and the Greens leader also lost his own seat. In my view, the outcome highlights how Australians are more engaged in day-to-day politics than is often assumed, and they can see through the political spin and tactics used in election campaigns and often by the biased media outlets.”
“And they always do so with a sympathetic air and an understanding that everyone's needs matter. As everyone elected to this place knows, organising a federal election campaign and manning the early voting and election day polling booths requires an enormous effort. I simply could not do that without the support of my family, hundreds of committed volunteers and the Labor movement more broadly. I'm grateful to them all. They are the true believers of the Labor cause, who selflessly and for no personal gain give so much of their time to help me and the Labor government get elected. I also acknowledge the work of the Australian Electoral Commission for the professionalism that they showed in the course of the election campaign and for ensuring that all Australians can have confidence in the electoral process here in Australia.”
“I've always taken everyone's vote as something that I should not take for granted, and I've always endeavoured to live up to the expectations that people have of me once they elect me, and I will continue to do that. I also stand in this place because of the Makin office team that I was referring to a few moments ago: Ann, Frank, James, Mignon, Rob and Wasim. There were some others who have come over the last couple of years to assist as well, but have moved on. All of those people respond to the daily phone calls, the emails, the personal visits of people who come to the Makin electorate office for assistance, and the staff in the office do all they can to assist those people. They take the calls from the critics and from people in desperate situations or people who have simply no-one else to turn to.”
“It's a pleasure to follow the member for Scullin. I very much appreciated some of his remarks, particularly with respect to what is happening now in the high country, and also his recognition of the people that support us in our offices, which I will talk about with respect to my own office. It is so true that none of us could do what we do were it not for the people that are in the background doing all the day-to-day tasks that make us look so much better. I stand in this place because a majority of voters in the Makin electorate voted for the re-election of an Labor government and for myself as the Labor candidate. To the people who voted for me, I say thank you.”
“My question is to the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Minister for Defence Personnel. How is the Albanese Labor government supporting veterans at risk of homelessness to get into housing? What delays were there to delivering this important support?”
“We demand medical supplies, food and water and financial aid to help with the displacement, safety and security of the people of As Suwayda. Condemnation is not enough. We need to act now. I have written to both the Prime Minister and the Minister for Foreign Affairs about this matter, and I draw the House's attention to the statement from Australia's Druze community.”
“They've provided a statement which they've asked that I pass on to the government, and I will read it out in full: On Sunday the 13th of July 2025, under the false pretense of peace and security, the Syrian Interim Authorities entered the province of As Suwayda and started the indiscriminate systematic execution of men, women, children and elderly of the Druze population. These forces arrived with tanks and immediately started killing, raping, burning and bombing the city of As Suwayda. The atrocities being carried out include: These violent acts are not just violations of basic human rights, but an assault on the cultural heritage of a unique and ancient people and international war crimes. We call on the Australian Government with a heavy heart, urgent action is needed immediately.”
“In summary, the Australian Druze community is seeking a stronger UN intervention, an investigation by an independent body into the attacks on the Druze people in Sweida, protection by the Syrian government and the recognition of Druze people as having centuries-old ties to their homelands and their right to exist. I'm not on the ground in Sweida, and I know there are conflicting reports about events in the region. However, I heard from members of Adelaide's Druze community who are in direct contact with family and friends in their homelands, and right now they are desperately pleading for help from the Australian government on behalf of the Druze people in Syria. They will be grateful for any assistance the Australian government can provide them.”
“Understandably, armed members of the Druze community in the Sweida region engaged in military clashes in defence of their people and in retaliation, but they claimed they were not the aggressors but were responding to what they refer to as an act of ethnic cleansing or genocide carried out by Syrian militia with the tacit complicity of the Syrian government. It was only because of the Israeli intervention that a temporary pause in the hostilities occurred, but even that has left the Druze people in fear, feeling under siege and completely vulnerable.”
“In Australia, they are a minority group, but their presence here dates back decades. Many of the people who attended the forum were visibly distressed at reports and video footage showing family members and friends—including women, children and the elderly—being horrifically attacked. They were additionally distressed at global media reports portraying the attacks on Druze people as being longstanding tribal clashes in the region between the Druze people and Sunni Muslim clans, when, in reality, the Druze people were being attacked as defenceless people, unarmed and in their own homes. Druze people who fled their homes are reportedly trapped within the region because exit points have been blocked. These reports are consistent with reports by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.”
“Mr Speaker, congratulations on your well-deserved reappointment as Speaker of this House. Last Saturday, on 19 July, I attended a community meeting at the Australian Unitarian Druze Community Centre in Hope Valley. The meeting had been urgently convened to raise awareness and seek help for Druze people living in their homelands in the Syrian-Israeli border region who were reportedly being killed, beaten, raped and looted by Syrian militia groups allegedly linked to ISIS. I believe similar Druze community gatherings took place in other cities in the eastern states. Druze people are of Arabic heritage but do not identify as Muslims. Although they can be found in substantial numbers in several countries, the largest populations are in Syria, Lebanon and Israel.”
“I thank the committee secretariat as well and each of the committee members that participated, because it was an extensive inquiry. While I am here representing the chair of the committee, I also participated in many of the hearings, so I know how far and wide the committee travelled. I also extend my sincere thanks to the many local, state and territory government organisations and unions, including the Australian Services Union and the United Services Union, who participated in this inquiry via submissions and public hearings. With those comments, I commend the report to the House.”
“In the meantime, the committee has agreed to present this interim report to provide an update on the work it has undertaken to date. Submitters put forward wide-ranging recommendations aimed at improving the sustainability of local governments. Given the significant number of recommendations put forward to this inquiry by participants, it is challenging to list them all to you today and in the report. A brief overview of some of the key recommendations made by the various LGAs includes: Once again, I stress those were recommendations put forward to the committee but are not recommendations of the committee. In tabling this report, I thank the committee members for their constructive input and dedication throughout this important inquiry process.”
“Councils and shires across regional, rural and metropolitan areas spoke to us about the constant funding pressures they face. The vast majority of local governments told the committee that their ability to remain financially sustainable was being impacted by a number of factors including cost shifting, challenges raising their own revenue and obtaining adequate funding through grants to meet local priorities. Local governments are also experiencing skills shortages across a number of critical areas, further impacting service delivery to their communities. The committee is undertaking a thorough review of all of the submissions received and evidence gathered at public hearings and will subsequently produce a final report.”
“Northern Territory councils are receiving $128 million over five years, an increase of $55 million. Roads to Recovery supports local road construction and maintenance by local government. The funding increase allows local governments to plan for the long-term maintenance and upgrade of their road networks, shielding critical road safety measures from the uncertainty of budget cycles. It directly impacts the quality of our local roads, allows for potholes to be filled, pavements to be repaired and culverts to be installed, to improve drainage and keep roads open during bad weather, and helps make sure we all get home safely. The increased funding was part of a series of changes aimed at strengthening investment in safer, more productive local roads across Australia.”
“They oversee environmental protection, as well as mitigating and remediating natural disaster risks. Local governments are one of Australia's largest employers. They manage and maintain critical infrastructure and roads that connect communities, being responsible for one-third of Australia's public infrastructure. That's why our government supports local roads. The Roads to Recovery Program supports the construction and maintenance of the nation's local road infrastructure assets, which facilitate greater accessibility and improves safety, economic and social outcomes for Australians. The Albanese government is making local roads safer with our commitment in last year's budget of $4.4 billion under the Roads to Recovery Program over the next five years.”