Senator Matthew Canavan has welcomed funding from the Roads to Recovery Programme for local councils in the Kennedy electorate totalling almost $70 million over the next four years, including $11.6 million in 2014-15.

“This is great news for the 21 councils in the electorate,” Senator Canavan said today. “The Roads to Recovery funding of $69,785 million for the four years 2014-19 will allow the local government bodies in Kennedy to get on with what makes sense to the local people. 

“I drove through the electorate from Townsville to Mount Isa recently and held discussions with councils along the way to hear about important local issues. I know how important this funding for local road construction and street repairs is to councils. It provides funds for essential road works and also helps councils maintain their workforce.

 “Meeting costs of road works and maintenance through the rate base in regional shires is a tough ask, especially when those shires are in drought and the local economy is struggling.  Additionally, in many remote shires the council is the largest employer, so R2R funding to councils where councils make the decisions on priorities and delivery become highly significant in years like the one we are having now.

“Northern Australia is looking at future growth and local roads are critical infrastructure to help stimulate these economies, as well as deal with priority safety and freight effectiveness.”

Senator Canavan was speaking following the announcement today that Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Warren Truss, would be writing to all councils throughout Australia advising them of their full allocations for 2014-19 under the $2.1 billion Roads to Recovery program.

“As announced in the 2014 Federal Budget, our Government is doubling Roads to Recovery payments to councils next year (2015-16) to $700 million, which will be a tremendous windfall for much-needed local road works.

“Importantly, the Roads to Recovery Programme is set up for councils to make road spending decisions based on local needs – without interference from Canberra – to ensure that funding is truly directed to where it is most needed in the community.

“The Australian Government has extended Roads to Recovery for another five years to ensure councils all over Australia receive the funding they need to ensure local roads are safe, our communities are well connected and moving freight in and out of town is efficient.”

Senator Canavan said local councils could lodge their applications in October, which will allow payments under the new Roads to Recovery Programme to be made this November.

“Labor and The Greens’ unnecessary five-month delay in passing the legislation meant that the August payment was delayed. However, the Government will make up the delayed allocation to councils this financial year.

“Local needs should not suffer because of Labor’s political games.”

Senator Canavan said the breakdown of payments for local councils is: