Fund the Gap
Palmerston is a member of the National Growth Areas Alliance, a collaboration of 30 fast growing councils around Australia representing one in four Australians.
Throughout Australia, there is a shortfall in the amount of money received by rates, grants and other income and the money required to fund infrastructure projects in line with community needs and population increases. This means there are communities like Palmerston which are not able to afford playgrounds, swimming pools, community centres and other basic facilities.
The Federal Government currently has billions of dollars in budget surplus which could be spent on these essential infrastructure projects in Australian communities.
Fund the Gap is a campaign by NGAA members to seek a fair share of funds from the Federal Government. Take, for example, Financial Assistance Grants. Currently these grants are allocated on a combined needs and population basis. The way funds are currently allocated Palmerston is only receiving funding on our population basis as we are close to the capital city of Darwin, whereas the Blue Mountains area is considered high needs as it is remote in relation to Sydney.
Through Fund the Gap, we are asking the Federal Government to allocate Financial Assistance Grants directly to local government, in the same way Roads to Recovery funding is allocated, to ensure that places like Palmerston are recognised as remote and high needs on a national scale.
On average, NGAA councils need $39 per NGAA resident per year to bring our communities up to scratch. This equates to less than 80c a week, but adds up to $206 million per year across the country that would be spent on infrastructure in our communities.
The first step of the campaign is to write to federal politicians on both sides of Parliament to raise awareness of the shortfall in infrastructure funding.
Suggested wording:
Dear (Minister/Member's name),
Vital social and community infrastructre is under threat and action needs to be taken urgently.
Independent research has revealed that in Australia's fastest-growing local government areas, $11.7 billion is needed for infrastructure over the next 15 years. Councils simply can not fund all the roads and parks we use daily or the services and amenities our community depends on.
One in four Australians is represented by the National Growth Areas Alliance - a collective of councils working together to raise public awareness of this issue.
It is well known that the Federal Government in in surplus. It is only fair and reasonable that some of those funds are re-invested into the community.
All we are asking is for $39 per year for every resident represented by the NGAA. It is critical that you take action to fund the gap.
Sincerely,
(name)
For more information about the campaign, visit http://www.fundthegap.org/
