National General Assembly of Local Government highlights unfair funding cuts
Over the past fortnight, I joined fellow councillors at the 2026 National General Assembly of Local Government in Canberra. The Assembly brought together local government leaders from across Australia to discuss the shared challenges facing councils and the communities they serve.
A key focus of this year’s Assembly was advocating for fairer Financial Assistance Grants, with councils united in calling on the Australian Government to restore grant funding to 1 per cent of federal taxation revenue annually. We are highlighting the growing funding shortfall facing councils: local governments are responsible for about one-third of Australia’s public infrastructure (including local roads, buildings, facilities, airports, water and land) - yet the value of Financial Assistance Grants as a share of national taxation has halved over the past 30 years, from 1 percent in 1996 to just 0.49 percent in 2026-27.
External funding sources are becoming increasingly limited. Important Australian Government programs such as the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program and the former Building Better Regions Fund are no longer available. For many regional, rural and remote communities, the pathways to secure funding for growth and development projects have significantly diminished.
Further pressure has come from recent changes to the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, which have reduced the Australian Government’s funding contribution. These changes make it more difficult for councils to deliver essential infrastructure and recovery projects without placing additional financial pressure on ratepayers.
The reality is that less funding for local government means less reliability in the systems and services our communities rely on. Ultimately, these funding reductions shift greater responsibility onto local governments while reducing the resources available to meet community needs.
Simply put, these changes are not fair, and councils across Australia are united in calling for a more sustainable and equitable funding model.
Shared challenges focus at Cross-Border Forum
During the National General Assembly of Local Government, I attended the third annual Cross Border Breakfast Forum that brought together representatives from across different jurisdictions to discuss shared challenges and opportunities facing regional communities. The forum was hosted by Victorian Cross-Border Commissioner Brett Davis and included collaboration with other state commissioners, along with Queensland’s Cross-Border Commissioner, Mr Bob Gee APM.
The event provided a valuable opportunity to connect with local government colleagues and hear from a range of speakers on topics including recovery funding, reducing red tape, leadership, and service delivery across border communities. Discussions highlighted the importance of working together across borders to achieve positive outcomes for the unique challenges faced by border communities and businesses.
Thank you to all presenters and organisers for facilitating an informative and engaging forum.
Council’s 2026-27 Budget prioritises roads
In the last edition of this column, I said I’d like to spend some time highlighting some of the key projects planned in this budget, and I’d like to start off with roads.
Firstly, I’d like to reiterate that Council is continuing to advocate strongly for investment by the Queensland and Australian Governments for their highway networks. As above, external funding concerns are major and really impact roads. Across Australia, local council roads also make up around 75 per cent of the national road network, and as major road networks deteriorate, increased traffic is often diverted onto local roads, placing additional strain on council infrastructure.
In 2026-27, Council will invest $24.06 million in our local road network. Key projects include:
• $1.9 million in gravel re-sheeting
• $2.1 million in bitumen reseals
• $950,000 for the Yelarbon–Keetah Road widening
• $612,000 for the Daymar–Weengallon Road sealing
The Yelarbon-Keetah and Daymar-Weengallon Road projects will finalise upgrades to two important arterial routes that support freight movement, agricultural productivity, and regional connectivity. Investment in our local road network remains a high priority for this Council.
Inglewood hosts national Festival of Aeromodelling
It was great to get out to the Festival of Aeromodelling at the Inglewood Aerodrome this past week, hosted by Australian Large Scale Models (ALSM). Now in its fifth year in Inglewood, the event has firmly established itself as a highlight on both the local community calendar and the national aeromodelling scene.
While the nine-day festival brings in more than 300 pilots from across the country and beyond, the highlight for locals was undoubtedly the public Model Airshow on Sunday, which featured thrilling aerobatic displays and fun for all the family. It was fantastic to see so many people – I understand about 550 - enjoying the day, with great food, great company and an impressive array of model aircraft taking to the skies.
Since 2022, ALSM has proudly hosted the Festival of Aeromodelling in Inglewood each July, and has proven to be a wonderful example of the value events bring to our region. By attracting visitors who stay, dine and shop locally, the event delivers important economic benefits while also showcasing the Goondiwindi Region as a tourism destination.
Congratulations to ALSM, the many volunteers and everyone involved in delivering another successful festival. We look forward to welcoming competitors, visitors, and sky-high displays back to Inglewood again next year.