FEDERAL FUNDING FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT ROADS. MANAGING OUR ENVIRONMENT AND CARING FOR PEOPLE: THIRD NATIONAL LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENGINEERING CONFERENCE 1985

This paper traces the development of Federal government funding for roads in Australia from humble beginnings in 1923 to the billion dollar figures of today. In so doing, it explores broadly the more recent pieces of road legislation such as the Road Grants Act 1981 and Australian Bicentennial Road Development Trust Fund Act 1982, and how these give effect to Federal government funding in the area of local roads particularly. Other new Federal government road initiatives such as the jobs on local roads program have also had a significant impact on local government's capacity to maintain its road systems, whilst at the same time helping to alleviate unemployment. Maintenance of Australia's road network is a co-operative effort between the three levels of government--Federal, state and local. It is significant to say that in 1984/85 the Federal government met 40 per cent of total expenditure by the three levels of government on road improvements. Federal government funding for all categories of roads increased by 46 per cent during 1984/85 over 1982/83 levels, and given Federal government acknowledgement of the vital role local government is playing in the construction and maintenance of Australia's vast road network, there is every reason for local government to be sanguine about the future funding of its roads. (Author/TRRL)