JjAUSTRALIA ( k,
PRIME MINISTER PRESS STATEMENT NO. 308
23 August 1974
GRANTS TO SOUTH WESTERN SYDNEY COUNCILS
Four Councils in the south western region of Sydney
will receive special grants totalling $ 837,000 under a historic
Australian Government scheme.
They will benefit from the Government's decision to
approve the first grants ever to be made to reduce inequalities
between local government areas throughout Australia. For the
first time since its creation in 1933, the Grants Commission
has recommended grants for local government areas.
The Government, which last year empowered the
Commission to recommend aid for local government areas in
addition to claimant States, has approved the body's proposals.
The Commission, an independent and non-political
body, recommended that $ 837,000 be allocated to the Sydney
south western region in 1974/ 75.
The four Councils in the region to benefit from the
grants are:
Camden municipal Council $ 79,000
Campbelltown City Council $ 235,000
Liverpool City Council $ 445,000
Wollondilly Shire Council $ 78,000
The grants will be paid to the Councils through the
New South Wales Government. The Australian Government has
accepted the Grants Commission recommendation that no conditions
be attached to the way in which the councils spend their allocations
in 1974/ 75.
-2-
The grants to the Sydney south western region are
part of a total of $ 56,345,000 to be made available to local
government organisations throughout Australia in 1974/ 75.
Councils in New South Wales will receive $ 21,359,000
of this amount. This is the first time that New South Wales has
received any funds as a result of Grants Commission recommendations.
The Commission was established in 1933 to provide
recommendations for special grants to be paid to claimant States
under Section 96 of the Constitution.
At various times in the past 41 years these States
have included Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
and Tasmania. The basis of making such grants has been the
recognition that at various times some States have been less
advantaged than others, both in terms of finance and services.
Because of its strong overall financial position
compared to other States, New South Wales has never qualified
for Grants Commission allocations.
It will now benefit as a result of the Grants
Commission Act which was introduced by the Australian Government
last year. This empowered the Commission to examine not just
inequalities between States but also inequalities that exist
between regions in the one State.
This recognises that while a single State may be in
a strong financial position overall, some areas within it may lack
adequate services and facilities.
Local Councils in such areas may not have the financial
resources to overcome those deficiencies and even the relevant
State Government may not be able to provide adequate assistance.
It has become quite obvious that if the disabilities
of some areas of Australia are to be overcome the national
Government must provide special grants.
That is the principle which has guided the Grants
Commission and the Government in their deliberations.
National Government assistance for Councils is long
overdue in Australia. Neither the Australian nor State Governments
in the past have been prepared to provide adequate assistance
to enable local government to provide the many essential services
which the community now demands of it.