The Australian Government today announced an additional investment of $100 million into community infrastructure, including libraries, community centres and sports grounds and facilities, as part of our partnership with local government.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd made the announcement today at the third meeting of the Australian Council of Local Government, the nation's largest gathering of mayors and shire presidents, at Parliament House in Canberra.
This third round of the Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program (RLCIP) brings the Rudd Government's investment through the program to more than $1.1 billion since November 2008.
The funding will be shared between all of the nation's councils and shires to provide better infrastructure for local and regional communities.
So far, nearly 5,000 small- and larger-scale community infrastructure projects have been funded under the RLCIP including swimming pools, bicycle paths, sports grounds and facilities and environmental and disability-access infrastructure.
The majority of these projects have either been completed or are currently underway.
These projects have supported jobs in local communities during the global financial crisis while building infrastructure to support communities for generations to come.
The next round of the program is aimed at strengthening our communities during the economic recovery.
Local government is the level of government that is closest to the community, and the nation's councils and shires are well-placed to identify and deliver local infrastructure priorities.
That's why the Rudd Government has forged a new partnership with local government to invest in our communities.
Through this program, the Rudd Government is helping to improve the lives of everyday Australians, proving that cooperation between governments creates better communities.
Each local government will be allocated the same amount of funding as the last round of the RLCIP with shares determined by a robust, transparent and accountable process based on data collected by the State and Territory Local Government Grants Commissions. They will then be asked to nominate projects against that funding that are local community priorities.
Applications for the third round of the RLCIP will open shortly with further information at: www.infrastructure.gov.au