Councils across Australia are set to receive unprecedented financial help to maintain and upgrade their local roads – assistance that will support local jobs and local businesses during the current global recession.

Today I’ve announced the allocation Australia’s councils and shires will receive over the next five years (2009/10 to 2013/14) from the Rudd Labor Government’s $1.75 billion Roads to Recovery program.

Councils can use the funding they receive from the Program to make urgent repairs and upgrades to their local road networks. The funding is untied and can go towards the local priorities identified by local communities.

All up, our record funding will deliver more than 20,000 minor road projects in every part of the country over the next five years.

Details of individual council allocations can be found at: www.nationbuildingprogram.gov.au.

Last year, the Rudd Labor Government extended the program for a further five years and boosted its funding to $1.75 billion. That’s an extra $250 million when compared to the previous government’s allocation and represents a significant investment in the safety and condition of local roads.

Collectively, councils are responsible for maintaining more than 657,000 kilometres of road which are used by millions of Australians every day.

I am pleased to be working in partnership with local councils to deliver safer and less congested roads for local motorists and long distance transport operators.

The five year funding allocations are based on the recommendations of State/ Territory Local Government grants commissions.

In addition to Roads to Recovery, the Rudd Labor Government is also providing the nation’s councils with:

• A record $1.9 billion in Financial Assistance Grants this financial year alone;


• $800 million from the Community Infrastructure Program – the largest ever Federal investment in local infrastructure.