Councillor Linda Scott, President of the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA), will address the National Press Club of Australia on ‘Future-proofing local government in Australia: support, safety and sustainability’.
For the past 30 years, local leaders from Australia’s 537 councils have converged at the National General Assembly in Canberra to advocate for better federal funding and partnerships.
But the role of local government – and the expectations of our communities – has significantly changed during this time. Local government is at the heart of place-based delivery, implementation and preparation in support of Australia’s national priorities.
Over the past three decades, roads, rates and rubbish have expanded to include natural disaster response and recovery, facilitation of affordable housing, climate change mitigation and adaptation and often delivery of aged care, childcare and primary health and social services.
This cost-shift, and reliance on place-based implementation, has occurred without significant funding increases to local government.
There needs to be a major re-think of our federated model to more effectively recognise, fund and support councils as a critical third level of government.
Speaker profile:
Cr Linda Scott has been the President of ALGA since 2020. Cr Scott is an experienced Board Director, previously serving as the first female Chair of Local Government NSW and on the ALGA Board since 2017. Cr Scott is currently serving as a Councillor for the City of Sydney Council, formerly serving as Deputy Lord Mayor. She is the Chair of CareSuper having joined the CareSuper Board in 2018.
Cr Scott serves (and has served) on other boards and advisory bodies, including National Cabinet with the Prime Minister, Premiers and Chief Ministers and is a member of a range of other intergovernmental Ministerial Councils. She also sits on the National Joint Council on Closing the Gap, the NSW Environmental Trust and the CSIRO’s External Advisory Group on Ending Plastic Waste.
Cr Scott will launch the 2024 results of ALGA’s latest National State of the Assets report – which has previously shown a multi-billion dollar local community infrastructure backlog across the nation, including for libraries, community halls, sporting facilities and playgrounds. Failing to address this issue will pass these costs on to future generations.
