October 25, 2013
Deputy Prime Minister and Member for Wide Bay Warren Truss has repeated a promise to Local Government representatives that the Federal Government will invest $300 million to upgrade the nation’s bridges.
Speaking at the Local Government Association of South Australia conference today Mr Truss said he had a “passion” for Local Government.
“As many of you know, I served as a councillor in the Shire of Kingaroy for 14 years. I have a passion for Local Government, and I understand very well the critical role that it plays in making our nation stronger,” he said.
Mr Truss said councillors did not need reminding how ageing road infrastructure was a major challenge for local governments, particularly rural and regional councils.
“That is why we created the Roads to Recovery and Black Spots programs – to address the deplorable condition of many local roads and streets, especially in regional communities,” he said.
“We are very proud of these programs – they are practical solutions that have made our roads safer and more efficient.
“They will be complemented by our new commitment to invest $300 million to upgrade the nation’s deteriorating bridges under our new Bridges Renewal program.
“Both international and national experience shows that bridges are frequently neglected infrastructure assets.
“Australia’s 30,000 local bridges are vital in connecting people within communities – but substantial upgrades are often beyond the financial resources of local governments.
“We want to work with local government to help fix these problems by providing up to 50 per cent of the cost of building the replacement bridges so often required.
“We recognise that these upgrades are essential for both economic and safety reasons – and the Bridges Renewal Programme will provide very practical help to local governments.
- Download a full-copy of Mr Truss’ speech (102kb PDF)
Related articles:
