Australia's National Local Government Newspaper Online

Roads to Recovery

Recent improvements and 2nd quarterly payment

The Federal Government’s $1.2 billion Roads to Recovery Programme is gaining momentum. Recent decisions by the Government to vary the ‘one size fits all’ quarterly payment arrangement and to provide additional funding for unincorporated areas, have also been a boost to many councils and local communities.

Numerous councils have applied for and been granted faster payment of some of their entitlement when projects with large up-front cash-flows are ready to proceed. This is speeding up the benefits of Roads to Recovery to local communities, road users and industry and also improving the efficiency of undertaking road works.

The option of accelerated payments is subject to the overall cash flows of the programme and the Government will consider arrangements to apply in 2001-02.

The Federal Government has made further decisions to benefit councils eligible to receive relatively smaller overall Roads to Recovery grants and remote area communities.

Recent enhancements

• The Federal Government is providing an extra $8 million in Roads to Recovery funding over four years to unincorporated areas in South Australia, NSW and Victoria. This decision will benefit more than 10,000 people living in remote areas, including indigenous communities, not covered by councils and where State Governments undertake the task of councils.
• Councils eligible to receive $160,000 or less over the life of the Programme are entitled to receive their full four-year grant in one instalment if they submit works to the value of their entitlement. Many of these councils are in the remotest areas of Australia and the decision will maximise the value of Roads to Recovery for these councils.
• The second Roads to Recovery quarterly payment will be made shortly. Councils which received the first quarterly payment will need to have submitted a corresponding quarterly progress report to be eligible for their second payment. Councils which are seeking their first quarterly payment must have a works schedule in place to be eligible for funding.

For further information, please contact the relevant Roads to Recovery State/Territory Manager:

NSW/ACT (02) 6274 8151 - Queensland/NT (02) 6274 6170
SA/Tas/WA (02) 6274 6169 - Victoria (02) 6274 7466

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