Council applauds funding boost for local roads

Published on 25 June 2015

Mildura Rural City Council will have access to more money to maintain and upgrade local roads thanks to a boost to the Federal Government’s Roads to Recovery program, announced this week.

Mayor Glenn Milne has welcomed the news, which will see the Federal Government reintroduce an indexation on fuel excise. The move is expected to raise an additional $1.1 billion for the Roads to Recovery program over the next two years.  Mildura Rural City Council is set to receive $16,575, 279 through the Roads to Recovery Program over the next three years.

“We’re very pleased the federal government has made this call and appreciate the efforts of our local Federal Member, Andrew Broad, who has advocated on our behalf for this,” Cr Milne said.

“The Roads to Recovery program is one of the many crucial funding streams Council receives. It enables us to pay for and manage our extensive network of local roads.

“Local Government is responsible for about 85% of Australia’s 900,000 kms of roads. Geographically, Mildura Rural City Council is the largest local government area in all of Victoria. We have more than 5,000km of roads to maintain and we know that quality, safe roads are very important to residents and the businesses who rely on them.”

Over the past five years, Mildura Rural City Council has received $8.8million through the Roads to Recovery program, allowing it to undertake 113 projects.  These have included upgrades to major transport routes such as Meridian Road and Benetook Avenue.

“Without this funding Council would simply not have the capacity to undertake the roads projects that we do. And we would not be in a position to levy our ratepayers higher to cover these costs.”

ENDS