That is the message to Farrer communities from local member Sussan Ley after she was elected Liberal leader and Leader of the Opposition last week.
Ms Ley gained four more votes than Angus Taylor to lead the depleted party into the next term of government.
“I know some have said that it will be tough to balance the job of local MP with this party leadership role, but I disagree entirely: ‘tough’ was raising three children on a family farm while pursuing a university degree,” she said.
“Being the leader of our party will never play second fiddle to looking after Farrer.
“It is a huge privilege to be elected as the Leader of the Liberal Party, and I want to acknowledge every one of my colleagues who’ve given me that opportunity.
“While the significance of the election result is not lost on any of us, I approach this new position with enormous optimism.
“I am committed to listen to the message voters have delivered, and commit the Liberal Party to respect, reflect and represent the views and needs of modern Australia.
“Like so many regional areas, we are being completely ignored by Labor - I intend to be a firm, sensible voice arguing the needs of our nation, both city and country.”
Local mayors will be keeping Ms Ley to her word, and say job one for both sides of government is to support calls for increased funding to councils.
Local councils have been campaigning for an increase to the Financial Assistance Grants awarded to councils by the Commonwealth, alongside other Riverina and Murray Joint Organisation Councils, the Country Mayor’s Association and Local Government Australia.
The Financial Assistance Grant program consists of two components:
• a general purpose component which is distributed between the states and territories according to population (i.e. on a per capita basis), and
• an identified local road component which is distributed between the states and territories according to fixed historical shares.
NSW Country Mayors Association chairman Mayor Rick Firman OAM said country-based councils face unique cost pressures, with many local government areas the size of small European countries.
Councils are required to deliver public services like administration, recreational facilities, pools, libraries and waste facilities in multiple locations to ensure equity of access, which increases the cost of council operations.
“Declining Commonwealth contributions, coupled with rate pegging in New South Wales and increasing operating costs are making it extremely difficult for councils and particularly country councils to continue to deliver services and infrastructure at the levels their communities need and deserve,” Cr Firman said.
“Local Government expects that the unique role that councils perform in delivering on-ground services to the people living in every corner of Australia will be recognised and funded appropriately by the Commonwealth.
“An interim report identified that local government is being increasingly relied upon to deliver services and infrastructure which were traditionally under the purview of the Commonwealth, state and territory governments, and yet Commonwealth grants have decreased not increased.
“We believe it is completely unacceptable that we should wear the responsibility without adequate funding.”
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