Budget cuts to local government of nearly $1 billion over four years

Commenting on the budget freeze to the indexation of Financial Assistance Grants for local government Australian Greens spokesperson for local government Senator Lee Rhiannon said:

"Treasurer Joe Hockey's $1 billion budget cut to local government is an assault on the important work of councils and shires across the country that are on the frontline of providing essential services and maintaining and building infrastructure.

"This decision pushes the brutal Abbott budget onto local communities and their councils.

"While Mr Hockey is ripping $1 billion off local governments he is handing over more than $15 billion to motorways, most of which have not been identified as priorities by Infrastructure Australia.

"This $1 billion cut to local government will only exacerbate the hardship in regional Australia caused by the Abbott government's cuts to jobs, health services and higher education.

"This is a budget written for big-business, big miners, big polluters, big banks, who have all been let off the hook.

"There is no plan for the future of local government, just a tunnel vision for motorways and stranded fossil fuel assets that will be worthless to our economy within decades.