Tenterfield Shire Council may be in for some economic relief, thanks to decisions made at the ALP national conference last week.
MP Janelle Saffin has hailed a new Local Government Federation Compact announced at the Adelaide conference as a major win for regional, rural and remote councils and their communities.
The commitment, if implemented, will assist all local councils including the Southern Downs.
"I was proud to be among the NSW delegates who voted unanimously in favour of annually increasing Financial Assistance Grants to the Australian local government sector," Ms Saffin said.
"I applaud Local Government NSW President Cr Darcy Byrne and United Services Union General Secretary Graeme Kelly OAM (both city dwellers) for championing this campaign since 2018.
"Both are committed to fairness for all, and their strong advocacy demonstrates this.
"The Compact is a game changer for our communities and especially so the ones that make up the Lismore Electorate I am honoured to represent --Tenterfield Shire, Kyogle, Lismore City, Byron Shire, and Tweed Shire.
"I look forward to the advance of the amendment and its implementation."
Financial Assistance Grants are a vital source of untied funding that councils use to help fund local roads, infrastructure and community services.
In addition to the increased Financial Assistance Grants the five-year Compact will also:
Ensure Roads to Recovery funding can be used to purchase plant and equipment to enable councils to carry out their own road maintenance with their own trained workers, to the extent possible;
Support and increase the availability of apprenticeships in local government, as well as other employment programs in a local government context;
Deliver new capabilities to approve new outcomes in housing, planning, emergency management and aged care; and
Ensure the Australian Government publishes an annual summary of funding for Local Government.
Mr Kelly has written to NSW councils, confirming that the United Services Union, Australian Services Union, AWU Queensland and Local Government NSW had achieved the groundbreaking Compact on Saturday, 25 July 2026.
Thanking Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for his support of the local government sector and its workers, Mr Kelly said the Compact enables councils to plan effectively, keeping skilled workers in secure, local jobs.
Cr Byrne said the crisis in funding for councils in rural, regional and remote areas has been getting more acute, and this recognition from the Federal Government that action must be taken is a big step forward.
"LGNNSW looks forward to working with the Federal Government, unions representing the local government workforce, and local government associations across Australia to develop and implement the Compact," Cr Byrne said.
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