'Secrecy' claim over key grant program

Published 12:00pm 6 February 2023

Federal Member for Petrie Luke Howarth wants the government to “end eight months of secrecy” over how much Moreton Bay Regional Council (MBRC) will get from a key grant program.

Mr Howarth believes councils, including MBRC, are being restricted in their 2023 planning due to Federal Government delays over grant funding.

However, the Department of Infrastructure told Moreton Daily councils can “assume” they will get the same funding as their last allocation from the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure (LRCI) program.

Mr Howarth says delays in confirming figures were keeping councillors in the dark about when they will receive promised funding - and how much.

“Councils are relying on this grant being available from July 1, but after eight months in office the government has failed to provide any information to councils as to what amount of funding they can expect to receive, or the conditions attached to it,” the LNP member said.

The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communication and the Arts, said: “Funding under Phase 4 of the LRCI will be available to local councils from July 2023, with projects to be delivered by June 2025.

Same again

“Guidelines and grant agreements will be finalised over the coming months. Councils will be notified once funding allocations have been determined and when we are able to accept nominations.

“Councils can assume they will receive the same level of funding as they received in their last allocation, with those in rural, regional and peri-urban areas receiving more.”

Mr Howarth said the Coalition government “had budgeted for the Moreton Bay Regional Council to receive $5,003,061”.

“It is concerning the department was unable to confirm whether Labor would honour this and other funding commitments, as a minimum, when interrogated at Senate Estimates in December 2022,” Mr Howarth added.

“I call on the Government to write to the Moreton Bay Regional Council advising what funding they will receive from the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program to enable councillors and staff to get on with the task of improving our local area.”