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Council advocates to end the freeze

Bass Coast Shire Council is urging the Australian Government to honour its promise to restore indexation to the Local Government Financial Assistance Grants payments in the upcoming 2017-18 Federal Budget.

By Portal Admin - 21st April 2017 - Back to News

Bass Coast Mayor, Cr Pamela Rothfield, said the funds have played an important role in helping Council provide vital services and infrastructure for the local community.

"The untied Financial Assistance Grants are an important part of our revenue base, allowing us to provide and maintain our community’s infrastructure and services," Cr Rothfield said.

"The Commonwealth’s decision in the 2014 Federal Budget to freeze indexation of this valued funding means Bass Coast has received a reduced level of Financial Assitance Grants for the past three years, putting a noticeable dent in our cash flow and impacting on the services we’re able to provide to our community."

The Australian Government committed to restore indexation in this year’s Federal Budget and Cr Rothfield said Council and the community will hold them to their promise.

"Politicians in Canberra must restore indexation of Federal Assistance Grants so that we can meet our community's demand for services and provide the level and quality of service that they deserve," Cr Rothfield said.

Bass Coast has joined other councils nationwide on a campaign to ensure the Federal Government honours its promise to restore indexation to Financial Assistance Grants in the 2017-18 Federal Budget.

More information about the campaign is available at media.endthefreeze.com.

For more information contact:

Simone Short

media communications officer

t (03) 5671 2703 | f (03) 5671 2222 | m 0400 804 187

e simone.short@basscoast.vic.gov.au

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: support@gippsland.com