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Ingram supports fairer grants commission fundingIndependent Member for Gippsland East, Craig Ingram, has called for bipartisan support to implement recommendations by a Federal Parliamentary Committee to ensure country areas get their fair share of grants commission funds. By Craig Ingram - 28th November 2003 - Back to News Speaking in Parliament House this week, Mr Ingram said on a number of occasions he had raised the issue of the inequities that exist in the Commonwealth and State Grants Commission acts and the impact of the as-of-right entitlement on predominantly rural councils.
"I would like to congratulate the committee chaired by David Hawker MP in acknowledging the impact of this as-of-right entitlement on rural councils.
"The report tabled on Monday 24 November 2003, by the House Standing Committee on Economics, Finance and Public Administration on the inquiry into Local Government and Cost Shifting recommended that a new methodology for the distribution of Federal Grants to Local Government should be based on the basis of need.
"In response to an adjournment by me, the Minister for Local Government, Hon. Candy Broad, has confirmed that seven Victorian councils receive minimum grants totalling $10.6 million dollars and six of these councils did not qualify on the basis of need as assessed by the Grants Commission."
Mr Ingram called on all sides of Parliament to insist that these recommendations by the Federal Parliamentary Committee are implemented to ensure that the funds issued through the grants commissions are issued on the basis of needs of those communities.
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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