More than $4.68 million worth of federal funding to boost services and facilities for locals has been paid to Townsville City Council in just the last three months.
Herbert MP Phillip Thompson said $3.68 million of this financial year’s $7.68 million allocation of Financial Assistance Grants had already been paid to the Council in June, with the first quarterly payment of the remainder, worth just under $1 million, made last month.
Mr Thompson said the funding showed the Federal Government was focussed on making Townsville an even better place to live and work.
“While the bulk of Townsville City Council’s operational costs are met by ratepayers, this federal funding will help fix some extra local roads, maintain more local playgrounds or deliver more essential services,” he said.
“While the Financial Assistance Grants aren’t tied to any particular projects, I’d like to see the money spent on tangible outcomes for Townsville’s suburbs and communities.”
Mr Thompson said the bulk of this financial year’s allocation had already been paid, in order to inject more money into the local economy at a critical time.
“We know that local governments are big employers, so when there are lots of local projects going on, that can result in significant flow-on effects for the economy,” he said.
“To be able to get this money out the door quicker than we normally would is a great result for the community.”
In 2020-21, Federal Government funding to Townsville City Council included $7.28 million under the Local Government Financial Assistance Grants, $2.23 million under the Roads to Recovery Program, and $4.46 million as part of the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure fund.
Since 1974–75, the Federal Government has provided local governments with almost $60 billion in untied funding through the Financial Assistance Grants program.
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