Inquiry into local government funding and services

Published on 09 July 2024

Swan Hill Rural City Council took the opportunity to make a submission into the inquiry into local government funding and services. Submissions closed on Friday 28 June and Swan Hill Rural City Council were one of about 105 submissions received from both individuals and organisations wanting to have their say. The public hearing commenced this week.

Council’s Mayor, Cr Stuart King, highlighted that the submission process allowed Council to offer valuable insight into its operations at the grassroots level. He stated, "While preparing the submission, we took the opportunity to narrate our complete story, highlighting the unique features of our municipality, and providing clarity on the specific issues affecting the delivery of services."

“Through the submission process, we were able to tell the story behind the data. Demonstrating and explaining how funding, received from both state and federal governments, translates into real-life impact was a valuable process to work through,” added Cr King.

Cr King emphasized, "Council’s top priority is to maintain financial sustainability not only at present but into the future.”

In the submission, Council highlighted the necessity of conducting a review of the entire local government funding model. “We believe having the right funding structure to work with will ensure the efficient and effective delivery of core services across the entire municipality,” stated Cr King.

The submission Swan Hill Rural City Council put forward into the local government funding and services inquiry is available for viewing on the Parliament of Victoria website. You can access it here https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/49ec5d/contentassets/79c5e25f1b574ffcb7b8278d511f04dd/submission-documents/058.-swan-hill-rural-city-council_redacted.pdf