The LGA of SA has questioned whether a new funding announcement by the State Government will have the desired effect of providing enough help for local maintenance and repair projects.
An extension of the initial $20m SA Jetties Renewal Program package will be part of Thursday’s state budget, with $5m to be allocated per year from 2027 onwards.
In South Australia, the State Government owns 75 jetties, 36 of which are leased to local councils for day-to-day maintenance.
While the State Government says it’s a strong sign of commitment to a beloved part of the community, LGA President Dean Johnson says it’s unlikely to go far enough without Federal funding supplementing it.
“We appreciate the State Government recognising the ongoing funding needs, however the scale of the financial requirements makes it clear that federal assistance would also be highly beneficial,” Mr Johnson said.
“A $5 million allocation per year is like using a bucket to bail out a sinking ship – we’re delaying inevitable closures and are unlikely to fix the underlying issues.”
Listen to the full interview between Dean Johnson and ARN Regional‘s Chris Guscott on Around SA:
