Submission by the ASU SA+NT Branch Re Inquiry into Local Government Funding and Fiscal Sustainability

4 Febuary 2026 

A federal parliamentary inquiry is examining how local governments are funded and whether current funding arrangements are sustainable, including the impact funding pressures have on service delivery, infrastructure and the workforce.

The ASU SA + NT Branch has made a submission based on the experiences of our members working in councils across South Australia and the Northern Territory.

In our submission, we highlight how lack of funding and cost shifting are placing unsustainable pressure on councils, making it harder to attract and retain workers, stretching council budgets in the face of disasters and extreme weather, and increasing expectations on councils to step in as a service of last resort for essential community services.

We are clear that sustainable councils depend on secure funding and secure jobs. Any increase in government funding must support decent pay, strong conditions and long-term employment, so councils can continue to meet the needs of their communities.

Read the ASU submission to the inquiry here.