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The 2025/26 Federal Budget contains several welcome measures aimed at easing the cost of living, including relief for energy bills, tax cuts, and support for childcare. These initiatives will provide much-needed relief for growth area households.
But quality of life extends far beyond the front door. For those living in Australia’s fastest growing outer suburbs, the budget's lack of consistent investment in infrastructure and facilities for community services is a significant concern.
Our submission to Government called for
1. Recognition of growth areas as distinct metropolitan regions;
2. Increased community infrastructure funding through Thriving Suburbs; and
3. Long term investment framework for growth areas.
Beyond the Budget, NGAA is progressing our first priority. The population data on which this budget is based, produced by the Centre of Population, is evidence of the need for reform in geographic definitions. Planning and funding frameworks continue to treat metropolitan areas as homogeneous, ignoring the vast differences in infrastructure access between inner and outer suburbs.
The investment in key transport infrastructure projects such as the $1.1bn for the Western Freeway in Victoria and $1bn to preserve the Southwest Sydney Rail Extension corridor shows a recognition of Growth Area needs, but it’s just the start.
We welcome smart, future-focused investment into enabling infrastructure for Growth Areas such as the $350m for Kwinana Freeway upgrades in WA and $1bn to preserve Southwest Sydney Rail Extension corridor.
There is still significant ground to cover. More than $4 billion in essential road and public transport infrastructure identified by NGAA members remains unfunded.
We are deeply disappointed in the lack of recurrent funding for the heavily oversubscribed Thriving Suburbs Program, which provided critical funding for community infrastructure in its first year. While NGAA member councils were well-represented in the Thriving Suburbs and Urban Precincts and Partnerships Program (uPPP) funding - receiving 20% of uPPP allocations and one-third of Thriving Suburbs funding, a strong outcome given they represent just 6% of metropolitan LGAs - many vital projects remain unfunded. More than $360 million in community, sport, and recreational infrastructure is still in limbo, with no continuation of the Thriving Suburbs program in this Budget.
With the Housing Accord still driving housing growth, incentives geared toward first time home buyers like the Help to Buy scheme are more likely to increase property purchases in Growth Areas. This emphasises the blind spot of incentivising supply without the planned infrastructure.
Our pre-budget submission and government relations have consistently emphasised the challenges and needs of Growth Areas. More targeted funding is needed to improve access to basic amenities and community facilities.
