Program · Outcome 3: Strengthening the sustainability, capacity and diversity of Australia's urban and regional areas including northern Australia, including through facilitating local partnerships between all levels of government and local communities; through investment in infrastructure and measures that stimulate economic growth; and providing grants and financial assistance
Program 3.2: Local government
The Local Government Program supports regional development and local communities through delivery of policy advice to the Australian Government and financial assistance to local governments to strengthen local government capacity and better support local communities.
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts, 2026-27 Portfolio Budget Statements, PDF page 64 reported
−$4.3bn (−85.0%) on 2025-26 estimated actual
Traced to named suppliers and grant recipients
AusTender and GrantConnect record the agency, not the program, so contracts and grants are shown on the entity page.
Published lines
Each row is one line of the program’s expense table in the 2026-27 Portfolio Budget Statements – Program Expense Line Items, as published.
| Line | Kind | 2025-26 estimated actual |
2026-27 Budget estimate |
Change | Treatment | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local Government (Financial Assistance) Act 1995 | administered | $4.6bn | $724m | −$3.9bn −84.4% | reported | Table 2.3.1, row 987 |
| Other services | administered | $250m | $21m | −$229m −91.8% | reported | Table 2.3.1, row 986 |
| Expenses not requiring appropriation in the Budget year | administered | $186m | $15m | −$171m −91.9% | reported | Table 2.3.1, row 969 |