Kevin Rudd's latest attempt to stave off a recession will manifest itself through such projects as disabled access to the Cootamundra council chambers, restoring a hall in Tumbarumba, and a bus for residents of the northern beaches.
The ideas were ventured by excited mayors yesterday after the Federal Government handed councils $250 million in cash grants for small projects.
Mr Rudd also made available another $50 million for councils to bid for grants of $2 million or more for bigger projects such as sports stadiums.
He said all the $300 million would be paid out by the end of this financial year and had to be spent before the end of September next year, to help stimulate the economy.
"We expect that the Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program will create thousands of jobs for tradespeople, engineers and administrators," he said.
While Mr Rudd said this marked a new partnership between the Commonwealth and local government, he warned future funding would not be given out so freely.
Councils would be required to meet a national standard for financial and asset management plans.
"It will provide the Commonwealth with the confidence necessary to provide further support in the future," he said.
Of the $250 million, NSW councils will receive $85 million, more than 25pc, due to its population.
Councils with fewer than 5000 people will receive the minimum $100,000.
Depending on population growth and needs, larger councils would receive up to $2.9 million.
The average allocation per council is $450,000.
Cootamundra will receive $334,000, and the mayor, Paul Braybrooks, envisaged no problems in spending it.
"I have a town hall which is over 100 years old, I have a council chambers which has no disabled access, and I have a showground which has old pavilions which need renovation."
The Mayor of Tumbarumba, George Martin, will have $100,000 at its disposal.
"We've got a hall that needs restoring in Tumbarumba, some aged accommodation, a heritage building. As soon as I get back to Tumbarumba I'll be talking to my colleagues about which ones will get it."
The Mayor of Warringah, Michael Regan, and the Mayor of Pittwater, David James, were talking about pooling some of the $742,000 their councils will receive collectively.
There was a community bus plan on the table, and the State Emergency Service and Rural Fire Service building at Terrey Hills badly needed restoration.
"The whole thing's falling down; it's like a shed," Mr Regan said.
The money was handed out at the inaugural Australian Council of Local Government, attended by an estimated 565 mayors and shire presidents.
Mr Rudd said the meeting would become an annual event. Local government was "the best, quick lightning rod into what a local community needs", he said.
The Opposition spokesman Scott Morrison welcomed the funding but said handing out vast sums also required transparency and governance at council level to be improved.
The Local Government Minister, Anthony Albanese, took a shot at the former Howard government's regional partnerships program, saying yesterday's money was allocated on a formula based on need and population, not politics.
"This is not the regional partnerships program, this is a program with integrity."
* http://www.aclg.gov.au/rlcip/coun cil_allocations.aspx
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