Real estate in Australia has been flourishing over the past couple of years, with part of the success of some local markets being due to increased access or amenities as a result of infrastructure development. Acting Prime Minster and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Warren Truss acknowledged the role that local governments play in regional development.
The 2015 National Awards for Local Government will acknowledge the hard work of local governments in developing their communities and will give them a platform on which to share the experience and knowledge, according to Mr Truss.
"Through these awards, the Australian Government celebrates the essential role local governments play in the lives of people living right across Australia," said Mr Truss.
"Local governments are the closest tier of government to their community so their service delivery is crucial to the social and economic development of Australian regions."
Local economic development
The focus of local governments on their immediate areas allows them to exercise significant influence on the development of certain areas. For example, we may find that real estate in Adelaide will benefit from improvements to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Not only are more jobs created through projects like this, but the homes surrounding these areas can increase in value as people seek easy access to essential services.
Other major projects set to improve Australian cities include the Melbourne Rail Link, Bruce Highway in Brisbane and the Macquarie Point Project in Tasmania.
Projects similar to these will be submitted by local governments to the Australian government to be considered for an award. The awards open on 19 January and close on 27 February. Projects will be considered based on the creative ideas and best practice.
"As former mayor, I understand the vital role councils play in delivering innovative solutions to local challenges," said Mr Truss.
The minister went on to note that the awards, which have been running since 1986, granted these projects the national recognition they deserved.
The National Awards category winners are set to be announced in April 2015, while we will have to wait until the Australian Local Government Association National General Assembly dinner in June 2015 to hear who the national winner is.
Acknowledgement like this is not only hard-won by local governments, but also salutes the communities in which the projects are located - giving them centre stage in the national scene.
As the category winners are announced, those interested in houses for sale should look to those communities to gauge their progress - it could be a very good indicator of where to buy before the market becomes too saturated.
