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2023-24 Indigenous Councils Funding Program

Background

In 2020, the Queensland Government committed to conducting a review of funding arrangements for Indigenous councils including the State Government Financial Aid (SGFA), Revenue Replacement Program (RRP) and Indigenous Economic Development Grant (IEDG).

The SGFA, RRP and IEDG provide operational funding to support Queensland’s Indigenous councils meet the costs of providing services to their communities.

In 2022-23, the SGFA, RRP and IEDG provided a combined $43.098 million in funding to Queensland’s 16 Indigenous councils

Review outcomes

The Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning (the Department) has completed the review of these funding programs. The review has delivered:

  • an additional $25.8 million in funding for the 2023-24 financial year.
  • an updated allocation model that consolidates the three separate funding programs into one program.

This consolidated model optimises the funding pool distribution and contributes to addressing the financial sustainability risk of Indigenous councils.

Additional funding for Indigenous councils

In 2023-24, the new Indigenous Council Funding Program (ICFP) will provide $69.8 million in funding to Queensland's 16 Indigenous councils.

The ICFP is a significant investment in Queensland's Indigenous communities and will help Indigenous councils provide the local services that are essential to supporting liveable communities.

New funding allocation methodology

The new funding allocation model consolidates three grant programs (the SGFA, RRP and IEDG) into a new single funding program.  A combined funding program allows the total funding pool to be distributed across all 16 Indigenous council under a single fit for purpose methodology.

The new funding allocation methodology:

  • considers the main factors that impact the service delivery costs in Indigenous local government areas, population, remoteness and dispersion, and the potential of each council to raise revenue to offset the cost-of-service delivery.
  • reduces the administration processes and costs for both Indigenous councils and the Department
  • provides a transparent and equitable basis for allocation of funding to councils.

Due to the increased size of the funding pool for 2023-24, no council will receive less funding than they were provided in 2022-23.

Recipient councils under the 2023-24 ICFP are:

  • Aurukun Shire Council
  • Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council
  • Doomadgee Aboriginal Shire Council
  • Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire Council
  • Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire Council
  • Lockhart River Aboriginal Shire Council
  • Mapoon Aboriginal Shire Council
  • Mornington Shire Council
  • Napranum Aboriginal Shire Council
  • Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council
  • Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council
  • Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Shire Council
  • Torres Strait Island Regional Council
  • Woorabinda Aboriginal Shire Council
  • Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire Council
  • Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council

Resources

We have moved to a new portal to manage the administration of grants to councils. Please visit eGrants or contact your regional office.

Contact information

For more information, please contact the department at LGDgrants@dsdilgp.qld.gov.au.

Last updated: 09 Aug 2023