Mayor reveals Toowoomba region wishlist for federal budget

TOOWOOMBA Regional Council Mayor Paul Antonio has announced his federal budget wishlist for the region.

TOOWOOMBA Regional Council Mayor Paul Antonio has announced his federal budget wishlist for the region.

It's no surprise funding for the Inland Rail project is the main driver for Cr Antonio's vision for the region.

Other hopes include money for highway upgrades and more money for the local government coffers.

He said a full wish list would be decided and released in the coming weeks.

"We're working on getting an absolute commitment to Inland Rail and we're getting good vibes from both sides of politics recognising this is an essential nation building project," he said.

"I'm waiting with some degree of expectancy for the federal budget to come down."

He said in order to have some certainty of funding in the local government budgets, they needed to get a bigger share of the tax division between federal, state and local government.

"By and large the local governments across Australia need a better deal," he said.

"Local government has gone as far as it can go with the funds we have and we need to get communities going."

Cr Antonio is also seeking funding for highway upgrades.

"The smaller communities also have their individual needs, and we need to enable them through infrastructure, roads and connectability," he said.

He said he would take the wish list to the federal candidates in Groom and the Maranoa to work on.

Originally published as Mayor reveals Toowoomba region wishlist for federal budget