Before Christmas there was an Adjournment debate in this House on funding local government. During the debate Senators expressed concern about the increasing costs which local authorities were facing in 2003 and underlined that local government must have adequate funding to perform the functions entrusted to it. The Bill before the House is about local government, ensuring it has the funding it needs and ensuring it is in a position to adequately perform its functions and provide good local public services across a range of areas contributing to national, local and community development. I commend the Bill to the House.