Funding amounts
The Roads to Recovery (RTR) Program, funded by the Australian Government, is delivered by local governments in partnership with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts (the department) under the National Land Transport Act 2014.
Each local government area nationally is guaranteed a share of the total program budget. Funding recipients can schedule projects and receive payments up to their individual amount allocated for the funding period.
An RTR List instrument specifies the amounts to be provided to each funding recipient during the funding period as determined by the relevant Minister.
Amounts for the current five-year funding period are determined by the RTR List 2024.
There are 551 recipients of RTR Program funding including: every local council, state and territory governments for unincorporated areas, and bodies governing Norfolk Island, Lord Howe Island and the Indian Ocean Territories. The South Australian Local Government Grants Commission and the Local Government Association of the NT also receive funding for roads located across multiple local government areas.
The RTR Program budget is gradually increasing over the 2024-29 funding period, so that it will reach $1 billion per year nationally from 2027-28. The total five-year amount for each funding recipient is divided to provide a nominal annual funding allocation that reflects this annual increase.
Funding conditions
Funding recipients may nominate local priority road projects to expend their funding amount in accordance with the RTR Conditions instrument. The instrument details the types of projects eligible to be funded under the program and the requirements to receive funding as determined by the relevant Minister.
The current program conditions are determined by the RTR Conditions 2024.
Funding provided under the RTR Program is not intended to replace local government spending on roads, or state and territory government assistance to funding recipients for local road construction or maintenance.
Funding recipient guidance
RTR payments are made directly to each funding recipient under simple administrative procedures that enable construction schedules to be decided locally and be regularly reported to the Government.
The RTR Operating Procedures provide funding recipients with procedural guidance for administering the program.
- Roads to Recovery 2024-29 Operating Procedures (323.82 KB)
The Infrastructure Management System (IMS) is the administrative portal used to manage RTR projects and funding.
Project signage
Each project funded under the RTR Program, valued at more than $10,000, must be identified by temporary signage as set out in the Signage Guidelines published on the department’s website.
Please contact the department by email to events@infrastructure.gov.au for any enquiries about signage or to request signage templates.
Project promotions
Funding recipients must notify the department when they propose to issue a public statement, media release, publication or advertising, or to hold an event in relation to an RTR funded project.
Events and public media on RTR projects must acknowledge and give appropriate recognition to the contribution of the Australian Government. Please refer to the RTR Conditions for detailed requirements about project promotions.
- To seek approval for media, funding recipients must send an email to the department requesting approval at least five (5) business days in advance of publication to media@infrastructure.gov.au.
- To notify the department about a formal event proposed to be held in relation to an RTR funded project, funding recipients must provide details of the proposed ceremony or event by email at least four (4) weeks before the event to events@infrastructure.gov.au.
More information
Basic information reported by funding recipients about RTR projects is available through the department’s website at Projects, otherwise for more detailed information about a specific RTR project, please contact the relevant local government organisation.
You can contact the department with enquiries about the RTR Program by email to Roads.toRecovery@infrastructure.gov.au.