Member for Farrer Sussan Ley said yesterday she sympathised with the frustrations expressed by Albury mayor Kevin Mack, who had hit out at what he described as an “absurd” letter from Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss.

The open letter to councils comes ahead of the Australian Local Government Association’s National General Assembly in Canberra later this month.

Cr Mack described Mr Truss’ assertion that the Local Government Financial Assistance Grant indexation pause would be offset by infrastructure and roads funding as “a load of garbage”.

But Ms Ley said yesterday the government was not suggesting that the pause would be offset.

She said it was not her place to tell councils where to find savings but essentially, that is what they have to do.

Cr Mack has said Albury would miss out on $1.7 million over three years.

While sympathising with his position, Ms Ley said she wholeheartedly endorsed Mr Truss’ letter and called on councils to do their bit to address the “cold, hard reality of the government’s budgetary position”.

Councils can and will continue to protest. But while they may win some sympathy, it appears they will not win a reprieve.