TWEED residents will have more to do than vote in the next government at the upcoming federal election on September 14.

They'll be asked if local government should be recognised in the constitution.

Referendum questions are notoriously cryptic, so My Daily News asked the Tweed mayor and deputy mayor to shed some light on the issue.

The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has been campaigning for the change, arguing it would remove legal uncertainty from federal funding given directly to local government.

At the moment, funding can be legally challenged.

Tweed mayor Barry Longland said up till now, the council had been a corporation under state legislation.

"It has been very much regulated by the state,' he said.

"Recognition in the constitution will provide the commonwealth with the ability to directly fund local government projects and priorities."

He said the proposal had bi partisan support.

"This is important symbolically but it will provide a more direct relationship between federal government and local government," he said.

"It's a good move.

"It's a big thing for local government.

"We had to get this referendum question happening and I think it has a good chance."

Tweed Deputy Mayor Michael Armstrong gave a definitive "yes" in response to the question "should local government be recognised in the constitution?"

"Local government has been the third level of government throughout Australian history,' he said.

"It's important that it gets recognition.

"This would also simplify the relationship between local government and both the state and federal governments."

He said at present there were limitations in regard to funding assistance.

The ALGA says recognition of local government in the constitution would allow funds to go straight from a federal to a local level, cutting out the middle-man of state government.

The issue has been put to voters twice before - in 1974 and 1988 - but was rejected both times.

ALGA president Felicity-Ann Lewis says a 'yes' vote would ensure communities kept getting vital money from the federal government.

"This is about money for local communities, for the services and the programs that they so badly need and have come to rely on now," she told ABC radio today.

"This is continuing to deliver what's been custom and practice and to make sure that that can be done without any challenges."