The ACT Government is building the infrastructure our growing city needs, which is creating more jobs for more Canberrans.
The delivers more investment in public health, a new school for Molonglo, increased support for our tourism and hospitality industry and more investment in public transport.
Now is not the time to send our city backwards, particularly on our efforts to combat climate change. The Budget Review includes further investment to reduce emissions and protect our local environment. This is a critical investment following the ecological disaster that has occurred in the Namadgi National Park in the past few weeks.
We are investing in providing the services that matter, while continuing to deliver on our commitments. This includes the city-wide roll out of the bulky waste pick up service, more bus drivers and more light rail service during peak periods.
This summer has demonstrated the critical need to prepare our emergency services for more extreme weather events in our future. This mid-year review includes more funding to keep the ACT prepared for the worst with more electronic fire danger rating signs and a fire detecting camera trial.
Our city, and Australia more broadly, faces a challenging economic and trade environment. This is impacting consumer and business confidence and resulting in lower tax collections.
Like all states and territories, the ACT will receive less funding from the Goods and Services Tax (GST) this coming financial year, which has impacted our Headline Net Operating Balance in the short term.
With a very small amount of infrastructure investment from the Commonwealth in the Territory, the ACT will have to largely go it alone in delivering our multi-billion dollar infrastructure pipeline.
As we have done in the past, this Government will continue to prioritise the investment in our city, and our economy, in the coming years. Now more than ever, our city needs certainty from Government that the infrastructure and service investment will continue as our city grows.
The ACT Government is committed to building for a better Canberra, by delivering more nurses, more teachers, and more infrastructure as our city grows.
Statement ends
