Page 2811 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 6 October 2021

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(e) amending the Rental Tenancies Act to end no cause evictions and to make other improvements for people who rent;

(5) finally notes that, over the past five years, the Government has instituted a range of measures to reduce daily costs on homebuyers, households and businesses, such as:

(a) continuing the expansion of the Nurse-Led Walk-In and Health Centre network across the ACT, to provide free medical treatment for Canberra families;

(b) establishing the $150 million Sustainable Household Scheme so that Canberrans can access interest-free loans to install solar panels and heat pumps and reduce their electricity bills;

(d) setting the payroll tax threshold at the highest in the country, meaning most ACT businesses pay no payroll tax;

(e) continuing to provide Chromebooks to ACT public school students in Years 7 to 12, saving parents and carers hundreds of dollars; and

(f) establishing the Motor Accident Injury Scheme to drive down premiums and improve access to support for injured drivers; and

(6) calls on the ACT Government to:

(a) use every tool at its disposal to foster a strong and fair economic recovery from the pandemic-induced economic downturn, while continuing to address day-to-day cost stresses; and

(b) review and update the ACT’s Targeted Assistance Strategy in the first half of 2022, with potential measures to be considered as part of the 2022-23 Budget.”.

I am speaking to this motion partially on behalf of the Chief Minister, who is getting ready to deliver his budget this afternoon, and I will add some comments of my own at the end if I get time. I think we all recognise that Canberra is a great place to live. It is a great place to work and raise a family. Over the last 20 years, the ACT government has made a significant contribution to ensuring Canberrans enjoy some of the highest living standards anywhere in the world. Canberrans earn above average household income, and our unemployment rate is among the lowest in the country at 3.5 per cent.

Our focus has and will continue to be on creating more well-paid and secure jobs, whatever occupation people want to enter, because getting people trained and into a good job is a great way to reduce inequality. But we recognise that that does not tell the full story and that there are many Canberrans doing it tough. Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a growth in inequality around the world. Australia—and, of course, the ACT—has not been immune to that. COVID-19 outbreaks and associated lockdowns here and interstate have created job losses and closures of businesses across Australia, as well as here in the ACT.

Our focus through this time, and particularly during our lockdown, has been to do everything we can to keep Canberrans healthy and safe. That means listening to

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