Page 552 - Week 02 - Thursday, 24 March 2022
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The last two years have confirmed that never has the role of government and a strong public sector been clearer: to respond quickly; to use our balance sheet and our borrowing power to invest; to support our most vulnerable; and to protect and shape the local economy through this long recovery period.
As I said at the outset, the budget review is designed to continue this policy approach—to address the immediate public health challenges and to improve the wellbeing and quality of life of Canberrans into the long term. In this budget update we expand the delivery of essential services, we further protect the environment, and we invest in the transformative infrastructure that will secure the economic future of our territory.
The government allocates around 30 per cent of the annual budget to delivering health services in the territory. The value of this investment is demonstrated in the quality of the health outcomes that we are able to achieve. At its heart, our health system is made up of people—the doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and support staff who have been there when we needed them. In the budget review, we will invest an additional $126 million into the territory’s public health system to meet future demand, address current increased needs resulting from COVID and support more complex health service delivery, now and into the future.
The budget review provides updates on the government’s near half billion-dollar business support program, underpinned by the business support grants provided during last year’s lockdown, as well as highlighting the targeted programs we have put in place to support a small number of specific sectors that were impacted beyond the lockdown and have been more adversely impacted by COVID during the course of the pandemic. From specific support for nightclubs, to indoor play centres, to additional grant funding for live music venues and the extension of fee waivers for hospitality businesses, the government has provided measured and targeted support as needed to protect local jobs and support local businesses.
Turning to education, we have invested over $20 million to support the safe return of students and teachers to the classroom. This has provided additional cleaning services in public schools, the distribution of masks, hand sanitiser and hundreds of thousands of rapid antigen tests, and it has also included the delivery of ventilation improvements in classrooms. Throughout the pandemic, Canberrans know, and have witnessed, that we will continue to make the necessary investments to provide safe environments—COVID-safe learning environments in this case—for students and teachers.
Turning now to infrastructure, the budget review builds on the 2021-22 budget, which set out the territory’s largest ever infrastructure program, with a number of new investments bringing the total infrastructure program, general government sector and trading enterprises to $6.6 billion.
This Infrastructure Investment Program is part of the government’s plan to deliver infrastructure that is built for Canberra and built to support our growing city. This program will deliver over $1 billion in infrastructure in education and training,
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