Page 3026 - Week 09 - Thursday, 13 October 2022
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should be. But let us be clear that, if the opposition go to the 2024 election with the same promises of less tax and more spending, then there is zero credibility in their arguments about debt and deficit.
The other areas of this very large series of government outlays and policy responsibility, include climate action. I want to touch briefly on the success of the Sustainable Household Scheme, which has delivered nearly $100,000 million in loans for Canberra households. Around five per cent of eligible households in Canberra have now taken up an offer under that scheme for rooftop solar, solar and battery, for switching off gas heating and cooling, for battery storage, new appliances, electric vehicles and electric vehicle charging points at home. It has been one of the most successful award-winning government programs, and I look forward to its continued success.
The Big Canberra Battery project continues. There are projects under construction and more to be procured that will ensure that the territory can store the renewable energy that we generate. We have outlined our gas transition plan. The forward work on adaptation and resilience, as part of the ACT climate change risk assessment, has been commissioned. The budget provides funding for the Office of Climate Action, continued capital funding for the Big Canberra Battery, support for bushfire resilience and further living infrastructure plans to reduce urban heat.
The Everyday Climate Choices website is achieving a great deal of interest and cut-through, and we continue to support the community’s desire to make the transition to net zero emissions.
In the economic development stream of my portfolio responsibilities, we are particularly focused on economic growth and our new economic development priorities, outlined through CBR Switched On.
The budget commits over $22 million in funding to support the Future Jobs Fund. This is comprised of $12 million in expense funding and $10 million in capital funding. The Future Jobs Fund will continue to prioritise investment attraction, innovation, commercialisation of research, and growing our entrepreneurial ecosystems and initiatives that will attract and retain a skilled workforce.
Funding has been allocated to support innovation co-investment grants, the establishment of a venture capital fund to support ACT based start-ups; space sector development in the territory and the development of a space hub; a renewed commitment to the Canberra Cyber Hub to support its operations; business communications; maintaining high levels of engagement through recovery and development of new government programs; maintaining engagement with key industry bodies; and enhancing opportunities for businesses to grow and succeed.
In the investment attraction area, the ACT is seeking to attract higher levels of responsible business investment to accelerate the territory’s knowledge-based economic growth. This initiative includes attracting high-value investment in areas of competitiveness for the territory. It involves working with our universities to attract targeted investment that benefits research and development for local small and medium enterprises.
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