Page 1089 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 20 March 2013
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markets. We have also established the global connect program for the various trade-development-related activities supported by the territory government. Global connect is a gateway to a number of internationalisation programs including trade connect, the trade missions program, the Centre for Exporting Government Services, the ACT Exporters Network, the ACT Chief Minister’s export awards and the international student ambassador program.
An important piece of information around connecting our city to the world is around bringing international flights to Canberra Airport. Canberra attracts over two million overnight visitors each year, who are responsible for nearly 10 million visitor nights, and 1.7 million day trip visitors each year. Whilst the majority of our overnight visitors are domestic, the international market offers significant potential to further grow our tourism sector.
Australian Capital Tourism, in conjunction with the Canberra Airport Group, is leading a project to attract direct services from New Zealand in the first instance with a medium-term view on attracting services from South-East Asia, particularly Singapore. The development of aviation partnerships in key international markets, including New Zealand, China and South-East Asia, will help realise potential in this area and further secure our city’s long-term future as a key business and tourism hub.
A major transformation for our city will be facilitated through the development of a digital economy and this is critically underpinned by the national broadband network. More than 4,000 homes and businesses around the Gungahlin town centre can now connect to the NBN, and the network is being rolled out progressively around Canberra. By mid-2015, 135,000 homes and businesses in Canberra will be connected. Many ACT residents and the business community are already taking advantage of the opportunities presented by high-speed broadband. For example, the digital hub based at the Gungahlin library is already providing free community workshops and training to improve digital literacy and knowledge of NBN functionality, and the digital enterprise centre, managed by the Canberra Business Council, is now providing free workshops and training for the business community.
A key part of transforming our economy is around ensuring our tax system is sustainable for the long term, and the need for reform was outlined in both the Henry and Quinlan reviews. The ACT taxation review found there were major risks to the long-term sustainability of revenue for the territory and that many of the major taxes previously levied were unfair and volatile, and so the government acted. We have made taxes fairer, we have made the tax system simpler, and each year we make the tax system more efficient to ensure its long-term sustainability and to ensure the long-term sustainability of the government’s revenue base. This ensures we have the ability and flexibility to meet the needs of an ageing population and to continue to provide the services and infrastructure our community deserves.
The government’s five-year plan enables important community services to be continued to be delivered at a high standard. It includes expanded concessions and targeted assistance measures for households and, importantly, it reduces the ACT’s share of inefficient taxes and increases the share of more efficient taxes over the next
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