Page 79 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 13 February 2018
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The budget update that I have delivered shows an improved bottom line across the all future years. As I have mentioned, we have halved the deficit forecast for the current fiscal year, with a balanced budget forecast from 2018-19 and strengthening surpluses in the years beyond.
This is a result that we have been working towards since 2014—returning the budget to balance whilst at the same time continuing to make the major infrastructure investments our city needs. We do this because Canberra is a growing city. We invest more and we invest in better services and infrastructure to ensure that the city keeps on getting better for everyone who lives here.
Maintenance of our core and social infrastructure is incredibly important. Members in this place are rightly focused on investment in roads, in parks and playgrounds, and in some of the bigger infrastructure projects that the government is responsible for. Over the course of 2018, Canberrans will see further improvements in our municipal services, from a rollout of green bins that is of such great interest to those opposite, to help with the maintenance of our own yards, to the more frequent mowing of parks and the cleaning of public spaces.
Through the budget update, we are delivering more elective surgeries, more paramedics and more ambulances. There is more investment in our courts and community safety and, of course, better local schools. Importantly, we retain our focus on the delivery of our election commitments, including providing every student in our public high schools with a high-quality device to enhance their learning, no matter the financial circumstances of their family.
Equality of educational opportunity is a core value for my party and for this government. I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the Deputy Chief Minister for making this important reform a reality for thousands of students this year. Already I am pleased to note that we are seeing other states and territories following our lead. Reforms such as this build on our investments through the 2017-18 budget to deliver on our election commitments for a better Canberra.
The government will always lead the fight for a fairer and more equitable Canberra and a fairer and more equitable Australia. From standing up for equitable and life-changing services through to being the first jurisdiction to fully roll out the national disability insurance scheme, to leading the way on marriage equality, the ACT has a track record of promoting inclusion and fairness locally and nationally to achieve changes that matter for Canberrans and for Australians.
This year I am chair of both the Council for the Australian Federation and the Council of Capital City Lord Mayors. This offers an unparalleled opportunity to strengthen our city’s voice on issues of national importance at both state and local government levels and to draw on Canberra’s socially progressive values to deliver meaningful change across this city and across the country.
During 2018 I will use these roles to work with supportive federal MPs and senators from all political parties, along with the Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner, to advocate for the repeal of the Andrews bill that deprives Australian
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