Page 70 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 12 February 2019
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Canberra’s tertiary education and research sector now contributes $3.3 billion annually to our economy and provides 20,000 full-time equivalent jobs in our city’s economy. This is an increase from a contribution of $2.6 billion in 2014. Education is also our largest service export, with the value of these exports having grown by $527 million over the last five years. This reflects Canberra’s growing reputation as a destination of choice for both international and interstate students.
The ACT’s solid fiscal position and strong economic outlook have been confirmed again by the international ratings agency Standard & Poor’s. In September 2018 the agency confirmed our AAA credit rating and upgraded the territory to a stable outlook. This is the highest rating possible for any state or territory government and, amongst the Australian states or territories, is a credit rating we share only with Victoria and New South Wales.
Since the 2018-19 territory budget was released, the ACT government has made significant progress on a range of important service and infrastructure initiatives. Detailed planning and design work is underway for the half-billion-dollar expansion of the Canberra Hospital through the development of the new surgical procedures, interventional radiology and emergency centre. In late 2018 we announced that SPIRE will be built on the north-eastern side of the Canberra Hospital campus, with construction to commence in 2020. SPIRE will feature more operating theatres; more inpatient wards; state-of-the-art surgical, procedural and imaging facilities; a coronary care unit; and a significantly expanded emergency department and intensive care unit. The centre is an important health investment for Canberra as it will futureproof our hospital services and ensure that our free public healthcare system can meet the growing needs of our city.
In recent months the government has opened a third nurse-led walk-in centre, in Gungahlin, and announced the location for a further walk-in centre, in Weston Creek, with funding to build it delivered through this budget review. This means that by the end of 2019 there will be four walk-in centres operating across the city to provide free treatment and health advice for Canberrans close to their homes.
Stage 1 of Canberra’s light rail network is nearing completion, with the government delivering new initiatives to support the commencement of operations and make it easy for Canberrans to integrate light rail into their daily commute. The government is also progressing planning for stage 2 of the network, with submissions on the route progressing for commonwealth environmental and planning approvals. The light rail route from Civic to Woden is an important link in the city’s future transport network. This project is a significant one in our forward infrastructure plan, and we are determined to get on with building it.
I am pleased to say that last week the first students in class at the Margaret Hendry School, Gungahlin’s newest school, located in Taylor, took their places. It will ensure that Canberra’s fastest-growing region can continue to provide schooling at great local schools close to home. We are also adding around 1,000 places to existing schools across the city, and work is underway on delivery of a new school in the Molonglo Valley.
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