6 May 2009

The ACT Budget

| johnboy
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[First filed: May 05, 2009 @ 14:31]

Is online now

More to come as we get a look at it.

Highlights from the Budget Speech:

    — The ACT economy is forecast to grow by 2 per cent in 2009-10.
    — Unemployment in the ACT will reach 3.5% by the middle of next year.
    — Since the last Budget revenue has dropped by around $230 million.
    — The loss of superannuation investment assets is around $350 million against a forecast growth of $200 million. The ACT’s superannuation liability is now only 47 per cent funded.
    — New spending initiatives include a modest average annual spend of $49.0 million.
    — Plans to return to balanced budgets by 2015-16.
    — Raising in parking fees, penalty payments for traffic infringements and court imposed fines.

    Health:
    — Establishing a 16-bed Surgical Assessment and Planning Unit at the Canberra Hospital at a cost of $25.4 million.
    — $10.522 million over four years to provide an additional two intensive care beds at the Canberra Hospital.
    — Medical retrieval services will be boosted by $5.4 million over four years and $10.5 million is allocated to establish a walk-in centre at the Canberra Hospital.
    — A new public diagnostic mammography service will be established at the Canberra Hospital with $3.5 million over four years.
    — $4.2 million over the next four years for the Capital Region Cancer Service to meet a growth in demand and to fulfil a key election commitment.
    — Mental health services in the ACT will receive $19 million over the next four years.
    — $9.7 million over four years to establish a Mental Health Assessment Unit (MHAU).
    — $600,000 over the next two financial years for mental health training for police, emergency services workers and teachers.
    — $11 million over the next three years to address issues such as childhood obesity, tobacco use in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, adolescent health and healthy workplaces.
    — $20 million of initiatives have been funded, aimed at strengthening the health workforce, expanding the roles of allied health professionals, establishing new health professional support roles and supporting and growing the Territory’s GP workforce.
    — $51.3 million is allocated for the forward design and construction of an Enhanced Community Health Centre at Belconnen.

    Education:
    — $22.7 million over four years to employ 70 additional staff members in ACT schools, to reduce class sizes and improve educational outcomes. Capital funding of $6 million has also been provided to accommodate the additional class rooms.
    — $6.4 million over four years for specialist literacy and numeracy teachers to assist students at risk of not achieving national benchmarks.
    — $3.1 million over four years for eight additional support staff for students with English as a Second Language.
    — $5 million over three years is being provided to replace old computers, and install new technologies including smart-boards, in public schools, with non-Government schools receiving over $2.5 million in 2009-10 to purchase and install ICT equipment.
    — A new high school, accommodating 800 students, will be built in Harrison, with an investment of $44 million. — The Gungahlin College will benefit from $5.4 million additional funding in 2010-11 for community library and CIT facilities at the College.
    — Canberra College will receive a new $7.6 million performing arts centre, with specialist space for music, dance,
    drama and performance.
    — $1.4 million over four years is being provided to expand the CIT’s scholarship program to assist around 1,000 students per annum with materials and fees in courses in areas of skills shortage.
    — $9.9 million over four years is being provided for a new purpose built facility for electrotechnology training at Fyshwick Trade Skills Centre.
    — $4.5 million funding provided over two years to fund online education material at CIT.
    — CIT will also receive $5 million over four years to purchase equipment to keep them within industry standards.

    Sustainability:
    — $19.1 million over four years towards the Switch Your Thinking initiative which will provide a virtual one stop shop for householders and businesses in the ACT for advice, support and programs to make sustainable choices.
    — Two new wetland ponds at Dickson and Lyneham will be funded with an investment of $13.9 million over two years.
    — $3.3 million over four years for the Mugga Lane Recycling transfer station which will reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and increase the amount of material that is recycled.
    — $2.5 million will be provided for a water plant that will reuse effluent water for irrigation of Exhibition Park grounds.
    — $950,000 over three years for conservation programs at Mulligan’s Flat, Goorooyarroo and Tidbinbilla Nature Reserves.
    — $830,000 over four years will go towards the Lower Cotter Restoration Project to support the efforts of Canberrans and Greening Australia in replanting.
    — The Canberra International Arboretum and Gardens is being supported by $8.1 million over four years in this Budget.
    — $1.3 million is provided over four years for Community Partnerships for Sustainability and the Environment.

    Community Safety and Protection
    — $1.6 million over four years for monitoring CCTV systems in place in Civic, Manuka and Kingston.
    — $3.5 million over four years for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
    — $2.6 million over four years is being provided to the ACT Government Solicitors Office.
    — $4 million will be provided over two years for the design of a modern Supreme Court facility to replace the current building.
    — $6.3 million to be provided over two years for the establishment of a purpose built training centre for emergency services, an upgrade to the aero-medical base located at Hume, and the relocation of the National Aerial Fire Fighting Helicopters.
    — $2.3 million this year will ensure that emergency vehicles are housed in secure space, and appropriate areas are provided for office and training space.
    — $2.8 million to replace the Mobile Data System, improving the stability and reliability of the Computer Aided Despatch (CAD) system and improving the ESA’s Wide Area Network infrastructure.

    Children:
    — $11 million has been provided in additional funding to support the growing number children in need of a safe home through out-of-home care.
    — $2.28 million in funding will be provided for Play Therapy Services for children with a disability, fulfilling a key election commitment.
    — $3.5 million over four years will provide 8 additional speech pathologists and services for young children with high priority needs.

    Housing, Homelessness and Community services
    — $1.2 million over four years is being provided to assist people with mental health issues to access and maintain appropriate housing.
    — $898,000 over four years for community outreach to rough sleepers through the Street to Home initiative.

    Municipal Services:
    — $7.8 million in providing Canberrans with new cycle and foot paths, funding feasibility studies into two additional Park ‘n’ Ride facilities at Erindale and Mitchell and trialling two new cross-town transport services as well as new seats and signage at bus stops.
    — $10.3 million over the next four years for maintenance of our stormwater systems, streetlights and traffic lights.
    — $83 million is included for the Gungahlin Drive duplication.
    — $8.5 million for a range of works at the Gungahlin College precinct.
    — $98 million has been provided over four years for a range of infrastructure works associated with land releases in Molonglo and Gungahlin.
    — $61 million will go towards the Airport Road upgrade, Lanyon Drive and Kings Highway.
    — $8.2 million over four years for additional paths, the replacement of paving, sheltered BBQ’s, a performance stage at Tuggeranong Town Park.
    — $12 million investment over four years for the Sydney and Melbourne buildings.
    — $7.1 million over four years is being provided to enhance the ACT Library and Information Service collections and to provide a library shopfront and collection in inner-south Canberra.
    — $3.7 million will be invested in a major package of conservation and upgrade works at Lanyon, Calthorpe’s House and Mugga Mugga, plus additional work at Hobday’s Cottage and English Gardens at Weston Park and the Albert Hall.

    Tourism, Sport and Recreation:
    — New and enhanced infrastructure for community and elite sport including funding for stage two of the Lyneham Sports Precinct, the Gungahlin enclosed oval and a basketball centre of excellence.
    — $5.3 million marketing and event package for the “Autumn Event”.
    — $14 million over four years for the Centenary of Canberra Program, which will provide for the appointment of a Creative Director.

    Jobs and the economy:
    — $3.5 million over four years to support businesses accessing overseas export markets.
    — Codifying the Change of Use Charge (in relation to land development) in response to industry’s concerns around the uncertainty in charge determinations.
    — An extra $9.7 million over four years for the ACT Planning and Land Authority.

Budget Media Releases:

Jon Stanhope:

Katy Gallagher:

Simon Corbell:

Andrew Barr:

John Hargreaves:

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jakez said :

monomania said :

ant said :

People in Queanbeyan, and the extensive surrounding areas (rural areas) have almost no access to Bus, carpool, cycle and motorbikes are not practical for those who wear heels and suits. Or who want to stay dry when it rains.

The Canberra employers do pretty well out of the thousands who make their way into Canberra every day

Now that is a totally new spin from you out of ACT folk. How about explaining to all of us Canberra ratepayers how you make a nett positive contribution to the Canberra community. You certainly contribute to the criticism of us and gratuitous advice on how we should run things here. Help pay for the services you use and the government we support and we might take some notice. Stick to the parliamentary triangle.

cough extrapolate that principle to all Government services and replace ACT/non ACT with user/non user cough

Are you getting swine flu? The call was to provide bus services (no doubt subsidised by ACT citizens) to people living outside our borders. If these people want a bus service get it provided privately and subsidised by the Queanbeyan Council or NSW Government. I have no objections subsidising ACT residences by providing those who want to use it with a bus service that costs far more than it brings in.

monomania said :

ant said :

People in Queanbeyan, and the extensive surrounding areas (rural areas) have almost no access to Bus, carpool, cycle and motorbikes are not practical for those who wear heels and suits. Or who want to stay dry when it rains.

The Canberra employers do pretty well out of the thousands who make their way into Canberra every day

Now that is a totally new spin from you out of ACT folk. How about explaining to all of us Canberra ratepayers how you make a nett positive contribution to the Canberra community. You certainly contribute to the criticism of us and gratuitous advice on how we should run things here. Help pay for the services you use and the government we support and we might take some notice. Stick to the parliamentary triangle.

cough extrapolate that principle to all Government services and replace ACT/non ACT with user/non user cough

ant said :

People in Queanbeyan, and the extensive surrounding areas (rural areas) have almost no access to Bus, carpool, cycle and motorbikes are not practical for those who wear heels and suits. Or who want to stay dry when it rains.

The Canberra employers do pretty well out of the thousands who make their way into Canberra every day

Now that is a totally new spin from you out of ACT folk. How about explaining to all of us Canberra ratepayers how you make a nett positive contribution to the Canberra community. You certainly contribute to the criticism of us and gratuitous advice on how we should run things here. Help pay for the services you use and the government we support and we might take some notice. Stick to the parliamentary triangle.

Hells_Bells744:39 pm 06 May 09

I haven’t read any comments recent so I’m posting a bit blind, but I did get an email off a friend that showed a little more about the 51.3 mill to be spent on the Belc Health Care Centre and it doesn’t seem quite as frivilous, perhaps helpful. Our mutual friend had her and her daughter in the paper talking about it.

Anyhow, I will STFU now.

okay, now that the typo has been publicly flogged – post #35: for ‘driver’, read ‘occupant’. Golf clap.

Oh yeah – and I just looked out my window – and counted only one driver for every car. What a surprise.

Postalgeek said :

The original post was a reply to the comment that driving was the ONLY viable way to get to work from Queanbeyan. If more people used more efficient forms of transport, those who have a genuine need to use the car would have ready access to parking, and parking pressures wouldn’t drive the price up. Or words to that effect.

Why you, if you NEED to drive, want to argue against that is beyond me.

Look out your window at work, and count the number of people you see in each car. Surprise me and tell me the majority of cars have more than one driver.

But in truth I don’t really care.

I suggest there are other ways. I’m not really interested in defending them. If you want to insist that driving is the ONLY conceivable way you can get around, that’s fine. I’m not paying your fuel bill, and I’m not feeding your parking meter. If prices for parking double tomorrow, you’ll be double-fked. Good luck with that.

Driving pretty much is the only way to get around when you have more than one small child and their day care isn’t near either your workplace or home. I won’t be f*ed personally because we moved to the ACT so that at least one of us has access to public transport. Also – kids are at school now, so we don’t need to cart them here and there anymore. I do feel a bit sorry for the NSW folks who don’t have that option and will be stung by the higher costs of parking. And as for the ‘why should ACT taxpayers subsidise buses for NSW workers – well, I suspect that those NSW folks contribute quite substantially to the ACT economy through their shopping, working etc… so maybe it is the right thing to do and the NSW and ACT folks should perhaps collaborate on this to find a solution. Better for the environment too.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy1:18 pm 06 May 09

Good catch… 🙂

Surprise me and tell me the majority of cars have more than one driver.

Cars can have more than one driver??

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy1:15 pm 06 May 09

It’s can be done as cost recovery, and providing for sufficient parking space for ACT businesses.

YapYapYap said :

Can someone please explain why, as an ACT taxpayer, the ACT Govt should spend one brass razoo providing any form of service to NSW residents, including public transport?

Actually unless the NSW Government changes its laws (like the ACT Government did to allow bike racks on buses), most of the ACTION fleet are not allowed in NSW.

The original post was a reply to the comment that driving was the ONLY viable way to get to work from Queanbeyan. If more people used more efficient forms of transport, those who have a genuine need to use the car would have ready access to parking, and parking pressures wouldn’t drive the price up. Or words to that effect.

Why you, if you NEED to drive, want to argue against that is beyond me.

Look out your window at work, and count the number of people you see in each car. Surprise me and tell me the majority of cars have more than one driver.

But in truth I don’t really care.

I suggest there are other ways. I’m not really interested in defending them. If you want to insist that driving is the ONLY conceivable way you can get around, that’s fine. I’m not paying your fuel bill, and I’m not feeding your parking meter. If prices for parking double tomorrow, you’ll be double-fked. Good luck with that.

Any car with 3 people in it is carpooling, so you are already ticking that box deezagood.

In the 3-for-free carpark in civic kids count towards the ‘3’ people. So it is great for the lucky few who have daycare in their work buildings.

Can someone please explain why, as an ACT taxpayer, the ACT Govt should spend one brass razoo providing any form of service to NSW residents, including public transport?

Postalgeek said :

ant said :

People in Queanbeyan, and the extensive surrounding areas (rural areas) have almost no access to Bus, carpool, cycle and motorbikes are not practical for those who wear heels and suits. Or who want to stay dry when it rains.

So the couple of days rain our drought occasionally bequeaths to us precludes you from checking the weather forecast and using anything other than a car?

What a load of dog’s bollocks. Harden up.

If everyone in the urban areas (I believe Queanbeyan has one or two of these) dropped that cop-out, the people who really need to drive, like people from the (rural areas), would have an abundance of places to park.

Most people make the choice on how get to work based on convenience, comfort, and/or laziness. If it’s urgent and you don’t want a sweat, ride a motorbike and stick your high heels in the pannier, ya big girl’s blouse.

Plenty of suits commute on bike and keep a change of clothes at work.

Tell me postageek, how one might manage to fit two or three kids under 5 that need to be dropped off at daycare, each with a small backback, plus Mum/Dad and their briefcase/pack on the back of a motorbike or cycle? I’m all ears. Carpooling also doesn’t work in this situation, as there is no more room in the car!

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy11:33 am 06 May 09

The fundamental fact that we have to consider is that action don’t do an interborder service, and the queanbeyan bus service have a set area to operate in.

Absolutely correct. Unfortunately.

Hells_Bells7411:30 am 06 May 09

* Actually second thoughts, they’ll probably end up using up 40 million in the design/planners/b’crats etc and have 11.3 to dedicate to the extended (or enhanced (whatever!)) building, staff, furnishings etc and we’ll end up with much the same standard we’re more used to.

Oh the cynacism of my generation sometimes.

Hells_Bells7411:12 am 06 May 09

– $51.3 million is allocated for the forward design and construction of an Enhanced Community Health Centre at Belconnen.

Is that going to look out of place or what? Bit rich for Belco IMHO. Won’t begrudge these things of course, but would love to see the plans.

I feel so out-of-touch when they talk money round these parts!

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy said :

As deezagood says, when you look at the demographic of an area it becomes very clear that buses, carpooling, cycling and motor scooters really don’t work.

Jeer has no viable bus system to Canberra. Period.

I carpool with my family every day, and fortunately I don’t have to pay for parking, but if I did there’d be no avoiding it.

As for cycling and motor scooters, neither are practical in a job where I have clients all over town.

That said, if Jerra had a bus that ran to the city via Barton, and one to Woden, they’d fill up several times over every day.

But they wouldn’t bother to do this, there used to be several buses that ran through barton on a regular basis, I know, i used to catch one out the front of CSC. The fundamental fact that we have to consider is that action don’t do an interborder service, and the queanbeyan bus service have a set area to operate in.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy9:57 am 06 May 09

As deezagood says, when you look at the demographic of an area it becomes very clear that buses, carpooling, cycling and motor scooters really don’t work.

Jeer has no viable bus system to Canberra. Period.

I carpool with my family every day, and fortunately I don’t have to pay for parking, but if I did there’d be no avoiding it.

As for cycling and motor scooters, neither are practical in a job where I have clients all over town.

That said, if Jerra had a bus that ran to the city via Barton, and one to Woden, they’d fill up several times over every day.

MWF said :

In what way did CIT get boned?

Most of CIT is stuck in an 80’s time capsule – they’ve been playing catch-up for decades… and loosing. $5m over four years, and across 5 campus’s won’t update very much equipment at all. All the equipment and buildings in the world won’t help you if all the teachers walk out the door.

ant said :

People in Queanbeyan, and the extensive surrounding areas (rural areas) have almost no access to Bus, carpool, cycle and motorbikes are not practical for those who wear heels and suits. Or who want to stay dry when it rains.

So the couple of days rain our drought occasionally bequeaths to us precludes you from checking the weather forecast and using anything other than a car?

What a load of dog’s bollocks. Harden up. If everyone in the urban areas (I believe Queanbeyan has one or two of these) dropped that cop-out, the people who really need to drive, like people from the (rural areas), would have an abundance of places to park.

Most people make the choice on how get to work based on convenience, comfort, and/or laziness. If it’s urgent and you don’t want a sweat, ride a motorbike and stick your high heels in the pannier, ya big girl’s blouse.

Plenty of suits commute on bike and keep a change of clothes at work.

Chisholm shops has ‘park and ride’.

Postalgeek said :

ant said :

Parking fees are a great way to get all the people who’ve moved to Qbn and district, because housing is a bit cheaper than Canberra, but who still come and work in Canberra. But driving is the only viable way of getting to work, so whack, hit them with parking fees.

You mean the only viable way for those who cannot bus, carpool, cycle, or use a motorbike/scooter.

I don’t know about the rest of Queanbeyan, but the bus system from Jerra was not viable, and given the demographic of that neighborhood (families with small kids), motor-bikes, cycles, car-pooling etc… is almost impossible if you need to get the kids to where they are going to. We moved from Jerra to the ACT primarily because of the requirement to access decent public transport (which isn’t perfect, but it is a lot better than in Jerra!). I think increased parking will really sting the non-Canberrans who work in Canberra.

People in Queanbeyan, and the extensive surrounding areas (rural areas) have almost no access to Bus, carpool, cycle and motorbikes are not practical for those who wear heels and suits. Or who want to stay dry when it rains.

The Canberra employers do pretty well out of the thousands who make their way into Canberra every day, and the trite “catch a bus” catchphrase is useless if you have to drive 30 minutes before you even reach Queanbeyan. Some proper park and ride facilities fringing Canberra would help people who come in to Canberra from outside, and also those in places like Gunghalin and Tuggeranong, but the government never seems to even canvass these. Then yanks use them extensively. Why can’t we?

ant said :

Parking fees are a great way to get all the people who’ve moved to Qbn and district, because housing is a bit cheaper than Canberra, but who still come and work in Canberra. But driving is the only viable way of getting to work, so whack, hit them with parking fees.

You mean the only viable way for those who cannot bus, carpool, cycle, or use a motorbike/scooter.

Parking fees are a great way to get all the people who’ve moved to Qbn and district, because housing is a bit cheaper than Canberra, but who still come and work in Canberra. But driving is the only viable way of getting to work, so whack, hit them with parking fees.

niftydog said :

Primal said :

…bus fares are going up as well!

…and the free ride for cyclists using the bus bike racks is coming to an end.

CIT gets boned, again.

How exactly? I read that they got a shitload of money. In what way did CIT get boned?

I know what you meant Al, just I have no-one except Mr Squiggle in my street in over 20 years.

Gungahlin Al8:34 pm 05 May 09

Gungahlin Al said :

AG Canberra said :

In the roads announcement – no mention of upping the maintenance allocation. How many times can you tar and rock a road anyway?

You might be interested to know then that Roads ACT head Tony Gill – when speaking at the latest Gungahlin Community Council meeting – advised that all ACT streets are on a 20-resealing cycle. When asked how long the crummy chip-seal resurfacing they’ve been forced to use lasts, he conceded it lasts 15 years.

So three steps forward – four steps back…

Sorry – meant 20-year resealing cycle…

>20-resealing cycle

Crap!

“$11 million over the next three years to address issues such as childhood obesity, tobacco use in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, adolescent health and healthy workplaces.”

That’s my pick for the worst new spending initiative.

johnboy said :

Savings haven’t been announced here, which is a bit naughty.

Fail!

psst – anyone know 8 speech pathologists we can poach for Canberra for the new positions?

glad we’re getting the 8 though!

Park and Ride facilities at Erindale would be great. Wanniassa Shops would be more logical though – it’s odd that the intertown buses zoom past the shops every 15 minutes but there isn’t a bus stop!

“Raising in parking fees, penalty payments for traffic infringements and court imposed fines” – good news for the people who whinge that the ACT is too soft on crime?

well, seeing that they are upgrading the bike / footpaths, when does the next round of cycle lanes vs cars debate start?

How much will it cost to get a bus now??
They are way too expensive already.

Primal said :

…bus fares are going up as well!

…and the free ride for cyclists using the bus bike racks is coming to an end.

CIT gets boned, again.

good to see the tree museum is getting more funding.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy4:59 pm 05 May 09

A number of the ‘Sustainability’ items look like a total waste of money at such a difficult time. At least it will keep some people in jobs, though.

and the brand new program, CollabIT, has been running in the other states for years. How is it a brand new program? certainly, it is brand new to business in the ACT. There isn’t any mention on the AIIA website about the ACT’s involvement in the program…

http://www.aiia.com.au/pages/aboutcollabit.aspx

Gungahlin Al4:28 pm 05 May 09

AG Canberra said :

In the roads announcement – no mention of upping the maintenance allocation. How many times can you tar and rock a road anyway?

You might be interested to know then that Roads ACT head Tony Gill – when speaking at the latest Gungahlin Community Council meeting – advised that all ACT streets are on a 20-resealing cycle. When asked how long the crummy chip-seal resurfacing they’ve been forced to use lasts, he conceded it lasts 15 years.

So three steps forward – four steps back…

Generally this is all new spending.

Savings haven’t been announced here, which is a bit naughty.

Inappropriate4:25 pm 05 May 09

How do these figures compare to the last budget?

“Changes relating to parking fees will encourage a shift away from car-based travel.”

…at least until you see two paragraphs down that bus fares are going up as well!

(admittedly by less, but still it’s a bit of a mixed message.)

No money for buying Calvary, does that mean they’re not going to do it, would it be a separate appropriations bill, or would it just come out of general health money?

In the roads announcement – no mention of upping the maintenance allocation. How many times can you tar and rock a road anyway?

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