Treasurer Katy Gallagher has announced a spending spree under the name “The 2008-09 Supplementary Appropriation Bill”.
It’s $16.2 million of extra spending with a recurring impact of $4 million a year. It appears to be the cost of election promises.
Katy’s media release promises the following funding:
- — $9.7 million over 4 years to establish the new Department of the Environment, Climate Change, Energy and Water (DECCEW);
— $5.7 million over 2 years to establish new community facilities across Canberra including a new Regional Community Centre at Holt;
— $4.7 million over 4 years for increased accountability and transparency of the Assembly;
— $2.6 million over 4 years for the enhancement of cycling infrastructure around Canberra;
— $2.1 million in direct grants to school parent groups;
— $2.5 million in emergency relief to carers and volunteers to provide assistance in the form of petrol vouchers and bus tickets to alleviate increased transport costs;
— $1 million in emergency relief to charity and welfare groups to assist families in meeting the increased costs of living;
— $100,000 to the RSPCA to assist with a spike in demand for animal welfare services;
— $500,000 over two years in Business and Industrial Relations support for community organisations;
— $500,000 for a Domestic Tourism Marketing Campaign aimed at increasing visitation numbers to Canberra;
— $220,000 to the West Belconnen Health Cooperative; and
— $725,000 over 4 years to implement the Feed-In Tariff.