3 July 2023

Why we need the Commonwealth more than ever in the 'people's republic'

| Ian Bushnell
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First cab off the rank: The Canberra Theatre Centre redevelopment is one of many projects in need of Commonwealth help. Image: ACT Government.

It is somewhat ironic that for all the talk about territory rights and Canberrans being able to decide everything for themselves that the ACT Budget only highlighted how dependent it is on the Federal Government, especially a friendly Labor one.

The most obvious example is the GST, which is distributed to every state and territory, but in the ACT’s case, forms its single highest source of revenue.

Based on population, how much GST the ACT receives has been a running sore because the way the ABS calculates population regularly understates the Territory’s growth.

It makes a huge difference to the state of the ACT’s finances.

READ ALSO Which ACT landmarks should feature on the Canberra Monopoly board?

The number of Commonwealth grants also plays into this, and these have increased since the Albanese Government took office.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr says federal Labor gets the National Capital and its needs after a decade of Coalition rule that ran down Canberra, physically and politically.

But despite the acknowledged Canberra bashing, it still managed to help fund light rail Stage 1 through Tony Abbott’s asset recycling scheme and Stage 2A under Scott Morrison, and other, mainly road, infrastructure.

Looking at the ACT Government’s ambitious $8 billion infrastructure program, many of the projects will need a Commonwealth contribution.

That includes the just announced plans for a new stadium at Bruce and the co-located entertainment and convention centres in the city.

Ask the Chief Minister about the reliance on Commonwealth funding to get these sorts of projects over the line and he is optimistic.

He says the odds of a two-term federal Labor government are high given recent history, and there is already a precedent for the Feds to pour millions into a stadium – in Tasmania.

AIS CEO Kieran Perkins, Chief Minister Andrew Barr and Sport and Recreation Minister Yvette Berry at the MOU signing. Photo: ACT Government.

The Commonwealth continues to come to the party on light rail Stage 2A, and Mr Barr expects that it will step up when the needs of Stage 2B to Woden become clearer, pointing to the public transport that will be needed to move thousands of public servants in to and out of an expanded parliamentary zone. This is particularly evident in Barton where the new security precinct and several other department and agency buildings, including the new Tax Office, will be developed.

The infrastructure program highlights the dilemma of a city developed for a national purpose that is now a self-governed city-state with limited revenue opportunities but demanding top-flight health and education services and landmark sports and entertainment facilities worthy of the national capital.

Mr Barr has acknowledged that the infrastructure program needs to be staged, simply because there is not enough money and resources to run them all at the same time, one reason why the laying of tracks for light rail stage 2A will have to wait for London Circuit to be raised.

He regularly sets out the order: a new Canberra Theatre, then a stadium and finally the convention centre.

What if the Commonwealth says no?

Well, Mr Barr, as stated earlier, doesn’t believe that will happen, but the ACT would have to borrow more, finance them some other way or delay the projects.

With government projects already taking a long time to come to fruition – think the Canberra Hospital (getting there) and extending light rail – the government can’t afford to let timelines slide on its big-ticket promises.

Remember, it will also be building a new Northside Hospital and a second college in Gungahlin in the same timeframe.

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The government may feel secure in a town that has not elected a Liberal government for more than two decades, but even its patience will wear thin if Mr Barr can’t deliver on his promises.

The national capital should have a modern theatre, stadium and major live music venue, and the Commonwealth should want that too.

The ACT’s relationship with whoever is in power on Capital Hill will be crucial to how soon the Territory can build these key assets.

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Macquariephil1:45 pm 30 Jun 23

Imo, the major issue for sporting clubs and infrastructure in Canberra is the nature of our economy. Canberrans may have relatively high average incomes. However,we don’t have the wealth found in Vaucluse and Toorak and the like. Not do we have the national and international corporate headquarters found in the State capitals.

We do have the public sector as the major economic actors. Sadly, government agencies have little or no capacity to provide sponsorships. And, as stated in the article, ACT Government funding is dependent on the Commonwealth. States have a greater capacity to extract income from business and industry.

Furthermore, with only five Federal representatives, electoral advantage from funding Canberra is limited.

This situation does not just impact on major infrastructure requirements, including sports facilities. Grass roots sporting facilities in Canberra are substandard compared to those found in State capital.

Maybe it’s time for a serious Commonwealth and Territory review of Territory funding, to equalise for these factors of disadvantage.

Gregg Heldon8:59 am 30 Jun 23

It sounds like an admission of “we’re not good at managing the purse strings not that good at infrastructure projects so we need a lot of help”. If this is plan A, what is plan B.
That they’ve almost balanced the budget over the last few years is because of the neglect of the basics. Footpaths, roads, any suburb outside of North Canberra, shopping precincts. I would challenge Barr or Rattenbury to name three suburbs in Tuggeranong or Belconnen. Bet they can’t, without prompts.

It’s strange that if the ACT government truly wanted Federal funding for these projects, that they haven’t produced robust business cases that could follow standard funding routes under existing priority infrastructure programs?

I mean surely they aren’t seeking funding outside these mechanisms because they don’t make sense from an investment perspective and would never receive funding otherwise?

Surely.

Hmm, is that pork I can smell, delicious.

@Hidden Dragon
Hopefully anyone who reads the well over two year old news article (March 2021) you reference, will also take note of the establishment of the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service (https://pwss.gov.au/) in September 2021 – which provides support to people affected by serious incidents or misconduct in the parliamentary workplace.

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