THE delayed 2020-21 ACT Budget will put a focus on infrastructure, education and the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine, revealed Chief Minister and Treasurer Andrew Barr when he handed the budget down this afternoon (February 9). 

The budget, which was delayed by about eight months due to the pandemic, flagged significant investments in health, transport, education and training.

Breaking the budget down, Mr Barr revealed that the largest proportion – 31 per cent – of the budget spendings will go towards health, with the government committing $2 billion.

It includes the safe delivery of the covid vaccine, which will be one of the biggest logistical challenges the government will face, Mr Barr said.

Second to health will be education, which will see a $1.4 billion investment (23 per cent of the budget costings) that will go towards works such as the construction of new and expanding schools in growing suburbs.

The budget also revealed that $503 million will go towards city services (8 per cent), $437 million will be put towards community services (7 per cent), $395 million will go to Access Canberra and government services (6 per cent) and another 6 per cent of the budget, $383 million, will be invested into emergency services and policing.

Transport will see $277 million funnelled into it over the 2020-21 financial year (4 per cent), with housing receiving $225 million (4 per cent), $285 million to justice services (4 per cent), $274 million will go towards the environment, sustainable development and climate change, and $138 million will go to tourism, sport, events and the arts. 

In handing down the budget, Mr Barr said the ACT’s fiscal position has improved by $578.5 million over the coming four years, including a $306.5 million improvement in this fiscal year.

“Economic growth is forecast to be between 2 and 3 per cent over the next four years, off the back of a 2.4 per cent increase in 2019-20,” he said.