ALMOST a third of the 2021-22 ACT Budget, which was revealed this afternoon (October 6), will be spent on health. 

The ACT government will spend $2.4 billion on health as part of the 2021-22 Budget, in what ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr calls a pandemic response budget.

He said it’s a budget that has three clear priorities, pointing to a continued public health response, turbo charging the territory’s economic recovery and delivering on government commitments. 

The second winner in this budget is education, which will receive $1.5 billion in funding, followed by city services, which will get a $525 million investment.

$505 million will go to community services, $497 million to Access Canberra and government services, $476 million to economic development, and $408 million to emergency services and policing.

$306 million will go to justice. Part of that will see more than $3 million allocated to appoint a dedicated coroner to the ACT.

Canberra’s transport will benefit, too, with $286 million worth of spending coming its way as well as housing ($256 million) and environment, sustainable development and climate change ($242 million).

When reflecting on the budget, Mr Barr said the budget and the government’s longer-term fiscal strategy, is designed with a simple purpose: to invest in essential services, to protect and create the maximum number of jobs across the city, and to continue to support Canberrans who need it most.

“We want to see a strong economic recovery leading into the Christmas holiday period, and sustained in the years beyond,” he said.

It’s big spending, which the chief minister believes is necessary for the territory’s recovery.

However, it’s a budget that the ACT government expects will see them hit a $951 million deficit over the next year.

“By investing today to support the economy, we are avoiding a bigger loss of economic output and jobs which would damage our economy and community for years to come, and place a larger strain on our budget,” Mr Barr said.