Page 3002 - Week 10 - Friday, 8 October 2021
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2023-34 and net new capital of $135.864 million in 2024-25, which collates to a four-year net new capital of $455 million.
MR HANSON: Can you confirm that, in February 2021, your budget for 2020 and 2021 had a four-year infrastructure program of $4.3 billion?
MR BARR: I will need to go back and look at the budget papers. There has been some movement in terms of the capital works reserve, and some capital provisions have shifted from one fiscal year to the other. But the net new capital is $455 million. That is expensed, obviously, and accorded new policy initiatives within the budget papers. I refer Mr Hanson to table 3.2.1—financial impacts of new policy decisions.
MR CAIN: Minister, can you confirm that this year’s budget has only a 4.2 per cent increase on infrastructure over four years compared to last budget?
MR BARR: The net new capital is $455 million over four years, and then there is additional capital in the first year outside the forward estimates.
Budget—health
MS ORR: My question is to the Minister for Health. Minister, can you please update the Assembly on how the ACT government is investing in our health system through the 2021-22 ACT budget.
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: I thank Ms Orr for the question. The 2021-22 budget sees $2.1 billion spent on health in the 2021-22 financial year—30 per cent of the ACT budget, and a record $8.5 billion over four years for the health portfolio. We are committed to providing free high-quality public health care and continuing to support our amazing frontline health staff in what they do best.
Through this year’s budget investment, we will be responding to our growing community’s needs and focusing on the continued transformation of our health system, through initiatives to continue building and improving health infrastructure, with a total investment over the forward estimates of $867 million; continued funding, of course, for our COVID-19 response; $73 million to keep improving our health system, including $50 million for nursing and midwifery ratios; almost $130 million for our critical hospital services, which will include $39 million for more emergency surgeries and post-surgery care; $28 million for additional intensive care unit capacity at the Canberra Hospital; $23 million to keep improving and expanding the capacity of Canberra Hospital’s emergency department; $16 million for more services at Calvary Public Hospital Bruce, including delivering more emergency department capacity, with 24/7 operation of the medical imaging services; $15 million for two additional cots in the neonatal intensive care unit; and $7 million to deliver even more elective surgeries and continue the enhanced recovery after surgery program. In addition, there is $22 million for better care in the community, including in partnership with non-government organisations, for the delivery of programs that address health needs in the community, more alcohol and drug services, investments in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, LGBTIQ+ health services and disability health services.
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