Page 1142 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 22 August 1989
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Unit Titles Act - Determination of fees, dated 25 July 1989.
Water Pollution Act - Determination of fees, dated 25 July 1989.
Weights and Measures Act - Determination of fees, dated 25 July 1989.
COMMONWEALTH BUDGET 1989-90
Ministerial Statement and Papers
MS FOLLETT (Chief Minister), by leave: I would like to speak today about the Commonwealth Government's budget, its relevance to the ACT budget and other matters of a financial management nature. The Commonwealth budget is a responsible and fair response to national economic conditions. The Federal Treasurer has forecast economic growth of 2.75 per cent this year, with a similar increase in employment.
The ACT, with its increasing emphasis on expanding the private sector, should benefit from this continued growth in the national economy. In particular, I welcome the additional assistance for people most in need, including age pensioners, women and homeless youth.
The ACT Government has a strong commitment to social justice, and the Federal Government's initiatives will complement our efforts in this area. One specific new initiative that will be of great benefit to our young people is the provision of capital funds of $166,000 to provide for medium- to long-term youth accommodation. The ACT will meet the matching requirements of the Commonwealth under the supported accommodation assistance program, to provide a total of $300,000 in capital and recurrent assistance for youth accommodation.
There has been some concern expressed about the level of the Commonwealth capital works program in the ACT. It should be noted that expenditure by the Commonwealth in 1989-90 will be around $84m. In addition, $105m will be spent over the next two years on the new Social Security complex in Tuggeranong, which is being built for the Commonwealth under a lease-back arrangement.
The capital works program outlined in the ACT budget statement of 25 July will also make an important contribution to the level of construction activity in the ACT. Expenditure on capital works by the ACT government sector in 1989-90 will be over $200m.
The most significant aspect of the Commonwealth budget this year in relation to the ACT is what it does not do. It does not set priorities or determine programs for Territory functions. Priorities and programs for ACT functions are, for the first time, the responsibility of the ACT rather than the Commonwealth Government. Commonwealth funding for the ACT in this year and future years is primarily
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