ACT budget 2016 at a glance

Economy

• ACT economy to grow by 2.25 per cent above inflation, marginally slower than the national rate
• Jobs to grow by 1.25 per cent, half the national rate
• Current year's deficit almost halved from a forecast $408 million to $233 million
• Return to surplus in 2018-19, when light-rail payments begin

Fees and charges

• Household rates up 4.5 per cent in coming year. Higher increases in following years
• New family violence levy on households of $30 a year
• Emergency services levy up $20, victims' services levy up $10
• Parking fees up 6 per cent
• Driver's licence fees up 5 per cent
• Eligibility age for seniors card to gradually rise from 60 to 65 by 2025

Transport:

• $100 million to widen Ashley Drive, Aikman Drive, Horse Park Drive and Cotter Road
• 20 new buses, and a direct-bus line to Weston Creek
• $500,000 for to engage local businesses along the light-rail route from Gungahlin to Civic

Infrastructure

• 10 per cent of Canberra's public housing to be renewed at cost of $192 million
• Weston Creek and Stromlo swimming pool centre
• Upgrades for Woden bus interchange and Narrabundah long-stay caravan park
• Funds for a new Civic pool, part of the City to the Lake development

Land and property

• 4550 dwelling sites to be released across Canberra in coming year
• More detached housing in new suburbs of Taylor and Throsby

Health

• 157 extra full-time-equivalent jobs in ACT Health
• 59 more emergency department staff over four years
• Funds for stroke unit and endoscopy services at Canberra hospital, trauma services and front-line drug services,
• Two extra mental-health beds, plus accommodation for mental-health patients

Education

• 680 new school places in Gungahlin
• $21.5 million response to the autism cage scandal
• Land set aside for new school in Denman Prospect
• Funding to help teachers gain postgraduate science and maths qualifications
• Money for special-needs transport

Asbestos

• Mr Fluffy demolition costs revised down by $40 million
• Taskforce's total costs to increase by $5 million over its lifetime

Family violence

• Four-year "safer families" package to combat and prevent domestic violence
• Full-time coordinator-general for family safety, plus staffing
• Funding for victims, child-protection training, awareness campaigns and crisis centres
• Extra money for police and prosectors to catch and punish offenders

Justice

• $62 million towards upgrade of ACT courts precinct
• Two new speed cameras, four extra camera operators and a fine disputes officer
• Funding to speed up processing and reviews of speeding fines
• New State Emergency Service station for Tuggeranong
• About $5 million for prosecutors and defence lawyers for potential retrial of David Eastman
• Police to gain better protective equipment, and extra protective service officers