When the Liberal National government was re-elected on May 18, Chief Minister Andrew Barr couldn't help but talk about how bad he thought this was for Canberra, claiming - like some others have - the Liberal National government has, and would in future, fail to fund infrastructure projects and services in our city.
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This claim is, while politically convenient for Mr Barr, utterly false. Not only is it false of this government, but history shows us that Liberal National governments have more often than not been the builders of Canberra. We commissioned the National Gallery, the National Library, the National Museum and even the lake. We have for a very long time, been the builders of our city.
This record continues. In the last two years alone, the Liberal National government has announced more than $800 million in investment for infrastructure and institutions in the ACT, including a major $100 million upgrade to the Monaro Highway, William Slim Drive duplication and the $80 million improvements to the National Gallery.
This figure does not include the significant investment in roads heavily used by Canberrans such as the $100 million additional investment in the Barton Highway and $30 million for the Kings Highway. $800 million on a per capita basis would represent about $10 billion in a city like Melbourne, a substantial investment in anyone's language.
Last year we announced the single largest Commonwealth funded building in the ACT by a federal government since the Howard government with a $500 million expansion planned for the Australian War Memorial.
This is a massive investment in our city, with new jobs already created to assist in the planning for the expansion, and construction jobs to be supported throughout the life of the works.
The benefits don't stop there; with nearly 1.1 million visitors through its doors in 2017-18, the Australian War Memorial is the most visited attraction in our city, and an expansion of over 80 per cent in floor space will only see this number grow, massively boosting our hospitality industry here in the nation's capital. An investment in our cultural, and public infrastructure helps to grow our private sector here in Canberra.
Mr Barr conveniently forgets these facts because the only infrastructure project the ACT government seems to be concerned with is the next stage of light rail to the detriment of all others. The federal government has a responsibility to consider investments in infrastructure right across the ACT, and not only in Andrew Barr's pet projects. I do however note that the Liberal National government did also contribute $68 million to the first stage of light rail.
Because we have a history of strong economic management, we've been able to invest more in areas critically important to Canberrans. Federal funding to our hospitals has more than doubled since we came to government, from $203 million in 2012-13 to $411.4 million this year, at a time when the ACT Labor government are disgracefully cutting health spending in real terms. It's time ACT Labor answered for this running down of our health system.
In addition to the doubling of Commonwealth hospital funding, we announced in this year's federal budget a $68 million ACT health plan, which funds a much needed residential eating disorder centre here in the ACT, a new Headspace youth mental health facility, more drug and alcohol rehab facilities, and more beds for the Canberra Hospital ICU.
Our schools will also see a nearly $200 million funding boost over the next 10 years. On top of all this, 230,000 individuals and 44,000 small and medium businesses, as well as our local economy, will benefit from the billions in tax cuts we are delivering.
While the Chief Minister will continue to blame the Commonwealth for his lack of delivery, the facts tell a very different story. Our government has a strong record for delivering for Canberra, and will continue to do so, while the ACT government oversees a failing health system and ever rising cost of living under the Chief Minister. It takes a special kind of chutzpah to triple rates, cut health spending and still deliver deficit after deficit, and seek to blame others for it. Mr Barr is out of excuses.
- Zed Seselja is a Liberal Senator for the ACT and the Assistant Minister for Finance, Charities and Electoral Matters