The ACT budget will be pushed back to October after the upcoming Legislative Assembly sitting week was cancelled.
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Speaker Joy Burch cancelled the scheduled sittings between August 31 and September 2 in response to the lockdown in the ACT and the outbreak of the Delta variant of coronavirus.
Chief Minister and Treasurer Andrew Barr confirmed the ACT budget would be delivered on Wednesday, October 6.
The ACT budget was due to be delivered on August 31.
Ms Burch cancelled the sittings at the request of the majority of Legislative Assembly members.
"It is the intention of all members to ensure Assembly sitting business can be resumed as soon as safely possible," Ms Burch said in a statement.
"Discussions are taking place about new sittings dates and to ensure the budget is presented and annual report hearings are rescheduled."
A spokeswoman for Mr Barr said there would be minor adjustments to the sitting calendar, including an extra day of budget estimates and one less sitting day.
There would be the same number of private members' business items as before, she said.
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Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee said the Canberra Liberals were working with the ACT government and Legislative Assembly staff to develop a revised sitting calendar.
"We will continue to work with the ACT government to ensure the safety of Canberrans. We will also continue to voice concerns and issues raised by our community, industry peak bodies and businesses directly with the chief minister and the health minister to ensure there is a clear plan moving forward," Ms Lee said.
Greens leader Shane Rattenbury said it waswise to amend the calendar given the current outbreak of COVID-19 in the ACT.
"The ACT Greens are pleased that the 2021 sitting calendar can be re-scheduled to maintain the necessary work of the Assembly to the end of this year, as well as important scrutiny elements such as estimates," Mr Rattenbury said.
Meanwhile, Federal Parliament is still due to sit next week with reduced capacity and numbers, and most members dialling in remotely.
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Jasper Lindell
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
