Canberra residents will share in the flow-on effects of federal funding to health and cost of living made in Tuesday's budget, which delivered few new commitments specifically for the ACT.
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Finance Minister Katy Gallagher said Canberra would reap the benefits of investments in public service capability, with funding carved out for more than 10,000 new places in the next year, as well as funding for the national institutions.
"That's the big employer in town and our small businesses work off the big employer in town," the ACT senator said.
The budget also revealed $5.7 million for DFAT over seven years from 2023-2024, for the design and build of the National Security Office Precinct. The precinct, revealed in the October 2022 budget, will facilitate up to 5000 staff once built.
Nearly $15 million in federal funding will be channeled into ACT households for electricity bill relief over the two years from 2023-24.
The funding will mean 57,000 households in Canberra are eligible for $175 in Commonwealth support.
Increases to the base rates of support payments like JobSeeker will also mean 11,445 social welfare recipients in the ACT will receive $40 extra each fortnight. Around 400 people in Canberra aged 55 to 59 will also be moved to higher JobSeeker payments.
Canberra health services will receive $553.9 million in funding in 2023-24, with federal bulk billing funding estimated to open up 157,000 appointments in the ACT over five years.
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The ACT will also get a $7.1 million share in funding promised to the delivery of Medicare Urgent Care Clinics over the five years from 2022-23.
It is not clear whether the sum will be for an existing or new bulk-billing clinic for non life-threatening care, eight of which have been promised. Such a clinic promised for Canberra's southside at the 2022 federal election has not yet been delivered.
The territory will also receive $7.5 million in 2023-24 for its Sustainable Household Scheme, which provides concessional loans to households to electrify or improve the efficiency of homes.
Infrastructure funds for the ACT in 2023-24 are estimated at $152.1 million, though no new projects have been identified.
Miriam Webber
I report on the public service and politics for the Canberra Times. Reach me at miriam.webber@canberratimes.com.au
I report on the public service and politics for the Canberra Times. Reach me at miriam.webber@canberratimes.com.au
