The 1018-19 ACT Budget promises more and expanded services for a growing city and consequently more programs and tasks for the ACT Public Service.
A snapshot of what that might mean for workers on the ground is as follows:
Health
ACT Health receives a significant boost in the Territory’s Budget with more staff drafted into frontline care and a progressive funding rise that will take overall health spending to more than $2 billion by 2021-22.
There will be more elective surgeries, hospital beds and an expansion of the Hospital in Home program.
A total of $1.3 million has been set aside to employ more headspace counsellors and almost $900,000 for a trial of a mental health recovery college that will deliver educational, recovery-orientated programs to help people better understand and manage their mental illness.
In all there will be an increase of 163 full-time equivalent positions, equating to a two per cent increase.
Education
The Education Directorate will be employing more teachers and support staff as new suburbs come online and the student population continues to grow.
A total of $31.1 million has been set aside for the equivalent of another 66 full-time equivalent teaching and support staff required for the more than 1,000 additional students.
New employment also includes 15 additional full-time psychologists by the 2020 school year.
The Directorate will see an extra 102 full-time equivalent positions, equating to an increase of two per cent.
Transport Canberra and City Services
A series of new funding measures for TCCS includes $10.9 million to expand services to new communities arising from both infill and new estates, and an extra $10 million for more mowing, weeding, graffiti removal, cleaning up local waterways and tree trimming.
Two new ranger positions will be created specifically to manage domestic dogs; while there will be more rangers available to receive complaints from the public.
Transport is dominated by the continued development of light rail with $10 million allocated for the planning, design and enabling works for stage two of the network from the city to Woden.
Elsewhere, William Slim Drive is to be duplicated from Ginninderra Drive to the Barton Highway, complementing existing works being carried out towards Gungahlin, and planning and design on the extension of John Gorton Drive and a bridge across the Molonglo River will begin.
In all, Transport Canberra and City Services will experience an increase of 29 full-time equivalent positions equating to a rise of three per cent in part due to the transfer of the transport planning function from the Environment Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate.
Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development
A Priority Investment Program is to be established to support growth and innovation in sectors such as cyber security, ICT, e-government, renewable energy and space spatial and satellite technology. The program, for which $9.8 million has been allocated, will provide matched funding though a competitive grants process to organisations in key industry sectors.
The progressive reduction of stamp duty, begun in 2012, will continue through the forward estimates until 2021-22. From 1 July there will be no stamp duty on commercial properties worth $1.5 million or less.
Staffing will rise by 102 full-time equivalent positions (two per cent) partly due to the establishment of the Centre of Data Excellence within the Office of the Chief Digital Officer.
Justice and Community Safety
Four new specialist positions for ACT Policing and 18 new firefighters will be recruited, along with better equipment for first responders. This comes on top of a new paramedic crew and two additional ambulances provided during 2018.
A total of $7.3 million has been allocated for more staff and resources for the Director of Public Prosecutions, boosting the Office’s ability to respond to complex trials.
Funding has also been allocated for a full-time forensic pathologist to support the ACT Coroner, and $740,000 for the CBR NightCrew assisting people affected by alcohol and/or drugs in nightspot areas of Civic.
This has led to an increase of 110 full-time equivalent positions, or seven per cent in the Directorate’s overall staff.
Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development
The various programs run by Actsmart, supporting reductions in energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, will be extended through a Budget allocation of $6 million.
The movement towards electric vehicle use will be further encouraged with $456,000 set aside for 50 new charging stations at public sites across Canberra.
Stage three of the conservation works at the Molonglo River Reserve will be funded with $3.3 million, and $3.1 million has been allocated to protect biodiversity in natural habitats.
The Directorate will see a small rise in employment, increasing from its current level of 648 staff to a projected total of 678.
Suburban Land Agency
Internal assessments of the Agency’s strategic and operational requirements following a series of reorganisations has resulted in an increase of 15 full-time equivalent positions, representing a rise of 19 per cent.
