2006–07 Australian Capital Territory budget

December 2019 June 2011 The 2006–07 Australian Capital Territory budget for the financial year 2006–2007 was presented to the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly by Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory Jon Stanhope on 6 June 2006. Stanhope is also the Treasurer, with this budget being the first he has presented as Treasurer.Markus Mannheim Budget will hurt: Stanhope Education, health face overhaul 6 June 2005 The Canberra Times http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=news&subclass=political&story_id=485337&category=Political&m=6&y=2006 11 June 2006 September 2017 InternetArchiveBot yes Among the most-discussed elements of the budget were its planned closure of 39 schools in the Territoryhttp://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200606/s1656763.htm Budget's school closures shock parents ABC News Online Australian Broadcasting Corporation 6 June 2006 9 June 2006 October 2018 InternetArchiveBot yes as part of its "Towards 2020: Renewing Our Schools" vision for education in the Territory.2006 http://www.det.act.gov.au/2020/ Towards 2020: Renewing Our Schools ACT Department of Education and Training 10 June 2006 https://web.archive.org/web/20060613070633/http://www.det.act.gov.au/2020/ 13 June 2006 dead Stanhope asserted in a Letter to the People of the ACT, http://www.det.act.gov.au/2020/pdf/CMStanhopeLettertoResidents.pdf Letter to the People of the ACT ACT Legislative Assembly n.d. 10 June 2006 https://web.archive.org/web/20060616061317/http://www.det.act.gov.au/2020/pdf/CMStanhopeLettertoResidents.pdf 16 June 2006 dead that this is the "first time in 17 years that any ACT Government has embarked on strategic and structural reform of this magnitude." He asserts that demographic shifts have led to 18,000 empty desks in ACT government schools and that it costs up to $10,000 more per year to educate children in schools with low enrolments, compared with a child at a school which is at or near capacity. Quoting figures from the Commonwealth Grants Commission, Stanhope argues that "it costs some 20% more, across the board, to deliver basic services like health and education in the ACT than the national average.". The budget announcements have provoked strong criticism from the ACT Council of Parents and Citizens Associations, Australian Education Union ACT branch, the ACT Opposition and members of the public.2006 http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=news&subclass=general&story_id=486640&category=General&m=6&y=2006 United front on school closures The Canberra Times 10 June 2006 https://web.archive.org/web/20060623215645/http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=news&subclass=general&story_id=486640&category=general&m=6&y=2006 23 June 2006 dead 2006 http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19425746-29277,00.html https://archive.today/20060612013633/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19425746-29277,00.html dead 12 June 2006 School seeks meeting on closures The Australian 10 June 2006 2006 http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=your%20say&subclass=general&story_id=485644&category=Letters%20to%20Editor&m=6&y=2006 Very brave, but we have to take him at his word, Letters to the editor, Wednesday 7th June 2006 The Canberra Times 11 June 2006 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20070907050300/http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=your%20say 7 September 2007 2006 http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=your%20say&subclass=general&story_id=485903&category=Letters%20to%20Editor&m=6&y=2006 Letters to the editor (8 June 2006) The Canberra Times 11 June 2006 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20070907050300/http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=your%20say 7 September 2007 Revenue, expenditure and net operating balance Revenue Taxes, Fees and Fines: $950.5 million. Main areas are: Duties: $228.8m Payroll tax: $220m General rates:$157m Land tax: $63.8m Gambling: $46.6m Vehicle registration: $65.7m Regulatory fees: $45.6m Water abstraction charge: $27.2m Traffic fines: $17.6m Parking fines: $9.2m Commonwealth Grants: $1,203.6 million an increase of $65.6 million from the 2005–06 estimated outcome, mainly due to increases in Goods and Services Tax grants and Specific Purposes Payments, offset by the loss of National Competition Payments. User Charges: $246.7 million revenues generated from the sale of goods and services to customers Other Revenue: $469.5 million includes dividends from Territory owned Corporations, revenue from joint ventures, land sales, interest and investment returns. "This revenue will decrease by $207.5 million from the 2005–06 estimated outcome. Reductions are expected across most other revenue components." Changes affecting revenue are designed to expand the revenue base, achieve parity with other jurisdictions where appropriate, and recover costs incurred in delivering services.Budget Paper Number 2 https://web.archive.org/web/20060823072134/http://www.treasury.act.gov.au/budget/budget_2006/files/paper2/bpaper2.pdf 23 August 2006 Expenditure Total expenses in 2006/07 are planned to be $2,886.7m. Major areas of government expenditure are: Portfolio2006/07 planned expenditureHealth and Community Care $756.1mGovernment Schooling (including Early Childhood and Preschool Education) $452.3mTerritory and Municipal Services (excluding Tourism, Environment, Sustainability, Heritage and Forestry Services)$368.8mDisability and Community Services $207.8mNon Government Schooling $155.4mVocational Education and Training $111.5mJustice and Community Safety $110.4mHousing ACT $104.7mPolicing $99.5mTreasury (including administration of the GST and FHOG) $94.0mPublic Transport $85.8mEmergency Services $77.2mPlanning $60.3mEnvironment, Sustainability, Heritage and Forestry Services $41.8mChief Minister's Department $28.6mBusiness and Economic Development $17.7mTourism $16.1mLegislative Assembly $10.8mExecutive $5.2mAuditor-General $4.6m $337 million will be spent on Capital Works Projects in 2006–07: $112.3 million for New Works announced in the 2006/07 budget and $224.7 million for Works-in-Progress, i.e. previously announced measures. Net operating balance The budget for 2006/07 includes a projected operating balance in $million per year over the next four years as: 2006/072007/082008/092009/10$80.3m deficit$40.7m deficit$18.3m surplus$67.7m surplus Education In 2006/07 the Government will spend $719.2 million on education: Government school education = $430.9m 35,141 students in government schools Non-government schools = $155.4m grants to support 24,679 students in 44 non-government schools; Vocational education and training = $111.5m Early intervention = $21.4m The Government proposes to make capital improvements in schools ($90m) and to spend more on school maintenance. New schools will be built in Belconnen and Gungahlin ($66m) and there will be a feasibility study for a combined college and CIT campus at Gungahlin. A further $20 million has been provided over four years for Information Technology services across the school system.http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200606/s1656593.htm ACT Budget raises cost of living ABC News Online Australian Broadcasting Corporation 6 June 2006 12 June 2006 https://web.archive.org/web/20060615221329/http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200606/s1656593.htm 15 June 2006 dead The Government also proposes to close significant numbers of schools over the next three years. Schools to close at the end of 2006:http://www.abc.net.au/news/indepth/featureitems/s1656646.htm ACT school closures: full list ABC News Online Australian Broadcasting Corporation 6 June 2006 9 June 2006 October 2010 H3llBot Preschools: Chifley, Flynn, Giralang, Hackett, Hall, Macarthur, McKellar, Mount Neighbour, Reid, Rivett, South Curtin, Tharwa, The Causeway, Weston Creek Primary schools: Flynn, Giralang, Hall, Melrose, Mount Neighbour, Rivett, Tharwa, Weston Creek Schools to close at the end of 2007: Preschools: Cook, Gilmore, Page, Village Creek Primary schools: Cook, Gilmore, Village Creek High school: Kambah Schools to close at the end of 2008: Preschools: Higgins, Holt, Isabella Plains, Melba Primary schools: Higgins, Holt, Isabella Plains, Mount Rogers College: Dickson was originally to close, however has had a reprieve and now is not closing at this time. Health In 2006/07 the Government will spend $765.1 million on health: Acute services = $494.8m including hospital treatment for 76,520 inpatients and 273,350 outpatients; Community health services= $99.8m Mental health = $50.9m including 200,320 mental health non-admitted occasions of service; Early intervention & prevention = $33.7m including 92% of one-year-olds will be immunised according to the primary schedule, and including breast cancer screening for 12,000 women Aged care and rehabilitation services = $32m Public health services = $23.7m Cancer services = $21m There will be $41 million more spent on health, but the Government plans to slow the rate of growth in this budget from 10 per cent a year to around 6 per cent. An extra $10 million will be spent to reduce elective surgery waiting lists over four years. Canberra Hospital will become the major tertiary referral hospital, while Calvary Public Hospital will provide more specialised services. Public housing Criteria for allocation of Public housing has been made more stringent. Single people earning more than 60% of the average wage and couples earning more than 75% of the average wage will not be eligible. 500 dwellings will be sold and the money reinvested in other public housing. Police & emergency services The ACT police force will be increased by 60 more police. Surveillance in the territory will increase with a network of Closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in public places and on ACTION buses. The ACT Emergency Services Authority (ESA) will be re-absorbed into the ACT Department of Justice & Community Safety. A new emergency services headquarters at Fairbairn will be built at a cost of $17.3 million. Public service New recruits will have employer superannuation contributions curbed at 9 per cent; compared with 15.4% for existing employees and 29% contributions towards the Chief Minister's superannuation.2006 http://www.cpsu.org.au/campaigns/ACTGovt/news/1148886074_13502.html CPSU 'super ads' put pressure on Stanhope (29 May 2006) ACT Government Campaign Community and Public Sector Union 10 June 2006 https://web.archive.org/web/20060619190300/http://cpsu.org.au/campaigns/ACTGovt/news/1148886074_13502.html 19 June 2006 live The ACT public service will be cut by 500 jobs.2006 http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=news&subclass=political&story_id=486661&category=political&m=6&y=2006 PS staffers in 'disbelief' over planned job losses (11 June 2006) ACT Government Campaign Community and Public Sector Union 11 June 2006 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20070222140134/http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=news 22 February 2007 A new department will absorb several agencies including Environment ACT and sport and recreation. Increases in taxes and charges Despite the cuts in services and school closures, the average ACT household will pay around $400 more each year: rates will rise by 6 per cent and households will be charged a new fire and emergency services levy of $84. Household water bills will increase in the order of $100 per year. There will be a new water fee of 30 cents per kilolitre. This fee will be added to water abstraction charges nearly doubling them to 55 cents per kilolitre. http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200606/s1660619.htm Fee set to boost water bills ABC News Online Australian Broadcasting Corporation 12 June 2006 12 June 2006 https://web.archive.org/web/20060613171558/http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200606/s1660619.htm 13 June 2006 dead Accounting changes The Government has changed its accounting system so the Budget does not include fluctuating amounts like superannuation returns. See also Australian Capital Territory Education in the Australian Capital Territory References ACT budget Category:Economy of the Australian Capital Territory Category:Australian budgets Category:State government finances in Australia austrtalia Category:June 2006 in Australia