“ACT Greens values around social justice and sustainability shine brightly in the 2021-22 Budget,” said party leader Shane Rattenbury – vital in a city where the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated inequality in Canberra. He believes this week’s Budget will ‘lift up’ those most in need and look after the most vulnerable in the community.
That, Mr Rattenbury believes, is government’s mission: to solve the problems trickle-down economics would not fix.
“Whether it’s through system breakdown or disadvantage, there is a tendency for those who are less fortunate to get left behind – and our job as a government is to be the counterforce to that natural momentum.”
And Mr Rattenbury fears Canberra will see a two-speed recovery from the pandemic. “Those who have come through the pandemic less impacted will bounce back quickly, and life will resume relatively normal for them, whereas those have been knocked backwards will find it even harder to recover.”
The new Budget is particularly Green; it will deliver or progress 90 of the party’s election commitments: “Real climate action, more and better housing, and more support for the community sector and volunteer organisations that do an incredible job looking after local people and our local environment,” Mr Rattenbury said.
The Tenth Assembly, moreover, is the Greenest government in Australian history, and a third of seats in the ACT Cabinet are held by Greens, Mr Rattenbury said with pride.
The Budget’s biggest legacy, he believed, would be providing more homes for Canberrans in need, a healthier environment, and a better-supported community.
The ACT Government has budgeted $100 million for more and better affordable and public housing for low-income Canberrans at risk of homelessness – the largest investment in ACT public housing since self-government in 1988.
“If you’re a double income public servant household in this town, you can afford a mortgage,” Mr Rattenbury said. “It is those who are on welfare or who are perhaps in the second income quintile – the working poor – for whom we have a particular responsibility.”
He fired a passing shot at the Federal Government’s HomeBuilder grant scheme for home renovation, which some criticised as $25,000 from the government for a new kitchen.
“Government’s role is to get in and help those that need it the most, rather than propel the middle class even further.”
The Budget has raised base funding for the specialist homelessness sector by 12.7 per cent – the first time it has been raised in nine years.
“That’s a ‘better normal’ for these invaluable organisations and the Canberrans who rely on their services,” Mr Rattenbury said, “and it’s thanks to our first Greens Minister for Homelessness” – Rebecca Vassarotti.
Thanks to Ms Vassarotti again, this time as the first Greens Environment Minister, local environment groups will receive four-year funding, instead of having to negotiate annual funding arrangements with the government. The value of the ACT’s environment grants has increased by a third – the first increase to these grants in 15 years.
Another Greens minister, Emma Davidson, responsible for Mental Health, will deliver a mental health package to look after local people including parents, LGBTIQA+ Canberrans, First Nations people, young people, carers, social housing clients, local multicultural communities, people with disability, and people who’ve lost work and income during lockdown.
“As lockdown continues, our community appreciates the need for mental health supports more than ever before,” Mr Rattenbury said.
The ACT is the nation’s only government preparing to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility, Mr Rattenbury said; $795,000 has been budgeted to develop and cost the reforms and conduct significant community consultation.
“As Australia’s first and only Greens Attorney-General, I am proud to be leading this work toward a better normal that diverts children away from a life of engagement with the criminal justice system,” Mr Rattenbury said.
Climate change is a Greens priority; the Budget will implement incentives to make emissions-free vehicles the new normal, including two-years free registration for electric vehicles, and interest-free loans of up to $15,000.
“Only the Greens took a policy for electric vehicles to the election, and it is wonderful to have such enthusiastic support from our partners in government,” Mr Rattenbury said.
“Both parties of government have much to be proud of in this budget, most of all the consistent way we are working together to prioritise community wellbeing – not just over the next four years, but in taking action now to mitigate growing threats to our collective wellbeing, like climate change,” Mr Rattenbury said.
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