As we build up to the 2024 ACT election in October, Marisa Paterson MLA and Jeremy Hanson CSC, MLA will write a column each week covering different topics. This is the eighth instalment.

Jeremy Hanson

Cutting the cost of living. If there is a concern that gets raised with me even more often than the Tram, it’s cost of Living.

According to a recent report from the ACT Council of Social Service, education, medical and housing costs have increased more than 20 per cent over the past five years.

We are all suffering under rates increases year after year, but to top it off, Andrew Barr this year delivered one of the highest taxing budgets in history, delivering:

• Household rates up between 4.5 and 9 per cent

• Vehicle registration fees up 4 per cent

• Driver’s licence fees up 4 per cent

• Public transport fees up 3 per cent

• Safer Families levy to increase from $50 to $70

• Police, Fire and Emergency Services levy to increase from $375 to $396

• Electricity charges up 12.75 per cent

• Water charges going up by 7 per cent; and

• Sewerage charges going up 7 per cent.

Despite their band-aid solutions and pie in the sky promises, the Labor Greens government is going to tax Canberrans even higher. It’s there in the budget.

In contrast, the Canberra Liberals’ $65 million Cost of Living policy will deliver real and immediate cost-of-living relief to all Canberrans, with a family of four saving at least $750.

The Canberra Liberals will also cap rate increases at 2.2 percent in the next term of government, which will ensure households will save, on average, almost $2,000 in rates compared to the Labor-Greens rates gouge.

The Canberra Liberals will also provide:

• $150 voucher for each school-enrolled child, preschool – year 12, for school related expenses;
• $100 voucher for each school-enrolled child, preschool – year 12, for sport rego and extra curricula activities;
• $100 rebate off the registration for each passenger vehicle registered in the ACT;
• $100 rebate off the registration for each caravan and camper trailer registered in the ACT;
• $50 rebate off the cost of electricity bills for every household in the ACT; and
• Free public transport for all students, seniors and concession card holders.

Cost-of-living pressures are real, but only the Canberra Liberals have real solutions.

Marisa Paterson

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about ACT Labor’s vision for the south of Canberra. Fear not my north-side friends, ACT Labor has a comprehensive plan for the north of Canberra!

All communities need accessible healthcare, particularly as our population grows and ages. Only ACT Labor will deliver the $1 billion new Northside Hospital, new health centres in West Belconnen, and Casey, while expanding services Gungahlin, Dickson, and Belconnen walk-in centres.

ACT Labor will upgrade CIT Belconnen and invest in a new CIT Gungahlin. We will also upgrade or expand more than 20 public schools across the region.

A re-elected Labor Government is committed to upgrades to footpaths, shops and playgrounds, with a new water play area at Emu Bank and an all-abilities playground at Florey in Belconnen. We will continue working with the Commonwealth to see a major facelift for the Australian Institute of Sport and a new 30,000 seat Canberra Stadium. Congestion around Belconnen will ease with the completion of the Gundaroo Drive duplication, work will commence on increasing capacity along William Hovell Drive and ACT Labor will progress a Belconnen to City Transitway.

ACT Labor is committed to delivering for the residents of Gungahlin with a new Community and Arts centre, upgrades to the facilities at EPIC for multicultural events and a new Emergency Services Station. A re-elected ACT Labor Government will invest $10 million to tackle congestion and bottlenecks in the Gungahlin town centre. We will also commence major upgrades on Gungahlin Drive between Casey Town Centre and Gundaroo Drive. ACT Labor will deliver sporting facilities such as the Amaroo Tennis Centre and new Throsby Playing Fields, as well as progress a new indoor sports centre in Casey.

ACT Labor is delivering for residents in the inner-north and inner-south of Canberra with co-commitments with the Commonwealth government to see light rail and a new aquatic centre at Commonwealth Park, and the delivery of the Garden City Cycleway. We are delivering more affordable homes through projects such as the Build-to-Rent development in Turner. We will also deliver a new Emergency Services Station in Acton to improve response times and provide greater support to the community.

ACT Labor is committed to a practical vision of delivering what Canberran’s want and need, to see our beautiful city grow sustainably to be the most liveable city in the world (we came #2 this year!).