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Friday, March 29, 2024

ACT Chief Minister pledges COVID recovery investment

The ACT Government has pledged significant investments in the 2021-22 Budget to support Canberra through “one of the toughest moments we have ever faced”, Chief Minister, Andrew Barr said today.

Mr Barr said today’s $26 million package would ensure that those most in need in the community would continue to receive support as the Territory responds to a local outbreak of the COVID-19 virus as well as in the years to follow.

As we progress through the National Plan to Transition Australia’s COVID-19 response, this package is a further element of our response to ensure that no one is left behind, he said.

“We know the pandemic is difficult for many families and individuals in the community. This is why the government is continuing to work very closely with community organisations across a range of sectors,” the Chief Minister said.

“This additional funding through the 2021-22 ACT Budget, combined with our close relationships with our community partners, will help deliver support to Canberrans that need it most.”

The package announced today includes:

  • $8.6 million over three years to expand the capacity of existing services including specialist homelessness programs that commenced operation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • $4.0 million over four years to increase the community sector indexation rate applied to annual grants funding. This will assist community organisations to help them meet higher wage costs following the recent Fair Work Commission decision to increase the national minimum wage and all award wages by 2.5 per cent.
  • Additional funding of $3.5 million over four years to local volunteer groups to help maintain and improve our iconic landscape. More funding will also be allocated to expand the ACT Environment Grants and to fund an additional ParkCare ranger in Canberra’s north.
  • $2.5 million over the next four years tomaintain and strengthen Legal Aid’s capacity to represent, support and assist vulnerable members of the Canberra community. This includes front-line service support for victims of family violence and the elderly, and for vulnerable witnesses.
  • $2.2 million over the next four years for a culturally appropriate program to focus on suicide prevention, intervention, postvention and aftercare tailored for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Canberrans.
  • $2.0 million over four years to support crucial services delivered by the Community Legal Assistance Sector including the Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT, Canberra Community Law, CARE Inc, the Environmental Defenders Office, and the Women’s Legal Centre ACT.
  • $762,000 over four years to allow the Children and Young People Equipment Loan Service (CAYPELS) to continue and to develop a service planning model to inform the future operation of the service. It will also allow for the purchase and replenishment of specialised paediatric equipment.
  • Additional funding of $623,000 over four years for A Gender Agenda to continue their work with vulnerable trans, gender diverse and intersex Canberrans. This includes peer support, intersex specific project work and the peer-based navigation and information service, The Friday Centre.
  • $570,000 to support vulnerable people in the multicultural community, including an additional $180,000 for the Refugee, Asylum Seeker and Humanitarian program to provide financial assistance for its clients who hold an ACT Services Access Card and to support the resettlement of refugees, asylum seekers and humanitarian entrants living in the ACT; $137,000 for emergency, material and aid services; $135,000 to support COVID-19 messaging; and $118,000 to support a community partnership to provide emergency payments to vulnerable families.
  • $509,000 for the pandemic response team to continue implementing the ACT Government Community Recovery Roadmap. This initiative builds on recent Government actions in this area including the 2020-21 Health COVID-19 Response initiative.
  • $311,000 to end adverse experiences of young First Nations people in the ACT child protection system by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Commissioner.
  • Funding of $184,000 in 2021-22 to develop a model of care for five additional supported accommodation homes to support people living with enduring mental illness to live safely and well in the community.
  • An additional $100,000 to support ongoing access to emergency food relief for those in need.

Mr Barr said the package follows the COVID-19 economic support measures that have been previously announced which included increased funding for mental health supports, crisis and emergency supports, extending the Jobs for Canberrans program, emergency food relief and increasing the utilities concession to $1,000 for 31,000 households for 2021-22.

He said further announcements would be made closer to the 2021-22 Budget on 6 October.

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