Following a record-high deficit in 2024-25 and a scathing review of finances from an independent economist, the ACT government has promised to bring the budget out of black while keeping all their promises.
How do they plan to turn around the budget from a record high deficit of $1.1 billion in 2024-25 to a net surplus of $244 million in 2028-29?
There are multiple measures, such as restricting the growth of directorates, but the government also plans to save $700 million over four years by delaying some capital works projects.
Treasurer Chris Steel pressed that no projects will be cut.
"We're not stepping away from the commitments that we've made. What we are doing is making sure that the infrastructure program is sustainable and deliverable," he said on Wednesday.
"It may mean some projects are deferred, but we're delivering on the projects that are in flight and need to be delivered first before then we go on and start new projects."
The infrastructure plan published in 2026-27 will have more detail, but this is what we know so far.
Health, emergency services and sports infrastructure in North Gungahlin will be delayed while other northside projects, like the $1.5 billion hospital, tennis centre and playing fields, are prioritised.
Car parking and housing for artists will take precedence over buildings for arts organisations at the Kingston Arts Precinct.
And later stages of the Monaro Highway will be deferred as the government prioritises other road works that they say will better support housing delivery.
Projects already in construction will not be affected, the government says.
That includes public housing construction, the Belconnen basketball stadium, a second college in Gungahlin, public hospital remediation works, new city police station, inner south health centre, Molonglo emergency services station, public pool upgrades and Woden community centre.
The Molonglo River Bridge, Monaro Highway upgrade, UNSW city campus, garden city cycleway, South Tuggeranong health centre, William Hovell Drive duplication, Cancer Research Centre, new Lyric Theatre, Gorman House arts centre upgrade, Big Canberra battery, Phillip oval and Dickson shops upgrade are also already on the way.
The new Civic pool and convention centre, which are partly funded by the commonwealth, are referred to as "priority projects" and have been allocated $100 million in the 2026-27 budget through the National Capital Investment Framework.
The federal government has also announced funding towards the Drake Brockman Drive duplication, Sydney rail corridor upgrade, RSPCA building and Molonglo Parkway Drive Connector.
Mr Steel said the infrastructure program has been "reset" to reduce costs following 2027-28.
"We've also reset the infrastructure program to be far more realistic about the size of the program following the 2027-28 year, where we have got quite a significant amount of expenditure with some balloon payments [on top priority projects]," he said.
Future tier three projects, which should cost less than $25 million, are the most likely to be delayed.
While there is no indication that timelines on these projects will be extended, no funding has been allocated towards the Civic library relocation, Hedley Beare Centre upgrades, a Canberra Civic and cultural district, Acton waterfront estate development, National Arboretum ecolodge, or a Molonglo Town Centre and high school.
The child and adolescent mental health services (CAHMS) relocation and Tuggeranong ice sports facility are in planning phases.
