The Albanese Labor Government has delivered its first Budget – delivering on our election promises for a better future for Australians.

I’m proud to be part of a Labor Government that is investing in our national capital – after Canberra was ignored for a decade by the Coalition.

We’re delivering cheaper child care for 23,200 ACT families and extending paid parental leave to a full six months. This will ease household budgets pressures and provide families with more support and flexibility.

Cost-of-living will be further eased through cheaper medicines, with Canberrans saving up to $450 each year on their scripts.

We’re investing in education and training, with fee-free TAFE training and more than $6M for an additional 345 university places at the Australian National University and University of Canberra.

We will also deliver more local infrastructure by investing in $86M on the next stage of light rail, $15M to re-open the AIS Arena, $5M to upgrade to the Gorman House Arts Centre, $5M to construct the garden city cycle route, and $10M to build a youth foyer at Woden CIT supporting young people to have a secure home while studying.

We’re upgrading Canberra’s internet connections with faster and more reliable NBN for 9,000 new Canberra households.

We’re building three community batteries in the ACT, including one in Dickson and investing $3.225M to improve the health of Canberra’s urban waterways.

We are also investing $72.9M to rebuild the Australian Public Service because we understand and value its role in good governance and service delivery for all Australians.

These are the big investments needed to change the lives of Australians for the better and meet the needs of our growing city.

This one Budget won’t fix the neglect and mess the Coalition made over the last decade, but it’s a strong start.

We’re working hard to deliver for you today, and to build a better future.