Canberra's economy performs well by the usual measures – but for whom? While wages struggle to keep up, more Canberrans are experiencing rent hikes, out of reach house ownership, rising costs for food, fuel and healthcare.
This isn't just a cost-of-living crisis. It's a wealth distribution crisis. Too much of the wealth created by Canberrans is ending up in the hands of large corporations and distant shareholders, while the people who keep our city running are left paying more and getting less.
Community Wealth Building offers a different path. By keeping wealth local and putting more power, ownership and investment in the hands of workers, communities and local enterprises, we can ensure the wealth created in Canberra stays in Canberra.
The key pillars of Community Wealth Building are:
✊ Creating fair and secure work and opportunities so the people who contribute to Canberra can build a good life
🤝 Using public spending to back local businesses, social enterprises and community organisations instead of corporate giants
🌳 Stewarding public land and assets for the long-term benefit of current and future generations
💰 Keeping wealth in Canberra by building local sources of finance and investment so more of the wealth created in Canberra is invested back into Canberra's people, businesses and communities
📍 Giving more people a stake in the economy by expanding employee ownership, social enterprises and co-operatives, so more people can own, shape and benefit from the wealth they help create
Scotland has recently adopted Community Wealth Building as a core element of their national economic strategy, so we know we're not the only ones thinking along these lines.
After this community conversation, the Greens intend to develop legislation based on the Scottish Community Wealth Building Act, tailored to the ACT.
READ OUR PLAN (PDF)
