2026-06-11
Let's be clear: the 2026-27 ACT Budget would not look like this without the Greens.
ACT Greens Leader, Jo Clay, said last year’s budget was a turning point in ACT politics.
"Last year - on their own for the first time in a decade - Labor made a deeply flawed decision with the health levy; a measure that placed additional pressure on everyday Canberrans. It became the headline of their budget for all the wrong reasons," said Ms Clay.
"And now, one year later, Labor has scrapped that policy entirely - confirming what the Greens said from the beginning: it was the wrong call.
"This is the difference the Greens bring. When things are wrong, we call them out and we fix them. We spent years negotiating behind the scenes in shared Government and we continue to do so from the Crossbench.
"In this budget we have secured critical investments that strengthen our community and protect the tangible services people rely on every day.
"We've secured the return of the rent relief fund to provide immediate support to people doing it tough. After years of advocacy, we now have electric cargo bikes in the Sustainable Household Scheme so more Canberrans can make more sustainable and cheaper transport choices.
"But we've also secured wins you might not see - like championing the environment sector so our environmental agencies can protect our precious wildlife and bushland.
"We've secured climate wins by making sure you'll always pay less stamp duty on a less polluting car and raising the cap on the Sustainable Household Scheme so you can borrow up to $20k - enough for a second-hand EV.
"We've fought for and won more stable funding for the community sector so that food relief organisations can keep providing meals for people sleeping rough without burning out the people that make their systems tick.
"The Greens understand you cannot build a strong community by stripping away the supports people depend on. Community is built by investing in people.
"But to do that we also need to do the complicated things like smart tax reform - like the short-term accommodation levy - which will raise over $6m in 2027/8 or the Big Corporations tax which ensures that the big end of town are paying more of their fair share.
"Greens negotiations have been at the heart of this budget, delivering reform that makes Canberra fairer and more resilient.
"We have shown that good economic management is about making the right choices, ensuring the cost of funding essential services does not fall on those who can least afford it.
"But we remain concerned about Labor's short-term thinking and their reluctance to stand up for Canberra when it matters most.
"There are serious unanswered questions about long-term federal health funding - especially for programs like Thriving Kids, which is due to start in less than six months. Canberra families deserve greater certainty about these essential services.
"We’re also not seeing the ambition we need on housing. Even on their own numbers – which the sector tells us are unrealistic – Labor’s plan locks in an overall decline in public housing compared to population. At a time when more people than ever are struggling to keep a roof over their heads and an ever-growing waitlist, that is simply not good enough.
"And we remain concerned that Labor is not delivering the public transport network Canberrans need, when they need it.
"The Greens won’t accept a future where inequality grows and essential services fall behind demand. We will keep pushing for bold investment in public housing, a better deal from the Commonwealth, and a tax system that makes big corporations pay their fair share.
"This budget shows what’s possible when the Greens are at the table but it also shows how much further we have to go.
"We’ll keep fighting to make Canberra fairer, more sustainable, and more compassionate, because that’s what this city deserves," said Ms Clay.
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