New funding for Malkara School and Ashley Drive

Today I announced that the ACT Government has provided funding for a new pool at the Malkara School and for stage one of the upgrade to Ashley Drive.  

I presented the Appropriation Bill 2011‑2012 (No. 2) and tabled the corresponding Supplementary Budget Papers in the Legislative Assembly this morning.  

The Bill predominantly provides for the additional costs, of $18.081 million, to ACT Government agencies for funding recently agreed Enterprise Agreements. This provides pay rises for the ACT’s hard working public servants, including nurses and teachers, to attract and retain high quality staff. 

The Bill also provides authorisation for the replacement of the Malkara School’s hydrotherapy pool, and the Ashley Drive upgrade in Tuggeranong. These projects will be funded through the reallocation of capital from 2011-12. 

Malkara School: The 2011-12 Budget provided $1.83 million for the refurbishment of the school’s existing pool. As part of the project investigation phase, the Education and Training Directorate engaged a specialist consultant to provide advice on the pool facility and infrastructure. The report recommended that a new pool be constructed, and the Government is proceeding with this work with the additional authorisation in the Bill of $1.22 million. 

Ashley Drive: The Bill also allocates $7 million to undertake detailed design, document preparation and construction work for stage one of the Ashley Drive upgrade. Stage one will include road and associated intersection improvements on Ashley Drive. Further improvements to intersections at Bugden Avenue and McBryde Crescent, and dual carriageway extensions on Sternberg Crescent, will also be included. This project will address traffic congestion currently experienced at key intersections during peak periods.  

The Bill ensures the transparency of Government decision-making in relation to the allocation of financial resources and fulfils the Government’s policy objectives in a timely fashion.