NT Budget: Funds earmarked for Central Australia infrastructure projects
FOR residents of Alice Springs, the 2020-21 Territory Budget focused on infrastructure projects designed to boost tourism and access to health services in the heart of Central Australia
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FOR residents of Alice Springs, the 2020-21 Territory Budget focused on infrastructure projects designed to boost tourism and access to health services in the heart of Central Australia.
Funding for major projects includes $19.4m to construct the National Indigenous Cultural Centre, $10m for flood mitigation works and $16m for Roads of Strategic Importance, which will include select upgrades to the Alice Springs to Halls Creek corridor.
There is also $49.5m to upgrade various sections of the Outback Way.
A big-ticket item for Alice Springs is a new multistorey car park to be built adjacent to the hospital.
The car park will soak up $11.9m of the total $29.6m infrastructure spend allocated to the Central Australia Health Service.
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Alice Springs mayor Damien Ryan welcomed news of this project in particular.
“I’m very keen to see the car park at the hospital built because it’s very difficult at the moment for patients and staff to get in and out,” Mr Ryan said.
The budget also includes $13m for the long-promised revitalisation of the Alice Springs CBD via the City Deal project, focusing on shade structures and cooling initiatives to make the town centre more attractive for shoppers and businesses alike.
Chief Minister and Treasurer Michael Gunner Gunner used his budget announcement speech to reassert his government’s commitment to the beleaguered National Aboriginal Art gallery, saying “whether it happens the easy way or the hard way, we will build the (gallery) for Alice Springs.”
The budget includes $49.8m for the continuation of the project, which has been plagued by setbacks and controversy since its announcement.
Independent MP for Araluen Robyn Lambley was critical of Mr Gunner’s fiscal management.
“Overall an extremely disturbing budget. By 2023, Territorians will be paying $1.4m per day in interest repayments. When Gunner came to government in 2016 the debt was less than $2 billion. The debt is now at over $8 billion,” Ms Lambley said.
“This shameless reckless management of the Territory finances will impact on Territorians well into the future, with no plan for a surplus within the next 10 years.”
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