The Canberra Liberals have announced a $65 million cost-of-living package, to be implemented if they win government in October this year.
The announcement quickly drew ire from Chief Minister Andrew Barr, who described it as "a cut and paste" of past Liberal policies.
Announcing the package this morning, Canberra Liberals leader Elizabeth Lee said it would provide "up-front relief for everyone" in the form of free public transport for students and seniors, vouchers for school and sport expenses, and rebates for cars, caravans and electricity bills.
Under this policy, families with two school-aged children and two cars would be "at least $750 better off".
"These measures ... are broad and designed to provide much-needed cost-of-living relief to many Canberrans who have been continually ignored by the Labor-Greens government," Ms Lee said.
"Canberrans have been taxed to the bone by Andrew Barr and instead of their hard-earned money being wasted on dodgy contracts and abandoned HR programs, all Canberrans deserve some of that money going back into their pockets when they need it the most."
But Chief Minister Andrew Barr accused the Liberals of taking policies from "Alistair Coe's 2020 campaign".
"The reheated policy idea to reduce car registration again comes straight from the Coe playbook, and was costed by ACT Treasury at $87 million over a four-year term," Mr Barr said.
"If the opposition leader is just going to play from the old Liberal playbook, designed by people like Zed Seselja and Alistair Coe, then Canberrans should rightly be very nervous about what the Liberals plan to cut to pay for this cash splash."
Under their cost-of-living package in 2020, the Canberra Liberals, led by Alistair Coe, pledged to cut the cost of car registration fees to under $100, which would have cost the ACT budget about $25 million a year.
They also pledged vouchers worth $200 for students from years 7 to 9 to help with sporting and other recreational pursuits.
Ms Lee took over as the Canberra Liberals leader following the party's election loss in 2020.
Policy promises cost-of-living relief
Ms Lee said her policy was informed by "the many Canberrans who have been raising their concerns about cost-of-living pressures for some time now, but [who] have been continually ignored by the Labor-Greens government".
The Canberra Liberals package promises:
- $150 voucher for each school-enrolled child preschool – year 12 for school related expenses;
- $100 voucher for each school-enrolled child preschool – year 12 for sport rego and extra curricula activities;
- $100 rebate off the registration for each passenger vehicle registered in the ACT;
- $100 rebate off the registration for each caravan and camper trailer registered in the ACT;
- $50 rebate off the cost of electricity bills for every household in the ACT; and
- Free public transport for all students, seniors and concession card holders.
"With many children going back to school today, the Labor-Greens government has once again missed a big opportunity to assist more families with the costs associated with sending kids back to school," Ms Lee said.
"Canberrans are also slugged the highest fees in the country when it comes to car and caravan rego as well as registration for kids' sport."
Devin Bowles from the ACT Council of Social Service said he was pleased the Canberra Liberals had "heard our calls about a cost-of-living crisis", but said the voucher scheme on the whole was "regressive".
"The voucher system would absolutely be better if it was means tested," he said, noting that a wealthy family of three was likely to get $1,200 in vouchers.
"There's no reason that the wealthiest 10 per cent of Canberrans need this extra funding from government," Dr Bowles said.
"But clearly, extra funding for those who are struggling in Canberra now is required."
Dr Bowles also said that the voucher system benefited people who own more than one car.
"We know that it costs a lot of money for the government to maintain the roads and that is why there are registration fees, so that users pay," he said.
"What this is effectively doing is asking people who are not using the road system as heavily to be subsidising those with three or four vehicles."
However, Dr Bowles said ACTCOSS was "really in favour" of the free public transport pledge for students and concession card holders.
"It's really important that there not be any financial barriers for students getting to school," he said.
"It is important though, that the government collect data on this trial to see if it does increase public transport use, making sure that we're getting the best value for money."
Barr says government will focus on targeted relief
Mr Barr said the Labor government "will continue to pursue well-planned, targeted cost-of-living relief for Canberrans who need it".
"We have already provided tens of millions dollars in support for families who need it most. This includes the $800 utilities concession provided to 40,000 Canberra homes to help with their energy bills, and the government's new education equity fund," he said.
"Because the equity fund is targeted, it provides a substantial support to families that need help with the cost of sending their kids to school. The fund provides $400 for preschoolers, $500 for primary school students and $750 for high school and college students."
Mr Barr also said his government was "working with the Commonwealth on measures that will complement the tax cuts for every working Canberran that will come into effect in July".
The Chief Minister has previously alluded to yet-to-be-announced election policies that will address local skills shortages in areas such as health, education and trades, as well as rectifying workforce gaps.
The Canberra Liberals' cost-of-living package follows a promise to cancel the light rail line to Woden, and a $100 million "putting your suburb first" policy to upgrade neglected suburbs, if elected.
The ACT election will take place on October 19, 2024.