ACT COVID-19 - 23 March 2020

Education – Schools to go pupil free (announced 23 March 2020)

On Monday 23 March 2020 The ACT Minister for Education announced that from Tuesday 24 March all ACT public schools will go pupil free until the school holidays due to begin on Thursday 9 April, 2020. 

ACT Public Schools prepare to transition to alternative methods of delivering education for children, in the event students cannot attend school for extended period.

Read more here.

ACT State Stimulus Package

Stage 1 (announced on 20 March 2020)

The ACT’s stage one economic survival package is injecting $137 million into the local economy

Inclusions

Rebates of $150 on residential rates to help ease cashflow pressures for Canberra households, as well as a freeze on a number of ACT Government fees and charges, including the fire and emergency services levy, public transport, vehicle registration and parking fees.

ACT Government will provide rental support of $250 for all public housing tenants in the coming months, as well as a one-off rebate for residential utility concession holders of $200 to help with power bills.

$20 million to be immediately spent on infrastructure projects and maintenance on local schools, roads, and public transport.

Provide more funding for the removal of dead trees, planting of new trees and maintenance of surrounding areas to redeploy existing government contractors impacted by event cancellations.

$500,000 round of grants funding for the arts sector.

$7 million for our non-government organisation partners to meet increased service demand for emergency relief will also be rolled out as part of our Community Support package.

Funding to provide Lifeline ACT with an additional $100,000 to bolster services following a recent spike in calls, supporting the mental health

ACT Government agencies have been instructed to prioritise the processing of development applications. 

The ACT Government will also look to provide support by expediting the payment of bills to further provide cashflow support for small to medium businesses. The Government has committed to our own casual workforce through continued employment and appropriate access to COVID-19 leave where required.

Read more here.

Further information on the stimulus package and support available here.

ACT Public Health Emergency

On Monday 16 March 2020 The ACT Minister for Health Rachel Stephen-Smith declared a Public Health Emergency. A declaration of a Public Health Emergency allows the Chief Health Officer to take any action, or give any direction, considered to be necessary to protect Canberrans and reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the ACT.

Status

All people arriving in Australia are required to self-isolate for 14 days

The National Cabinet also endorsed the advice of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) to further introduce social distancing measures. This includes the requirement that non-essential, organised public gatherings of more than 500 people should not occur.

Read more here.