17 March 2025
Cabinet decision summary for the week of 17 March 2025
Cabinet date: 17 March 2025
Government Submission - Standing Committee on Environment, Planning, Transport and City Services - Inquiry into the Planning (Territory Priority Project) Amendment Bill 2025
Minute Number: 25/175/CAB
Cabinet agreed to the Government Submission on the Standing Committee of Environment, Planning, Transport and City Services’ Inquiry on the Planning (Territory Priority Projects) Amendment Bill 2025.
Under the requirements of the ACT Government Cabinet Handbook, no Wellbeing Impact Assessment was required for this item.
Workplace Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 - Combined Pass
Minute Number: 25/152/CAB
Cabinet agreed to present a Bill to the Legislative Assembly that will extend permanent impairment payments to workers suffering a work-related silicosis as well as other technical and administrative amendments.
The proposed Bill will have a positive impact in relation to the safety wellbeing domain for workers in the ACT by extending statutory permanent impairment payments to workers suffering from work-related silicosis. The proposed Bill will also have minor positive impacts in respect of the Governance and Institutions domains by ensuring the effective operation of ministerial advisory bodies in the industrial relations portfolio.
Federation Funding Agreement – National Capital Functions Program
Minute Number: 25/149/CAB
Cabinet agreed the Chief Minister sign the schedule to the Federation Funding Agreement – Affordable Housing, Community Services and Other, thereby executing the funding agreement.
The proposal is expected to positively impact the wellbeing of Canberrans, primarily through the education and life-long learning domain.
COMBINED PASS: Short-Term Rental Accommodation Levy Bill 2025
Minute Number: 25/140/CAB
Cabinet agreed to introduce the Short-Term Rental Accommodation Levy Bill 2025 to the ACT Legislative Assembly. The proposed Bill introduces a levy on booking service providers who make, arrange or facilitate bookings of short-term rental accommodation in the ACT.
The submission supports the ACT economy by introducing a new source of revenue for general expenditure and promoting the effective and efficient operation of the ACT tax system.
Government Response to ACT Auditor-General's Report No. 13 of 2024 - Invoicing and Payments for Digital Health Record Hosting Services
Minute Number: 25/81/CAB
Cabinet agreed to the Government Response to the ACT Auditor-General's Report No. 13 of 2024 - Invoicing and Payments for Digital Health Record Hosting Services.
Improvements to the ACT Health Directorate’s financial and governance processes outlined in the Government Response will help to ensure the efficient and effective use of public monies. This will have a positive impact on the Governance and Institutions Wellbeing Domain, improving the cost-effectiveness of ACT Government service delivery.
Government Response - Bus Frequency Improvement - Assembly Resolution of 5 December 2024
Minute Number: 25/066/CAB
Cabinet agreed to a Ministerial Statement in response to the Assembly Resolution of 5 December 2024 regarding bus frequency improvements.
The Wellbeing impact of Government’s plan to improve Canberra’s bus network will enhance Canberran’s access and connectivity commencing soon and within the short to medium term (1-5 years). The plan includes actions to expand the Rapid bus network with additional Rapid routes and to uplift local routes to higher frequencies. The plan to improve Canberra’s bus network is subject to normal government processes as appropriate, including community and workforce engagement and budget consideration. It will be updated from time to time to align with projected future operational plans/requirements (as they may change over time) with continued coordination with fleet deliveries (and scheduled fleet introduction to service) bus retirements as well as driver numbers to enable the plan to be reliably and sustainably implemented.
Government Response - ACT Auditor-General's Report No 14 of 2024 - Facilities management and support services for ACT Courts
Minute Number: 25/060/CAB
Cabinet agreed to table the ACT Government Response to ACT Auditor-General’s Report No 14 of 2024 – Facilities management and support service of ACT Courts.
The Government Response adopts the recommendations which range across matters of governance, quality assurance, operational management and invoice processing. When implemented, the recommendations will enhance community wellbeing in the governance and institutions domain.
Government Response to Draft South East and Tablelands Strategic Regional Integrated Transport Plan
Minute Number: 25/59/CAB
Cabinet agreed to an ACT Government submission to the NSW Government consultation on the Draft South East and Tablelands Strategic Regional Integrated Transport Plan.
The ACT Government’s submission to the NSW Government Draft South East and Tablelands Strategic Regional Integrated Transport Plan is not expected to generate direct wellbeing impacts. Implementation of the NSW draft Transport Plan would potentially generate wellbeing impacts across multiple domains and indicators, with the predominate impacts to the economy domain.
ACT Disability Reform - Legislation and Foundational Supports
Minute Number: 25/038/CAB
Cabinet agreed to an alternative process to consider proposed rules under the NDIS Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Act 2024 which require ACT Government agreement, noting agreement in these cases is required within 14 days of its request.
By improving NDIS operations and creating fairer and more consistent pathways through the disability support ecosystem, NDIS legislative changes, and disability reforms more generally, are expected to have a positive impact on the wellbeing of people with disability in the ACT, their families and carers. It is also expected to have a positive wellbeing impact on those working in the disability sector in the ACT. NDIS legislative reforms are expected to have impacts in the access and connectivity wellbeing domain through improving the experience of people with disabilities in accessing NDIS services.
Government Response to the Public Accounts Committee 2024-25 Report - Appropriation Bill 2024-25 (No 2)
Minute Number: 25/017/CAB
Cabinet considered the proposed responses arising from the recommendations made by the ACT Legislative Assembly Standing Committee on Public Accounts and Administration Inquiry into the ACT’s 2024-2025 Budget Review and associated Appropriation Bill.
Under the requirements of the ACT Government Cabinet Handbook, no Wellbeing Impact Assessment was required for this item.
Government Response – ACT Custodial Inspector Review of a Critical Incident Report - A Serious Assault of a Detained Person Resulting in Admission to Hospital at the Alexander Maconochie Centre 13 December 2023
Minute Number: 24/595/CAB
Cabinet agreed to the tabling of the Government Response – ACT Custodial Inspector Review of a Critical Incident Report – A Serious Assault of a Detained Person Resulting in Admission to Hospital at the Alexander Maconochie Centre 13 December 2023 in the Legislative Assembly.
The ACT Government’s Response will contribute to the continuous improvement of the care, treatment and safety of detainees and staff at the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC).
Technology Investment Plan 2025-26
Minute Number: 24/550/CAB
Cabinet agreed to a planned approach to technology investment to support strategic technology investment decision-making for the 2025-26 Budget.
The implementation of a planned approach to technology investment decision-making will have positive wellbeing impacts across the Governance and institutions domain.
Technology Investment Framework
Minute Number: 24/549/CAB
Cabinet agreed to the Technology Investment Framework to support informed government decisions on technology investment. The core components of the Technology Investment Framework are the ACT Government’s Technology Directions, a plan to inform technology investment, a pipeline of technology projects, and the introduction of a strengthened investment process. The strengthened investment process introduces a two-pass Budget business case process for proposals with technology components developed in accordance with the requirements of the annual Budget Process Rules. Cabinet agreed to the release of the investment guidance for the Technology Investment Framework on the Open Government Information website.
The full implementation of the Technology Investment Framework will have positive wellbeing impacts across the Governance and institutions domain.
Appointments
Cabinet endorsed the below appointment:
- Appointment to the Secure Local Jobs Code Advisory Council (Minute Number: 25/166/CAB)
Under the requirements of the ACT Government Cabinet Handbook, Wellbeing Impact Assessments are not required for appointments.