Publications
ACT Budget 2026-27: Has the Government Delivered on Consumer Priorities?
24 June 2026
The ACT Government’s 2026–27 Budget, handed down on 10 June, includes significant investment in health services, infrastructure and workforce. Health Care Consumers’ Association (HCCA) welcomes investment that strengthens access to care and improves health outcomes for our community. We think this budget is a step in a positive direction for Canberrans.
However, consumers of health care (all of us!) want to know how the investment will improve our experience of care and our health outcomes. Without further detail around announced initiatives, it is hard to know how key challenges will be addressed. For example:
- How will waiting times be reduced?
- What will be done so people with disability can access services more equitably?
- What is being done to address maternity service safety?
- Can older people remain safely independent at home?
- Are multicultural communities able to access information in ways that meet their needs?
These were some of the priority outcomes HCCA identified in our 2026-27 ACT Budget Submission. This year’s Budget contains some encouraging investments across a range of areas, including the redevelopment of North Canberra Hospital, cost of living relief and action on housing. However, we see some areas of the health system lacking necessary investment:
Outpatient and planned care reform must put consumers first
Canberra Health Services’ ongoing Planned Care reforms have the potential to improve access and ensure consumers receive the right care at the right time. However, significant reform requires significant consumer involvement.
HCCA has previously called for a deliberative process, such as a Citizens’ Jury, to ensure major decisions about outpatient reform and access to planned care reflect community values and priorities. We applaud the inclusion of a Citizen’s Jury process for consideration of amendments to Voluntary Assisted Dying in this budget. It is essential that consumers, families, carers and community organisations remain involved in shaping the future of the ACT Voluntary Assisted Dying Scheme.
Beyond this, we remain keen to ensure that consumers are partners in reform of the health services through involvement at all levels of decision-making, right across the health system. We will be watching implementation of this new Citizen’s Jury model with great interest.
Community organisations are part of the health system
HCCA believes that community organisations should be viewed as integral to the health system. Community organisations support people to manage chronic conditions, improve health literacy, offer peer support and help people managing health issues remain connected to their communities. These services help prevent avoidable hospital admissions and reduce pressure on acute care.
Evidence from Australia and internationally shows that investment in community-based supports and social prescribing can improve outcomes while reducing demand on higher-cost health services.
As the Government seeks to improve health system sustainability, greater integration between health services and community organisations should be a priority. Consumers benefit when support is available close to home and early, before problems become crises. Enhanced funding for the community sector in the 2026-27 Budget is a step toward ensuring organisations have the resources to deliver these services, allowing them to work more closely with the health system to support consumers in managing their health.
Health Levy
We are pleased to see the removal of the residential health levy in response to increased commonwealth funding. ACT residents deserve access to safe and high-quality public health services without additional financial burden, particularly during a cost-of-living crisis.
As implementation of the 2026-27 budget begins, HCCA looks forward to working with government, health services, community organisations and consumers to ensure that the ACT health system remains accessible, equitable and genuinely centred on the people it serves.
What did you think about the 2026-27 ACT Budget?
We would welcome your thoughts on what this budget means for you as a health consumer.