Question - Budget

In relation to the document entitled Commonwealth funding improvement – Assembly Resolution of 3 September 2025 - Government response, tabled in the Assembly on 3 December 2025, (a) when will the new health economist be in a position to provide advice, (b) how many infrastructure projects did the Government seek Commonwealth co-funding for by 15 November 2025 and how many will go ahead without the Government having sought funding, (c) when the Treasurer wrote to the Commonwealth Treasurer about the issue of the ACT missing out on payroll tax for Commonwealth public servants, did the Treasurer point out that the ACT is estimated to lose out on over $500 million each year from this, but according to the Chief Minister the ACT is only getting a GST adjustment of $51 million and (d) does the Treasurer have any insight as to why the Federal Government waived the historic housing debt for Tasmania and partially waived it for South Australia, but won't do so for the ACT, given the Government has a debt to the Commonwealth of over $64.9 million for housing, inherited at the time of transition to self-government, that in 2025-2026 the historical housing loans cost over $8.2 million in principal repayments and over $2.9 million in interest, which will amount to over $25 million for the term of the loan and which alone would be enough to double the arts budget, fully reinstate the Rent Relief Fund and invest in another 20 public homes.