UC EVENTS

In Australia, approximately 80 percent of public expenditure is by States and Territories which are responsible for delivering frontline services such as hospital care, schooling and law and order. State and Territory annual budgets therefore are important annual policy statements of significant importance for their residents. In the ACT, with its combined state and local government functions, the annual budget gains an added significance.

The 2019-20 ACT budget will be brought down on 4 June 2019. This IGPA Public Lecture will examine the state of the ACT’s budget and its finances, as well the implicit and explicit policy directions encapsulated in the budget.

The Seminar is jointly convened by Professorial Fellow Jon Stanhope AO and Adjunct Professor Dr Khalid Ahmed PSM.

The Panel

PROFESSORIAL FELLOW JON STANHOPE AO was a member of the ACT Legislative Assembly from 1998 to 2011. He was the Territory’s Chief Minister from 2001 to and 2011, and also held the portfolios of Health, Attorney-General, Municipal Services, Economic Development and Treasury during his tenure. He was Administrator of the Australian Indian Ocean Territories from 2012 to 2014.

Besides IGPA, Jon is currently engaged with Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Service as an adviser.

In addition to convening this Seminar series, Jon has been a regular commentator on the social, economic and public policy issues in the Australian Capital Territory, and a contributor to local media publications.

DR KHALID AHMED served in the ACT Public Service for 19 years, with around 10 years as Executive Director of the Policy Coordination and Development Division in Treasury. Over that period, he had been involved with the analysis of medium to long term fiscal policy issues, and development and implementation of major policy initiatives in the Territory. He had been involved with the preparation of the Territory’s budget in a senior capacity for over a decade. He has also led expenditure reviews and the review of the ACT’s taxation system including the development of the Taxation Reform Plan.

Khalid was on the Affordable Housing Taskforce established by the ACT Government, and had the oversight and responsibility for the implementation of a range of initiatives of the Government to improve housing affordability.

Khalid now works in the private sector as an economic advisor and is involved in public policy and public sector reform.