Canberra's experience of COVID-19 was one like no other. While we weren't immune to the harsh lockdowns and economic hardships the virus became renowned for globally, it's true our experience was not as severe as in New South Wales or Victoria.
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But as the epicenter for decision-making during that time for Australia, a spotlight shone on the ACT like never before.
Now, we now have decisions to make not on behalf of the nation, but for ourselves: how will we solve the challenges and embrace the opportunities that lie before us in a post-COVID world.
Because in an age where complexity, disruption and uncertainty is more prevalent than ever, we mustn't waste the opportunity to rewrite the normal.
The ACT government has just delivered its third budget since the pandemic reached the Territory, and it demonstrates what we already knew: we're growing - fast - and that's good news for our economy.
In fact, the census confirms our population growth trajectory, with a 14.4 per cent increase since 2016. This year, our population reached 454,000 - up from just 137,000 half a century ago, and is forecast to exceed half a million by 2030.
An increased population means higher revenue - and, thankfully for our economy, it also means an improved deficit.
With this rosier post-COVID picture, and with a new federal government at the wheel, we now have a chance to ask ourselves: what opportunities does this present for Canberra?
When we're bigger and stronger, we can do things we couldn't before, but what does it look like? It could be better support for the most vulnerable in our community. It could be protecting our beautiful, unique natural landscapes. It could be new ways of managing Canberra's ecological footprint.
We are living through profound change. A hive of infrastructure is changing the shape of our Territory, digital disruption is shifting the way we learn, work or receive healthcare, and our energy transition means that everything about our lives will be different forthwith to the way it once was.
As a proud Canberran, one whose ancestors were among the first to settle in the region, farming the land where Lake Burley Griffin now flows, I still find it hard to believe just how much has evolved before our eyes in recent years.
This progress and development manifests when we look at the economic and social resilience of our community - resilience we've needed in spades in recent years.
The protracted lockdowns caused a deficit of nearly a billion dollars - but with our shoulder to the wheel on our economic recovery, it's now nearly halved.
Population growth is a positive, but it can come at a cost. Government overheads go up, and that can mean higher costs for the community. Expect rate rises, more expensive car parking, car registration fees, and other levies.
Canberrans will rightly be worried about rising costs of living, the geopolitical tensions creating energy bill shocks, supply chain challenges and spiraling inflation and interest rates. These are valid, but we must take solace that our economy is not just robust and resilient, but genuinely growing at pace.
As Canberra and the ACT braces for more major transformation when it comes to the way we live, work and play, it begs the question, where to for infrastructure? And, how do we ensure our current and future pipeline of projects doesn't just respond to societal norms, but rather, helps drive them?
From The Canberra Hospital master plan, to the light rail extension, to the Canberra Theatre expansion, landmark infrastructure projects are underway or being planned, and they will have transformative impacts on the shape of the Territory for decades to come - but what more can be done?
The pandemic turned our world upside down. Fast forward, and the last ACT budget has made life a little more certain - and given us the confidence to believe the Territory is on the right track to embrace a new world of possibility.
I hope that my ancestors are watching with pride at Canberra's growth and our footprint on the national and international stage and the opportunities ahead for one of the world's most livable cities.
- Stephanie Males is the Canberra managing partner at PwC Australia.
