The June budget, which Treasurer Chris Steel said would be one marked by "tough choices", revealed the ACT had posted the highest deficit in the three-and-a-half-decade history of self-government.

But a document quietly tabled in the Legislative Assembly this week reveals it was actually even bigger than we thought.

The headline net operating balance for 2024-25 published in the budget was $1.113 billion. The government's June quarter consolidated financial report shows an interim result of $1.138 billion, $24.2 million higher. That may change once the figures are audited.

Revenue was $24.3 million higher than the estimated outcome, so why the increase in the deficit?

Well, expenses were up $48.4 million. The government pointed to several reasons, including higher staffing costs for

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