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Chief Minister Andrew Barr will use the start of the ACT political year to launch his re-election pitch, spruiking his government's big infrastructure agenda while warning Canberrans that "now is not the time to send our city backwards". The ACT Legislative Assembly sits for the first time on Tuesday, after a summer break overshadowed by extraordinary weather events in Canberra and the surrounding region. Parliamentarians will pass much of the day reflecting on the summer of smoke, fire and hail, while paying tribute to firefighters, emergency services and volunteers. But what's likely to be a largely sombre day will turn decidedly political when Mr Barr delivers a speech outlining the government's priorities for 2020. Mr Barr, who avoided talking publicly about politics in the midst of the summer bushfire crisis, will use the speech to set the tone for October's ACT election He will remark that on polling day, "Canberrans will be asked to make a choice about our city's direction for the first half of the decade". In an attempt to highlight the government's ambitious infrastructure agenda, while also taking a veiled swipe at the Canberra Liberals, he will declare that "now is not the time to send our city backwards". "Canberra's success will be determined by the decisions and actions we take this year," Mr Barr will say in the speech. "By investing today, we will ensure our hospitals, healthcare centres, schools, social infrastructure and transport network are ready for the decade ahead. "Our growing city needs new and better public infrastructure. Our community expects world class public services and they need good secure jobs in the future. And this government is committed to delivering just that." Mr Barr's speech will draw attention to the government's 14 priority areas for 2020, which extend from traditional fields, such as the economy, health, education and transport, to hot-button topics, such as building quality. On the economy, Mr Barr will say the summer's smoke and fires have produced "significant economic aftershocks" for the ACT, the full extent of which won't be known for some time. But he will reaffirm that the local economy - now worth almost $42 billion - remains one of the fastest growing in the nation. He will use the speech to reveal the government will next month publish the full details on its new "wellbeing indicators", which will be reported against in annual budgets, starting from this year. "We believe that the ultimate goal of our economic, social and environmental policies should always be to enhance the collective wellbeing of our community," he will say in the speech. Mr Barr will commit the government to signing contracts and starting "preparatory work" on the next stage of light rail - the short hop from Alinga Street to Commonwealth Park. Deputy Chief Minister Yvette Berry will launch the government's long-awaited early childhood strategy, which will outline the roll-out of universal preschool for three-year olds. In the aftermath of the Orroral Valley fire, which caused "devastating ecological damage" to Namadgi National Park, Mr Barr will task the territory's environment and emergency services minister, Mick Gentleman, with leading the recovery effort. In his speech, the Chief Minister will also pay special tribute to the territory's emergency services personnel. "I think every Canberran rests easier at night knowing we are being looked after by our amazing emergency services personnel, led by [ESA] Commissioner Georgeina Whelan. "They deserve our deepest thanks and appreciation."

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