The State Budget has once again been handed down and while I do welcome some good commitments locally, overall it’s extremely concerning.
At the outset we have seen lots of funding promises that are beyond forward estimates.
Revenue is up but we’re seeing debt continue to climb, now at record levels.
We have seen cuts to infrastructure at a time when we have a growing population and an Olympic Games in the pipeline.
Statewide there’s infrastructure spending cuts of $4 billion over the next 4 years.
Sadly, this Labor Government has failed to set out a clear pathway to address spending and to address debt.
Locally I welcome commitments to projects like the development of a commercial kitchen fit out at the Mon Repos Turtle Centre
Another $500 thousand has been committed, but let’s not forget that this kitchen should have always been included and finished in the initial build, especially following an $18 million budget blowout.
While it is great to see Lady Elliott Island thrive with a $170 thousand dollar commitment and $30 million to upgrade ageing powerlines in Childers.
Finally, we have seen the Palaszczuk Government listen to our constant calls for assistance on Fraser Island.
I thank the community for not giving up in their plight to see the Heritage listed island protected.
We’ve now seen a serious annual investment of $1.2 million for bush fire response on Fraser Island. Thank you.
However this budget proves that the State Labor Government pulled down the Paradise Dam wall with no plan at all.
Instead of actually fixing the Dam, the Palaszczuk government is doing what they do best; spending more money on reports, talkfests and plans with $12.5 for ‘continued planning works’.
Why can’t they commit to fixing their biggest infrastructure fail in our nation’s history?
I welcome the purchase of the land for the new hospital but it doesn’t hide the fact that the Queensland Government has in fact reduced Capital Expenditure for new hospitals state-wide.
All they’ve done is thrown a net over business-as-usual building costs and called it a “Building Fund.”
In the past financial year they spent $1.473 billion on Health CapEx.
This financial year, they’re planning to spend $1.351 billion on Health CapEx.
Sadly what we’ve seen from this budget is deception and trickery.
We need to encourage long term economic growth, not applaud short term creative economic numbers.
We know that revenue’s up and infrastructure spending is down, and Queenslanders want to know where’s the money going?
ENDS.
16/06/2021