Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 2018

As Treasurer, moved the bills and defended the supplementary appropriation as responsible fiscal management, arguing it reflects accelerated infrastructure investment and disaster response rather than budget blowouts.

“The appropriation bills before the House today provide for supplementary appropriation for the 2018-19 financial year. The bills complement the 2018-19 report on state finances, tabled earlier this month, which revised the government's surplus upwards to nearly $1 billion over the financial year.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard

As Treasurer, introduced the bill to provide supplementary appropriation for unforeseen expenditure incurred by the Legislative Assembly.

“I thank the Economics and Governance Committee for its examination of the Revenue and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2018, the Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2018 and the Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 2018.”— 2018-10-30View Hansard

Heavily criticised the $1.397 billion supplementary appropriation as evidence of Labor's economic incompetence and fiscal mismanagement, but did not move to oppose the bills.

“There is no greater example of the economic incompetence of this government and of this Treasurer than the details of these appropriation bills. It is also very relevant that the Treasurer has just taken seven minutes to speak about a $1.397 billion blow-out in her budget which was delivered only seven or eight months ago.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard

As committee chair, commended the appropriation bills as a normal part of budget accountability occurring each year.

“I commend the bills to the House as a normal part of the process of budget accountability that occurs each year.”— 2018-10-30View Hansard

Defended the appropriation as standard process representing accelerated investment in roads, schools and local government grants, contrasting with what he characterised as LNP cuts.

“In general, there is investment in some of the core things that the state does. This is about additional investment, accelerated investment and investment in Queenslanders.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard

Supported the bill, noting unforeseen expenditure was below the five-year average and congratulating the Treasurer.

“It is interesting to note that the unforeseen expenditure is below the annual average of $637 million that we have seen over the previous five years, and I would like to congratulate the Treasurer.”— 2018-10-30View Hansard

Criticised the nearly $1.4 billion unforeseen expenditure as evidence Labor cannot control spending, while raising concerns about underspending in housing and public works.

“We have bills before us that approve expenditure blowouts of this government on top of the 2018-19 state budget of almost $1.4 billion. That is certainly not what I would describe as standard, as the member for Logan just said.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard

Supported the bill, noting supplementary appropriation was under the historical average.

“I note that this is under the average historical supplementary appropriation.”— 2018-10-30View Hansard

Supported the bills as a committee member, highlighting accelerated road infrastructure like the Deagon Deviation and Nudgee interchange, bus driver wage parity, and fire ant eradication funding.

“These are fine bills—money spent in all of the right places. I commend the bills to the House.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard

Supported the bill covering unforeseen parliamentary expenditure from the election and boundary redistribution.

“These bills deserve support. I commend them to the House.”— 2018-10-30View Hansard

Accepted the Parliamentary Service unforeseen expenditure as reasonable, but strongly criticised the $1.4 billion in departmental unforeseen expenditure as evidence of poor fiscal planning.

“In relation to the Parliamentary Service, we note that there is unforeseen expenditure of $639,000. Before we castigate the Clerk on the blowout in his budget, we should recognise that there were increased IT costs and also unforeseen rising costs in terms of the Queensland Remuneration Tribunal. That is what the Appropriation (Parliament) Bill has always been about.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard

Supported the appropriation bills as part of the cognate debate.

“I am very pleased to speak in support of the Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2018, the Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 2018 and the Revenue and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2018.”— 2018-10-30View Hansard

Supported the bills as accelerated infrastructure investment for congestion-busting roads and education, highlighting investment in schools in her electorate.

“Our Palaszczuk government is a government of action. When we can bring projects forward and fast-track them, we will do that for our community.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard

Questioned why the $5 million for election costs was not anticipated in the budget given the boundary redistribution and election were known in advance, though did not explicitly oppose the bill.

“I personally can understand that events like an election and electoral boundary distribution bring extra costs but, as the member for Mermaid Beach raised in the public briefing, these can hardly be classified as unforeseen circumstances.”— 2018-10-30View Hansard

Acknowledged the expenditure goes to important projects but criticised Labor's budgetary management as an abject failure, while highlighting infrastructure neglect in his electorate.

“Whilst the additional funding is being allocated to some important projects, we should not have to be constantly coming back and back again, when the budget was handed down approximately seven months ago—and that is the point.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard

As Transport Minister, detailed the $699 million in accelerated road and rail projects including Gateway Upgrade North, NGR accessibility modifications, and regional road upgrades.

“This expenditure represents good news for Queenslanders, providing even more jobs and local employment opportunities right across our state.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard

Stated he was not opposing the bills but used the opportunity to criticise Labor's economic management, particularly the $700 million transport overspend and road maintenance backlog.

“Whilst I am not opposing these bills—we have made that clear—it would be remiss of members on this side of the chamber if we did not take the opportunity to talk in relation to the economic mismanagement of those opposite.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard

Supported the expenditure items including Pacific Motorway funding, trains built in Maryborough, and education infrastructure, challenging opposition to specify what expenditure they oppose.

“I ask those opposite to tell us exactly the items of expenditure that they are against rather than offer their usual criticism of the government.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard

Criticised the $4.56 billion in additional appropriations over Labor's term as economic mismanagement and intergenerational debt, while advocating for regional infrastructure like Emu Swamp Dam.

“Even though the Treasurer said that the next budget will be brought down in early April, not June, we are now looking to deposit urgent funds into the till again before the budget comes down. This has not come as loose change either. This is nearly $1.4 billion extra to get the government through.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard

Supported the bills as reflecting sound economic management, highlighting fast-tracked Gateway Motorway works and investment in hospitals, schools and water security.

“How can we afford to build all of this infrastructure? They do not like to hear this, but it is because we have proven to be the better economic managers of this state.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard

Criticised Labor's budget management and declining QTRIP funding for regional roads, while noting the unforeseen expenditure for local government grants and drought assistance.

“The funding allocations to these districts continue to be the lowest in the state at 2.7, 2.5 and two per cent respectively of QTRIP allocations across Queensland.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard

Criticised the $1.4 billion additional appropriation as driving Queensland into debt, highlighted the $9 billion road maintenance backlog in regional areas, and expressed concern about rural services.

“Queenslanders must be feeling a sense of horror. We are driving back into the black hole of debt with no change of course apparent.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard

Strongly defended the bills, highlighting restored services in Maryborough including the hospital emergency unit, road funding, train manufacturing jobs at Downer, and school investment.

“The services that have been restored in regional Queensland by this government are phenomenal—absolutely phenomenal.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard

Criticised the $1.397 billion appropriation as intergenerational theft, expressed concern about police funding not keeping pace with population growth, and highlighted rising crime.

“This is intergenerational theft. The facts of the matter are that if you spend more than you earn someone will have to pay that money back and someone will have to pay interest on that money.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard

Supported the bills as enabling accelerated infrastructure and job creation, highlighting the new Calliope State High School and payroll tax reforms benefiting small businesses.

“Accelerating programs and infrastructure development means better transport for Queenslanders going home each day. It means better learning environments for our kids at school and it means safer communities for Queenslanders.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard