Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 2019

As Treasurer, introduced the bills and defended them as reflecting responsible fiscal management, arguing the supplementary appropriations were driven by accelerated infrastructure investment in roads, schools and local government grants rather than budget blowouts.

“Overall, and contrary to the claims we might hear from those opposite, this means that our government spent less than we budgeted for and we returned that money to Queenslanders.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard

Attacked the $1.4 billion supplementary appropriation as evidence of the government's economic incompetence, citing rising debt, unemployment and unforeseen expenditure eight times higher than under the previous LNP government.

“There is no greater example of the economic incompetence of this government and of this Treasurer than the details of these appropriation bills.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard

As committee chair, defended the bills as standard accelerated investment in roads, schools and local government grants, and argued the opposition would cut these very investments.

“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

Criticised the $1.4 billion unforeseen expenditure as reflecting the government's inability to control spending, pointing to rising unemployment on the Gold Coast and underspending in housing and public works.

“Queenslanders need a government that can manage their money. We have rising debt, rising cost of living, unemployment figures in desperate need of reduction and a government that has unforeseen expenditure of $1.4 billion.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard

Supported the bills as reflecting accelerated investment in roads, schools and drought assistance, highlighting specific benefits including the Deagon Deviation upgrade, new schools and fire ant eradication funding.

“What we have seen through this process is a lot of myths put out there by the opposition.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard

Condemned the $1.4 billion blowout as typical of Labor's bad financial planning, comparing it unfavourably to LNP unforeseen expenditure of just $12 million in 2014-15, and warned of a coming financial downgrade for Queensland.

“You just cannot comprehend how this government can be that far out in their budgetary processes in terms of expenditure.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard

Supported the bills as reflecting accelerated investment in congestion-busting roads, new schools and disaster recovery, contrasting the government's infrastructure record with the LNP's legacy of 1 William Street.

“When you can do more, you should do more. If we can bring projects forward and create jobs faster, that is exactly what we should be doing and that is exactly what these funds are being used for.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard

Criticised the $1.4 billion supplementary appropriation as evidence of abject budgetary failure and argued that the western suburbs of Brisbane had been neglected for infrastructure investment, particularly Moggill Road and Kenmore State High School.

“The Palaszczuk Labor government's budgetary and economic management has been nothing short of an abject failure over the last five years.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard

As Transport Minister, defended the $699 million in Transport and Main Roads unforeseen expenditure as accelerated delivery of infrastructure including Gateway Upgrade North, M1 upgrades, Bruce Highway improvements and bus driver wage parity.

“I want to be clear from the outset that this expenditure represents good news for Queenslanders, providing even more jobs and local employment opportunities right across our state.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard

Did not oppose the bills outright but used them to attack the government's economic management, highlighting the $4 billion road maintenance backlog and contrasting the $1.4 billion unforeseen expenditure with the LNP's $12 million in 2014-15.

“If we return to the recent history of 2014-15, $12 million out of a multibillion dollar recurrent state budget was sought. What figure is this government seeking with these appropriation bills? Around about $1.4 billion.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard

Supported the bills and challenged the opposition to identify specific expenditure items they opposed, highlighting funding for Pacific Motorway upgrades, trains built in Maryborough, new schools, police and fire ant eradication.

“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 unforeseen expenditure as evidence of Labor's economic mismanagement, citing $4.56 billion in additional appropriations over five years compared to $523 million under the LNP, and argued regional communities were being neglected.

“You do not make society better by taxing it. People who make money the hard way, who are trying to make a living, spend their money a lot better than the government does.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard

Supported the bills, highlighting fast-tracked Gateway Motorway works, new schools, hospital upgrades and water security investments, and argued the government's five budget surpluses demonstrated superior economic management.

“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 the unforeseen expenditure as reflecting wrong priorities, particularly the declining QTRIP funding for western Queensland roads receiving only 7 per cent of funding despite comprising 30 per cent of road length, and slow processing of drought assistance rebates.

“To put it into perspective, about 30 per cent of the road length in Queensland receives about seven per cent of the funding.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard

Criticised the $1.4 billion unforeseen expenditure as driving Queensland deeper into debt, highlighted the $9 billion road maintenance backlog in regional Queensland, and argued rural schools, hospitals and housing were being neglected.

“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 supported the bills, highlighting the restoration of services in Maryborough including a new $14 million hospital A&E unit, school funding and the Downer rail plant that was saved from closure, contrasting with cuts under the Newman government.

“The only way that this mob—the rabble that they call the opposition—can fund their promises and fund the services that they want in Queensland is to cut, sack and sell.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard

Opposed the bills as intergenerational theft, arguing the government is burdening future generations with unsustainable debt while failing to adequately fund police, resulting in fewer officers per capita and 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 reflecting accelerated infrastructure investment, highlighting the new $66 million Calliope State High School, Bruce Highway upgrades, and payroll tax reform benefiting small businesses in regional Queensland.

“When we prioritise and accelerate the infrastructure that Queenslanders need it means more jobs are created in more industries for more Queenslanders.”— 2020-02-18View Hansard