Appropriation Bill 2020

Argued Labor had no economic plan, criticising the highest unemployment, largest debt and lowest business confidence in the nation even before COVID-19, and said the appropriation bill was seeking to cover budget blowouts without proper scrutiny.

“Before coronavirus Queensland had the highest unemployment rate, the largest government debt, the lowest business confidence and highest bankruptcies in the nation because this Labor government had no economic plan.”— 2020-09-10View Hansard

Criticised the government for refusing to deliver a budget before the election, accused the Treasurer of misleading Queenslanders, and highlighted record debt of $102 billion, broken fiscal principles and 72,000 projected job losses.

“No budget before the state election means no economic plan for Queensland at a time when we have the worst unemployment rate.”— 2020-09-09View Hansard

Defended the government's health and economic response to COVID-19, highlighting infrastructure investments in Townsville including the Haughton water pipeline and Townsville Ring Road stage 5.

“It is our early health response that has guided us in our economic response.”— 2020-09-10View Hansard

Supported the appropriation bills, highlighting the government's COVID-19 economic response and listing infrastructure investments in her Redlands electorate including roads, hospital upgrades, schools and TAFE facilities.

“Our strong health response has meant that we are able to have a stronger economy, recovering from the impacts of COVID going forward faster than anywhere else in Australia.”— 2020-09-09View Hansard

Criticised the lack of budget transparency and the government demanding additional supply without explaining how the money would be spent, comparing it to a pickpocket in the night.

“This Appropriation Bill is a sham. It is a pickpocket in the middle of the night with his hand in the pockets of Queensland taxpayers at the time they can least afford it.”— 2020-09-10View Hansard

Opposed the bills, arguing Labor cancelled the budget to hide the true state of finances, failed on all five fiscal principles, and accumulated $102 billion in debt through lost control of spending.

“The key point of this budget is that in six years Labor has racked up a record $102 billion of debt because it has lost control of spending.”— 2020-09-09View Hansard

Supported the bills, highlighting over $1 billion in road and transport investment in Central Queensland and the Made in Queensland grants program supporting local manufacturers.

“This is just another example of how we are delivering Queensland's plan for economic recovery from COVID-19 and building our state back even better.”— 2020-09-10View Hansard

Supported the bills, arguing the LNP refuses to acknowledge COVID-19's economic impact, that Queensland's strong health response underpins economic recovery, and listing infrastructure investments in the Logan electorate.

“The underlying equation is simple. The greater the success against the virus, the greater the success in protecting economies against the pandemic.”— 2020-09-09View Hansard

Criticised the bills not being referred to the Economics and Governance Committee for proper scrutiny, calling the government hopeless in its financial management.

“They cannot manage their own finances. They should not be governing Queensland because they cannot manage their own finances.”— 2020-09-10View Hansard

Criticised the government's economic mismanagement, the lack of a proper budget, nine new taxes, and neglect of his electorate's infrastructure needs including the Nambour Hospital redevelopment and Nambour Police Station.

“I have seen more detailed financial statements at a local bowls club AGM.”— 2020-09-09View Hansard

Mounted a detailed constitutional and fiscal critique, arguing the interim supply mechanism was unknown to Queensland's Constitution and that total borrowings as a percentage of revenue had blown out to 108 per cent for the first time ever.

“The excuse of COVID-19 is no excuse for poor financial planning and not having a proper scrutiny of expenses and accountability to the people of Queensland.”— 2020-09-10View Hansard

Supported the bills, highlighting the government's $11 billion in COVID stimulus, renewable energy investments, small business adaptation grants, and publicly owned energy assets delivering bill reductions to households.

“It is in times of crisis that government must step up and do the heavy lifting. The bill before the House does exactly that.”— 2020-09-09View Hansard

Supported the bills, emphasising Queensland's economic recovery being almost twice as strong as the national average and highlighting road-building and small business support in Central Queensland.

“It is only the Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, and Labor that have a plan for economic recovery that will not hurt Queenslanders by cutting services, sacking workers and selling assets.”— 2020-09-10View Hansard

Criticised the government's fiscal management and failures in mine safety inspections, arguing the $102 billion debt defies logic and that the resources sector has been failed by the government.

“I will not be voting against these bills because our teachers, our Corrective Services officers, our police and our fireys deserve to be paid for what they do for this state.”— 2020-09-09View Hansard

Criticised the lack of budget detail and debt heading to $102 billion, noting the government's own Productivity Commission had identified Queensland's employment-to-population ratio slipping below the national average.

“This mismanagement of the hard-earned dollars of Queenslanders is not acceptable and we cannot keep going this way.”— 2020-09-10View Hansard

Argued strong borders enabled a strong economy, highlighting local infrastructure investments and noting Queensland's forecast economic recovery was almost twice as strong as the national average.

“Strong borders equals a strong economy.”— 2020-09-10View Hansard

Moved an amendment to delay the second reading until the Treasurer tabled legal advice on constitutional compliance. Criticised lack of budget detail, particularly $432 million allocated to the Department of Education without explanation, and attacked the government's border policies as inconsistent and lacking compassion.

“Nearly half a billion dollars is allocated to the Department of Education without any notes of what it is for.”— 2020-09-10View Hansard

Supported the bills, highlighting the government's Unite and Recover plan and local investment including $139 million for schools and $1.6 million in small business adaptation grants in her electorate.

“Only the Premier and the Labor team have a plan of economic recovery that will not hurt Queenslanders by cutting services, sacking workers and selling assets.”— 2020-09-10View Hansard

Argued the government had broken its own fiscal principles, with debt exploding to 108 per cent of revenue and the worst budget deficit in Queensland history, and criticised the lack of a comprehensive economic plan.

“State Labor have given up because, by their own projections, debt will now reach a staggering $102 billion by the end of this financial year.”— 2020-09-10View Hansard

Supported the bills, defending the government's COVID-19 health and economic response including $7 billion in recovery initiatives, and criticised the opposition for calling 64 times for borders to be opened.

“Thankfully, because of the strong leadership of our Premier, the Palaszczuk government has focused on our health response, enabling us to manage the economic response and unite and recover more quickly than other states and countries around the world.”— 2020-09-10View Hansard

Supported the bills and government borrowing in times of hardship, but argued the recovery should set a new direction rather than returning to the pre-COVID status quo. Criticised the public service pay freeze while mining companies received a royalties freeze, and proposed publicly owned renewable energy manufacturing and 100,000 public homes.

“Nurses, teachers, cleaners, public servants get a pay freeze; big coal mining companies get a royalties freeze—right when they should be contributing more to pay for the recovery.”— 2020-09-10View Hansard

Did not oppose the bills given the tough times facing Queenslanders, but criticised the lack of proper estimates scrutiny and the absence of a full budget before a fixed election date, calling it undemocratic.

“A responsible government with nothing to hide would understand the need to bring down a budget before election day. To do anything else is undemocratic.”— 2020-09-10View Hansard

Criticised the lack of scrutiny for the appropriation bills, noting there were now five billion reasons to replace the government due to repeated supplementary appropriations, and predicted Cross River Rail cost blowouts, higher debt and new taxes if Labor were re-elected.

“There are now five billion reasons why Queensland should get rid of this government, because it is now five billion times they have come through an appropriation process seeking more money.”— 2020-09-10View Hansard

Supported the bills, highlighting the $62 million upgrade to Redland Hospital including a new ICU, education investments, and the Eastern Transitway road upgrade, contrasting Labor's record with the LNP's closure of Wynnum Hospital.

“If you do not get the health response right, you cannot get the economics right.”— 2020-09-10View Hansard

Supported the bills as a sensible approach during an international pandemic, highlighting nearly $1 billion in road projects, health infrastructure upgrades including the Sarina Hospital rebuild, and small business adaptation grants in the Mackay region.

“It is this side of parliament that has a plan to recover, and it is this side of parliament that is looking after regional Queensland.”— 2020-09-10View Hansard

As Treasurer, defended the appropriation bills in reply, criticising the opposition for ignoring the impact of COVID-19 on the economy and accusing them of being COVID deniers in their budget speeches.

“Those opposite are COVID deniers. Through all of their speeches on this Appropriation Bill, member for Burleigh, they pretended that COVID did not exist and it had had no impact on the Queensland economy.”— 2020-09-10View Hansard

Criticised the government's lack of infrastructure investment in the Scenic Rim area, particularly the Amberley interchange congestion, and attacked the government for allowing waste dumps and incinerators in the Willowbank and Ipswich areas.

“The people of Ipswich should reject this government, reject the dumps, reject incinerators and take back their city from this government that takes them for granted and has taken them for granted for more than 30 years.”— 2020-09-10View Hansard