Queensland Productivity Commission Bill 2024

Strongly supports re-establishing the Productivity Commission, arguing Labor abolished it to hide their failures. Believes the Commission will expose unproductive practices in construction and hold government accountable.

“The Productivity Commission is being instituted for the good of Queensland, and rightly so. The first thing it will be tasked with inquiring into is productivity in the building industry.”— 2025-03-12View Hansard

As Treasurer, moved the bill and strongly advocated for re-establishing the Queensland Productivity Commission to lift productivity, drive economic growth and provide independent advice on regulatory and economic matters.

“Restoring the Queensland Productivity Commission is not the end, though. Delivering productivity growth will be critical in driving the delivery of our commitments to ease cost-of-living pressures to deliver high-quality public services with better outcomes and to build the housing and infrastructure our state needs and deserves.”— 2025-02-20View Hansard

Does not oppose establishing a Productivity Commission but has significant concerns about ministerial control and the risk of it being stacked with pro-LNP appointees. Criticises conventional productivity metrics for ignoring social and environmental costs.

“The Queensland Greens do not oppose the establishment of the Productivity Commission. In fact, when the previous Labor government rolled the productivity and regulatory review functions of the former QPC into Treasury as part of the Debt Reduction and Savings Bill we spoke out against it.”— 2025-03-12View Hansard

Supports the concept of an independent productivity commission but opposes this bill because it gives the Treasurer too much control over the commission's research and lacks true independence. Moved amendments to strengthen independence.

“I want to be very clear: Labor does not oppose the re-establishment of a statutory productivity commission. We completely support the notion of improved productivity and efficiency for our state, and we will not stand in the way of any viable solutions to this issue. However, our support is conditional on the commission being established as independent from government.”— 2025-02-20View Hansard

Strongly supports the bill as essential for restoring accountability and economic growth. Argues Labor deliberately abolished the commission to hide their economic failures.

“Let's be clear: Labor's decision to abolish the Queensland productivity commission in 2021 was a calculated move to eliminate independent oversight and suppress transparency.”— 2025-03-12View Hansard

As committee chair, supported the bill to restore the Productivity Commission abolished by Labor in 2021, emphasising the economic cost of lost productivity and the need for independent advice on economic reform.

“That brings us to today. This lack of productivity is costing Queenslanders. In 2022, the LNP announced our commitment to restore the Queensland Productivity Commission and it was the second bill introduced by the Crisafulli government, delivering on the pledge from our first-100-day plan.”— 2025-02-20View Hansard

Strongly opposes the bill, arguing it lacks independence and creates a 'DOGE lite echo chamber' for right-wing ideology. Claims the Treasurer's control over research and publication undermines any credibility.

“By design, this is not a model with any veracity, integrity or independence. This is a politicisation of government at best and a political witch-hunt at worst.”— 2025-03-12View Hansard

Supports the concept of an independent productivity commission like the former 2015 QPC but opposes this bill because it weakens independence and transparency, allowing ministerial control over research and publication.

“If this bill were simply re-establishing that kind of productivity commission the opposition would not be resistant to it, but that is not what this bill does. This bill takes a fundamentally different approach, weakening the independence and transparency that made the former QPC so valuable.”— 2025-02-20View Hansard

Opposes the bill for lacking true independence. Argues the Treasurer's power to approve, refuse or amend research proposals and block publication means the commission will serve the LNP's agenda rather than Queensland.

“Clearly the government has no intention to legislate an independent productivity commission.”— 2025-03-12View Hansard

Supported the bill as part of delivering on the government's election commitments, welcoming the inquiry into building and construction productivity and highlighting local issues in his electorate.

“In October 2024, Queenslanders voted for change, and that change is here. Queenslanders want action and they want it now. They want transparency in what is going on within the government and they want to know when they will start seeing results.”— 2025-02-20View Hansard

Supports the bill as essential for removing red tape and improving government efficiency. Argues Labor's low productivity benefited their union donors at the expense of taxpayers.

“The fundamental outcome that Queenslanders expect from everyone in this chamber is very simple: to be productive and to get things done.”— 2025-03-12View Hansard

Opposed the bill arguing the commission will not be independent, transparent or accountable, functioning instead as a personal think tank for the Treasurer to attack workers' wages and conditions.

“It is very clear that this commission is not an independent body. As the shadow treasurer said, it is a personal plaything of the Treasurer. It is his own private think tank to command.”— 2025-02-20View Hansard

Opposes the bill, arguing it is not truly independent and will be used to attack unionised workers. Supports the shadow treasurer's amendments to improve independence.

“This is a version of a productivity commission that attacks union workers. Let us be very clear and up-front about what this Productivity Commission will do. It will single out industries where there are unionised workers and it will attack those unionised workers.”— 2025-03-12View Hansard

Supported the bill emphasising the need for independent economic advice to unlock productivity and address the housing crisis, criticising Labor for abolishing the previous commission after receiving adverse findings.

“At least the new Treasurer who is running the state's finances now has the foresight and fortitude to act on this matter and seek opinions and not just throw it away when the government gets an adverse finding.”— 2025-02-20View Hansard

Supports the bill, arguing declining productivity hurts families through higher costs. Calls it hypocritical for Labor to criticise when they abolished the previous commission because they did not like its findings.

“I will not be lectured to by members opposite about the virtue of an independent productivity commission with their track record, and it was not decades ago. It was to 2019 or 2020 when they did it, all because they received a report that demonstrated that productivity had declined under their government.”— 2025-03-12View Hansard

Opposed the bill arguing it promises independence but delivers Treasurer control, lacks transparency requirements, and will be used to attack workers' conditions under the guise of independent advice.

“This bill creates nothing more than a think tank at the beck and call of the Treasurer—a think tank which would give this LNP government an excuse to cut the conditions of working Queenslanders.”— 2025-02-20View Hansard

Opposes the bill for lacking independence and supports the shadow treasurer's amendments. Argues the LNP wants to turn the commission into their own think tank to provide excuses for cuts.

“The LNP wants to politicise the Queensland Productivity Commission and turn it into its very own think tank. They want a body that tells them what they want to hear.”— 2025-03-12View Hansard

Strongly supported the bill to reinstate the commission as an independent statutory body, emphasising its value for evidence-based policy development and benefits for his electorate's diverse industries.

“I rise tonight to speak in strong support of the Queensland Productivity Commission Bill 2024—a crucial piece of legislation that will reinstate the Queensland Productivity Commission as an independent statutory body.”— 2025-02-20View Hansard

Opposes the bill due to concerns about independence and unclear functions. Notes stakeholders have varying views on what the commission's role should be and questions potential overlap with parliamentary committees.

“I would maintain that the expectations of stakeholders around the functions of the Productivity Commission are mixed, and further guidance needs to be provided beyond 'having particular regard to productivity and economic growth and living standards in Queensland'.”— 2025-03-12View Hansard

Opposed the bill arguing it creates a political think tank accountable only to the LNP Treasurer, not a truly independent commission, and will be used to attack construction workers' wages and conditions.

“This LNP version of a productivity commission absolutely should be a matter of concern for all Queenslanders. It is very different to the productivity commissions that exist federally and in other states and territories. It differs from all the other productivity commissions because it is not truly independent.”— 2025-02-20View Hansard

Supports the bill as delivering real benefits for Redlands through better use of taxpayer money, cutting red tape for local businesses, and driving smarter infrastructure investment.

“The re-established Queensland Productivity Commission will be an independent statutory body with a clear mission: to tackle the toughest economic, social and regulatory challenges we face and provide transparent, evidence-based solutions.”— 2025-03-12View Hansard

Supported the bill as essential to managing Queensland's economy and addressing regulatory burdens on small business, welcoming the first assignment to review the building and construction industry.

“Re-establishing the Queensland Productivity Commission is essential to a healthy and sustainable economy. Queenslanders have had enough of Labor's reckless magic pudding economics.”— 2025-02-20View Hansard

Strongly opposes the bill as a 'lightweight' piece of legislation that breaks the LNP's promise of independence. Notes even conservative groups like the Business Chamber Queensland and Australian Institute for Progress have criticised its lack of independence.

“If you were to look up in the dictionary the term 'lightweight', you would probably find the Crisafulli government's Queensland Productivity Commission Bill.”— 2025-03-12View Hansard

Opposed the bill arguing the Treasurer will control all research through clause 37, making it an LNP think tank rather than an independent commission, and criticised the government for hiding Treasury modelling.

“No-one—no matter how you say it—is going to change their mind in relation to that. That is because the LNP do not want an independent commission. They want a body that will tell them what they want to hear. This is nothing more than an LNP think tank set up to give the LNP an excuse to cut conditions, projects, regulations—whatever it is.”— 2025-02-20View Hansard

Supports the bill as essential for reinstating productivity oversight. Notes Labor originally valued the commission before abolishing it, and the new commission will help Queenslanders through public consultation on key issues.

“Productivity leads to growth; it leads to higher wages, better living standards and an overall improved quality of life.”— 2025-03-12View Hansard

Supported the bill as critical for Queensland's economic resilience, emphasising its importance for addressing housing affordability and reducing regulatory burdens on businesses in her electorate.

“This bill seeks to restore an essential institution—the Queensland Productivity Commission. Interestingly, it was first introduced by those opposite in 2015 yet, despite its invaluable contributions, Labor allowed it to wither.”— 2025-02-20View Hansard

Opposes the bill and supports the shadow treasurer's amendments. Questions the Treasurer's claim about declining productivity when Queensland Treasury data showed economic growth strengthening.

“My question to the Treasurer is: what has happened since 26 October 2024 for him to be talking down the Queensland economy?”— 2025-03-12View Hansard

Supported the bill as the pathway to wealth creation and reducing costs for Queensland families, emphasising the importance of addressing housing productivity to help forgotten battlers and young home buyers.

“Productivity is not a big, long word plucked from a textbook. Productivity is the means by which we may generate wealth for the state of Queensland. It is not wealth for its own sake but wealth to fuel an economy that lifts living standards and fulfils the aspirations of a great people.”— 2025-02-20View Hansard

Strongly supports the bill as vital for sustainable economic growth, particularly for regional Queensland. Emphasises the importance of representing agricultural and mining sectors in productivity discussions.

“This bill confirms the Crisafulli LNP government's commitment to a fresh start for Queensland by reinstating a platform to deliver frank and fearless policy advice and recommendations to enhance the economic performance and productivity of Queensland.”— 2025-03-12View Hansard

Opposes the bill as being more like an LNP think tank than an independent commission. Argues the Treasurer's power to approve, refuse or amend research proposals and block publication shows lack of true independence.

“This is not the independent body that the LNP promised Queenslanders. It is more like an LNP think tank designed to serve the agenda of the LNP, not the people of Queensland.”— 2025-03-12View Hansard

Supports the bill, arguing Queensland's productivity fell to worst in the nation under Labor. Notes Labor abolished the commission rather than addressing the problems it identified.

“Ever since 2019, the purchasing power of Queenslanders has gone backward by two per cent while the rest of the OECD countries have had their purchasing power increased by 7.7 per cent.”— 2025-03-12View Hansard

Opposes the bill for lacking independence, accountability and transparency despite the general principle of a productivity commission being sound. Criticises LNP members' speeches as 'motherhood statements' and 'ChatGPT' rhetoric.

“If ever there was an example of how the LNP like to dupe Queenslanders with words, if ever there was an example of how the LNP will do everything they can to make sure they do not get independent or expert advice so they do not have to listen to experts—and they do not even want to talk about anything that might deviate from their agenda and cause problems for one of them—this is yet another one.”— 2025-03-12View Hansard

Supports the bill as restoring transparency and public consultation that was lost when Labor abolished the commission. Emphasises the importance of independent oversight for good stewardship of taxpayer money.

“Good stewardship of the Queensland taxpayer dollar is expected, and Queenslanders deserve to have transparency on how that is being managed.”— 2025-03-12View Hansard

Strongly opposes the bill, arguing it lays groundwork for cuts to the public service, asset sales, and infrastructure cuts like the Newman-era Commission of Audit led by Peter Costello.

“Put simply, this legislation as it stands before the House now sets out this Liberal National Party government's agenda to cut.”— 2025-03-12View Hansard

Supports the bill as delivering on the LNP's election commitment to respect taxpayers' money. Argues the commission will help deliver projects on time and on budget, unlike Labor's management of Cross River Rail.

“Queenslanders, including the people in my electorate of Redcliffe, want government to be accountable and transparent with the use of public funds.”— 2025-03-12View Hansard

Opposes the bill as a broken promise, arguing it is not independent as the LNP claimed. Notes the model deliberately excludes the commission's ability to initiate its own research that the LNP supported in 2015.

“This bill before the House represents two things. The first thing it represents is an LNP broken promise, because they said they would set up an independent Queensland productivity commission and this is far from independent.”— 2025-03-12View Hansard

Supports the bill as a key election commitment to restore productivity oversight. As a former electrical contractor, emphasises how low productivity hurts all trades and pushes up costs for businesses and families.

“Bringing back the Queensland Productivity Commission also aligns with our commitment to respect Queenslanders' money and ease cost-of-living pressures.”— 2025-03-12View Hansard

Welcomes the Treasurer's introduction of the bill as an election commitment. Dismisses opposition criticism, noting the Treasurer has clearly stated the commission will be independent.

“The Treasurer has quite clearly said, as per our commitment in 2022 and then 2023, that one of the first orders of business would be to establish an independent productivity commission, which is what this bill does.”— 2025-03-12View Hansard

Strongly supports the bill as a key tool to get Queensland back on track. Argues Labor abolished the previous commission because they did not like it pointing out their policy failures.

“Productivity is the key to advancing Queensland and making it the powerhouse state that it should be.”— 2025-03-12View Hansard

Supports the bill as essential for respecting taxpayers' money. Argues declining productivity under Labor has led to higher debt, reduced services, and intergenerational theft as future generations will pay the price.

“We are here now because in 2021 those opposite abolished such a body because they felt it was not important. The Crisafulli LNP government promised the people of Queensland that we would respect their money. That is exactly what the Productivity Commission is about.”— 2025-03-12View Hansard