Appropriation (Parliament) (2020-2021) Bill 2020

As Leader of the Opposition, argued the budget locks Queensland into a generation of borrowing for recurrent spending rather than building infrastructure, criticising the government for promising $4 billion in borrowings before the election but delivering $28 billion, and forecast unemployment remaining the highest in the nation.

“This budget locks us into a generation of borrowing for today, not building for tomorrow.”— 2020-12-03View Hansard

Criticised the budget for cutting operational funding to several hospital and health services during a pandemic, reducing medical research funding, and failing to deliver any new funding for the Mudgeeraba electorate west of the M1.

“This budget was not only a budget of broken promises and debt deceit; it was also a missed opportunity for Labor to kickstart the economy.”— 2020-12-03View Hansard

Supported the budget for delivering job-creating projects in regional Queensland, highlighting strong economic indicators in Central Queensland including low unemployment, booming house prices, and significant investments in health, education, and tourism infrastructure in the Keppel electorate.

“I am very proud that consistently the Palaszczuk government has delivered the bulk of spending on new job-creating projects outside of Brisbane.”— 2020-12-03View Hansard

Supported the budget for delivering road upgrades, school improvements, and train manufacturing jobs in Maryborough, arguing the government understands what Queenslanders want: health care, jobs, and education.

“On this side of the House, we know what Queensland people want. They want health care. They want jobs. They want education.”— 2020-12-03View Hansard

Opposed the budget as smoke and mirrors, criticising the government for hiding the true debt figure of $130 billion before the election, failing to provide a stimulus package for businesses, and breaching all six of its own fiscal principles.

“This government is not doing that. They are purely borrowing this money to pay for their increased Public Service and to put pens and paper on desks and fuel in cars.”— 2020-12-03View Hansard

Supported the budget for delivering infrastructure and health investments in the Bancroft electorate, arguing the economy is on the right track with employment and retail sales back to pre-COVID levels.

“Only Labor treats Queenslanders like Queenslanders. We see them as members of a society, not as members of a corporation.”— 2020-12-03View Hansard

Opposed the budget as offering no new investment for Central Queensland west of Rockhampton and Mackay, criticising the government for lacking economic leadership and failing to invest in agricultural training, the Longreach Pastoral College, or the Emerald agricultural college.

“This is a budget of no surprises and, therefore, very little new hope.”— 2020-12-03View Hansard

Opposed the budget for breaking the government's $4 billion borrowing promise, failing to commit to restoring Paradise Dam to full capacity, lacking ambition on jobs, and providing insufficient investment in the Bundaberg port and hospital.

“The government asked for a mandate on the back of the $4 billion increase in borrowings and now it is seven times that figure. It is a clear breach of trust.”— 2020-12-03View Hansard

Supported the budget for delivering satellite hospitals for Bribie Island and Caboolture, major road upgrades including the Bruce Highway, school infrastructure, mobile police beats, and small business grants in the Pumicestone electorate.

“I promised that I would work hard to help make Pumicestone better for us, that I would work every day for infrastructure upgrades, strong public services and local jobs. I am proud that this is exactly what this budget does.”— 2020-12-03View Hansard

Acknowledged positive investments including $6 million in school funding and $200 million in road funding for the Hill electorate and supported local train manufacturing in Maryborough, but criticised the government for previously closing rail workshops and privatising rail operations.

“Manufacturing locally is how it should be, rather than importing goods from overseas.”— 2020-12-03View Hansard

Acknowledged some positive investments such as Big Rocks Weir and CopperString but criticised the budget for spending on social infrastructure rather than economy-building projects, arguing the government lacks the vision to build transformative infrastructure like Hells Gates Dam or the Galilee rail line.

“Debt is not always a bad thing, but it must be spent on the right things.”— 2020-12-03View Hansard

Supported the budget for investing in road upgrades, trade training, school infrastructure, and a new justice precinct in the Macalister electorate, praising the Premier's COVID-19 leadership and Queensland's position as the only state to recover all jobs lost during the pandemic.

“We committed to delivering jobs; we committed to growing the economy out of this global pandemic. This budget does this and more.”— 2020-12-03View Hansard

Opposed the budget as the biggest 'nothing' budget ever delivered, criticising the $28 billion borrowing blowout with little infrastructure to show for it, and highlighting the lack of investment in the Condamine electorate including no progress on the Acland mine approval or a secondary school business case.

“At a time when Queensland needed a budget full of infrastructure projects, this government has provided precious little in the line of major projects to simulate our economy and get our state back up and running.”— 2020-12-03View Hansard

Supported the budget for delivering significant investments in the Bundaberg electorate including the new hospital business case, flood levee, Isis Highway upgrades, TAFE agriculture centre, school infrastructure, and housing construction, contrasting with the LNP's lack of commitments during the election.

“This is a budget built on the strong health response to COVID-19, a response that is enabling a strong economic recovery plan that has delivered a budget that is delivering for the people of Bundaberg.”— 2020-12-03View Hansard

Opposed the budget for providing zero job-creating projects in Surfers Paradise despite 13.5 per cent youth unemployment, criticising the debt trajectory from $85 billion to $130 billion and the government's failure to support Gold Coast businesses and travel agents affected by border closures.

“In the 'Creating jobs on the Gold Coast' budget document, there are no job-creating projects in Surfers Paradise.”— 2020-12-03View Hansard