Appropriation (Parliament) (Supplementary 2023–2024) Bill 2024

Defended the unforeseen expenditure as necessary spending on items like LifeFlight, out-of-home care, road infrastructure, and disability education, arguing that LNP members' criticisms were contradictory given they were approving the same expenditure.

“These appropriation bills relate to unforeseen expenditure. They relate to the very things that Queenslanders value, and every reasonable Queenslander would say, 'That is a good use of taxpayer funds.'”— 2025-03-14View Hansard

Continued his speech from the previous sitting day, characterising the bills as the last chapter of Labor's fiscal vandalism, highlighting the gap between 6.6 per cent average expense growth over nine years versus 1.4 per cent projected in the forwards as evidence of deceit.

“If there is one number that shows the depth of their deceit, it is that those opposite, when they were in government, knew that expenses grew at 6.6 per cent for the first nine years, but in their last budget they pretended they were going to grow at 1.4 per cent for the next four years.”— 2025-03-13View Hansard

As Treasurer, introduced and moved the second reading of the cognate supplementary appropriation bills, arguing they represent the final chapter of fiscal mismanagement by the former Labor government which resulted in $9 billion in unforeseen expenditure for 2023-24.

“This bill in particular relates to decisions made by the previous government, including unforeseen expenditure of $1.128 billion, and is the final component.”— 2025-03-12View Hansard

Supported the bills as necessary to authorise previous Labor government expenditure while criticising the $9.5 billion total overspend as evidence of fiscal mismanagement over 10 years of Labor government.

“This $9.5 billion overspend includes two unforeseen expenditures of $2.267 billion in the Cheaper Power (Supplementary Appropriation) Act 2024 and $6.154 billion contained in the Appropriation Act 2024. There is a great deal unforeseen here—a lack of vision, a lack of planning, a lack of management and, clearly, a lack of proper resourcing.”— 2025-03-14View Hansard

Supported the bills as Minister for Finance, framing them as a statement about accountability and the full stop on nearly a decade of fiscal vandalism by the previous government, and outlining the Crisafulli government's corrective measures.

“These bills before us are not merely about authorising payments; they symbolise a full stop on nearly a decade of fiscal vandalism. They crystallise the consequences of decisions made without due care or responsibility.”— 2025-03-13View Hansard

Defended the appropriation bills as funding genuinely unforeseen circumstances including natural disasters and COVID impacts, and drew parallels with the federal Labor government's response to the global financial crisis.

“Let's look at the history of Labor governments, not only in this state but also in the nation, and how they have dealt with unforeseen matters—whether they be natural disasters; COVID, which is the worst pandemic that this state has seen in a century; or cost-of-living pressures.”— 2025-03-14View Hansard

Supported the bills and defended Labor's economic record, noting net debt halved in 2023-24 to below Newman-era levels, and warned that LNP members' priority projects would be under threat as the Treasurer talks down the economy.

“Net debt in the 2023-24 financial year was halved, from about $12.2 billion to $5.7 billion, and that net debt is lower than in the last year of the Newman government.”— 2025-03-13View Hansard

Supported the bills while criticising the cumulative $9 billion in supplementary appropriation as unprecedented evidence of the former Labor government's failure to respect taxpayers' money.

“We have never had a situation like this before. Labor had 10 years in government and they abused that trust with additional taxes they completely misled the public about.”— 2025-03-14View Hansard

Supported the bills as chair of the Governance, Energy and Finance Committee, detailing the $9.55 billion total overspend across three supplementary appropriations and the 11.6 per cent budget overrun.

“The total number for the people of Queensland—and I will read it out in long form for them—is $9,549,747,000. That is 11.6 per cent over.”— 2025-03-13View Hansard

Supported the bills but criticised both sides of parliament for budget blowouts and excessive costs in government projects, calling for reductions in bureaucratic red and green tape to lower project costs.

“We have to find a way to continue to push this state and the nation forward without continued cost blowouts. If we do not, we will end up going backwards and Third World countries will start to pass Queensland, which is not what we want to see.”— 2025-03-14View Hansard

Supported the bills and defended the expenditure as helping real people, highlighting Labor's cost-of-living measures including the $1,000 electricity rebate and the importance of health and child safety funding.

“Labor governments are good economic managers. Not only are we good economic managers; we actually care about people whilst being good economic managers.”— 2025-03-13View Hansard

Supported the bills while contrasting the $1.13 billion supplementary appropriation with the LNP's last budget which required only $12 million in supplementary appropriation, arguing this demonstrated Labor's fiscal incompetence.

“Let's go to our last budget. This figure is extraordinary. For our last budget, the supplementary appropriation was $12 million. The treasurer at the time was the member for Clayfield. He did such a great job that we only had to appropriate another $12 million in a budget of about $60 billion.”— 2025-03-14View Hansard

Supported the bills while delivering a strongly worded critique of the previous Labor government's financial management, describing it as fiscal malpractice that would burden future generations.

“Queenslanders deserve to know the truth. Labor spent with reckless abandon—no accountability, no strategy and no regard for the future.”— 2025-03-13View Hansard

Supported the bills while criticising the $9 billion total overspend and highlighting unfunded or undelivered projects in his electorate including the Gladstone port access road and Biloela Hospital upgrade.

“Frankly, it is appalling to see the excessive blowouts. As someone who respects Queensland taxpayers' money, it is incredibly sad to see so many more blowouts on top of the previous blowouts and on top of the blowouts before those.”— 2025-03-14View Hansard

Supported supply as shadow treasurer while criticising the LNP government for causing the S&P credit rating outlook downgrade through reckless political pointscoring and juicing up the budget update with $23 billion in allowances.

“The Labor opposition will always stand to deliver what the people of Queensland need. We recognise the necessity of the appropriation bills listed and will support providing supply to the government.”— 2025-03-13View Hansard

Supported the bills while praising the new Treasurer's financial experience and criticising Labor's inability to manage money, including the $223 million spent on the Wellcamp accommodation facility and the BPIC policy.

“We now have a Treasurer who actually understands finance. One of the key elements to finance is planning and talking about what you are going to do.”— 2025-03-14View Hansard

Supported the bills while highlighting the need for disaster relief grants for cyclone-affected Ipswich residents and criticising the LNP's cuts to energy projects and rebates alongside predicted power price increases.

“Imagine cutting an energy rebate in a cost-of-living crisis just as there is to be a six per cent, or possibly more, increase! It is so tone deaf.”— 2025-03-13View Hansard

Supported the bills while criticising Labor's decade of overspending and calling for responsible fiscal management, highlighting failures to maintain roads in regional electorates like his own.

“Whether you are a household with a single, double or part income, whether you are a small business or whether you are a multi-national corporation, the principles of budgeting are to expect the unexpected to the best of your ability.”— 2025-03-14View Hansard

Supported the bills as a committee member, setting out the technical details of the $1.132 billion in unforeseen expenditure across 13 departments and the legislative process for their authorisation.

“The objective of the bills is to seek formal authorisation for the specified amounts in each bill that the former treasurer, the member for Woodridge, paid from the Consolidated Fund for unforeseen expenditure that occurred in the 2023-24 financial year.”— 2025-03-13View Hansard

Supported the bills and defended Labor's economic record including job creation, infrastructure investment, backing the Public Service, and effective COVID response, while criticising the LNP for shutting down renewable energy projects.

“I am certainly supportive of this bill and I am supportive of Labor's economic record. We had a fantastic treasurer. With our leader Steven Miles, he put in place the leading cost-of-living package for this state.”— 2025-03-14View Hansard

Supported supply while arguing that unforeseen expenditure is not a blowout, citing the Acting Under Treasurer's clarification, and criticised the LNP for causing the credit rating outlook downgrade and failing to deliver cost-of-living relief.

“Unforeseen expenditure, which is what we are debating here today, is not a blowout. The Acting Under Treasurer advised the committee of just that—unforeseen expenditure is not a blowout.”— 2025-03-13View Hansard

Supported the bills while detailing cost overruns in his transport portfolio including $212 million in unforeseen expenditure and criticising Labor's failure to deliver projects on time or budget, including Cross River Rail and Gold Coast Light Rail.

“We knew that it was bad when we were in opposition, but I have to tell the House that it is even worse than we could have imagined. When we came in in November and we inherited the previous government's books, the red ink, the cost overruns and the unbudgeted failures of the Labor Party were in every single brief that I read.”— 2025-03-14View Hansard

Supported the bills while criticising the previous Labor treasurer's record and arguing the supplementary appropriation bills demonstrate Labor's inability to manage the budget.

“We can call those two cognate bills the Labor debt bills in terms of their mishandling of the budget appropriation processes for 2023-24.”— 2025-03-13View Hansard

Supported the bills while detailing the Lockyer Valley Correctional Centre cost blowouts from $618 million to $885.9 million under the previous government, and criticising Labor's failure to address prison overcrowding.

“A decade on, the prison was not delivered when Labor promised it would be and it has had three budget blowouts, to the tune of $265 million. That is the result of Labor's failure to deliver critical infrastructure to support the corrective services system.”— 2025-03-14View Hansard

Supported the bills while arguing the LNP deliberately inflated costs by $28 billion to manufacture a fiscal crisis and justify future cuts, drawing parallels with the Campbell Newman playbook.

“The passing of these appropriation bills is crucial to keeping Queensland moving. As the shadow treasurer has stated, we will be supporting the bills.”— 2025-03-13View Hansard

Supported the bills while criticising the $9 billion in cumulative overspends and highlighting the $6.7 billion QTRIP blowout alongside underspend on maintaining regional roads in electorates like his own.

“We need to remember this is not the first and not even the second but the third crack that this parliament has had at appropriating sufficient funds to cover the appalling economic mismanagement by the Labor Party.”— 2025-03-14View Hansard

Supported the bills, expressing pride in the Crisafulli government's respect for taxpayers' money and characterising the bills as closing the final chapter of Labor's budget mismanagement.

“These dollars raised are not earnt as government money; they are collected as taxpayer money. I am proud to be part of a Crisafulli government that has respect for taxpayers' money.”— 2025-03-13View Hansard

Supported the bills while criticising Labor's capital project blowouts and highlighting waste in his own portfolio, including the Wangetti Trail which spent $22.5 million to deliver only 8 per cent of the trail.

“Under these bills the Treasurer is authorised to pay over $1.28 billion in unforeseen expenditure. This is the final piece of Labor's $9 billion overspend in the last financial year. Let me say that again: a $9 billion overspend in one financial year.”— 2025-03-14View Hansard

Supported the bills, noting net debt halved under the last year of Labor, and warned that the LNP's labelling of unforeseen expenditure as blowouts contradicted the Acting Under Treasurer's clarification.

“The Labor opposition endorses the passage of these bills as they complete the appropriation for the 2023-24 financial year which marks the final full financial year of a Labor government.”— 2025-03-13View Hansard

Supported the bills while criticising the Department of Education's $163.5 million in unforeseen expenditure and the previous government's failures in education infrastructure and arts funding.

“As the Minister for Education and the Arts responsible for portfolios that should be about opportunity, growth and investment in Queensland's future, I have instead found examples of how careless spending, poor planning and a disregard for outcomes has resulted in many classrooms remaining overcrowded, teachers overworked and student performance in decline.”— 2025-03-14View Hansard

Supported the bills while detailing capital project blowouts including Cross River Rail and Pioneer-Burdekin, and highlighted the need for the Redcliffe Hospital expansion and new social housing in her electorate.

“Unforeseen expenditure is intended for genuine emergencies, not for routine budgeting failure. Under the former Labor government it became the norm rather than the exception.”— 2025-03-13View Hansard

Supported the bills while highlighting $58.3 million in unforeseen expenditure in his primary industries portfolio and criticising the previous government's fisheries reforms and failure to maintain rural and regional roads.

“These bills are evidence of their record of unforeseen expenditure of $1.132 billion. It is the final component of the $9 billion overspend that the former Labor government made in the last financial year.”— 2025-03-14View Hansard

Supported the bills while defending Labor's budget that halved net debt, criticising the LNP for causing the credit rating downgrade through politically motivated actions, and contrasting Labor's clean energy investments with the LNP's nuclear plans.

“On this side of the House we know that a budget is more than just numbers. Every single budget that we delivered has been about Queenslanders.”— 2025-03-13View Hansard

Supported the bills while criticising the Pioneer-Burdekin pumped hydro project as a hoax and highlighting a $461 million black hole in child safety residential care funding left by the previous government.

“When I was sworn in as the minister, from the first incoming briefings we uncovered things with regard to our workforce that I was so surprised at. Those opposite talk about their respect for the Public Service and the mission that they have led with regard to job safety for those in the Public Service; however, we discovered that 91 frontline staffing positions were not funded beyond Christmas.”— 2025-03-14View Hansard

Supported the bills while noting this was the third time parliament had been asked to approve unforeseen expenditure for the 2023-24 year, highlighting what he described as the former government's financial vandalism.

“Incredibly, this is now the third time that the Queensland parliament has been asked to approve unforeseen expenditure by Labor for the 2023-24 year. This fact alone highlights the sheer economic incompetence and total disregard for taxpayer dollars of the previous Labor state government.”— 2025-03-13View Hansard

Supported the bills while contrasting unforeseen expenditure figures under LNP and Labor treasurers, and highlighting a $12 billion funding gap in Queensland Health including $1.88 billion missing from enterprise bargaining agreements.

“The single largest component and contributor to this particular supplementary appropriation is Queensland Health—an additional $217 million is needed than was budgeted for and it is more than what was provided for in the prior two supplementary appropriations.”— 2025-03-14View Hansard

Supported the bills and defended Labor budgets as delivering for frontline services and infrastructure, while questioning why the new Bundaberg Hospital was under review when it remained on time and on budget.

“We know that Labor budgets deliver for frontline services. They deliver for the workers who are there day in and day out, night in and night out, making sure they are keeping our communities safe and attended to.”— 2025-03-13View Hansard

Supported the bills while breaking down the $9 billion overspend as equating to a million dollars an hour, and criticising the former government for negotiating pay deals without budgeting for them.

“The unforeseen expenditure—the expenditure their management, control and discipline could not manage—is a million dollars an hour. It is $285 a second. That is how incompetent the former Labor government was.”— 2025-03-14View Hansard

Supported the bills while criticising the former Labor government's record $9 billion unforeseen expenditure and highlighting uncosted election promises including state-owned medical practices and servos.

“The former Labor government are record breakers. I never thought those words would come out of our mouths. I will say it again: they are record breakers. Labor governments are infamous for not being able to manage money, but the former government have taken that challenge and they have gone above and beyond.”— 2025-03-13View Hansard

In reply, characterised the bills as the full stop on Labor's 10 years of fiscal vandalism, detailing capital project blowouts, unfunded service delivery commitments, and criticising the former CBRC members for their silence during the debate.

“These bills before the House are the full stop on Labor's 10 years of fiscal vandalism. To do it, we have sadly had to pass three pieces of individual legislation to approve the highest unforeseen expenditure of the last decade.”— 2025-03-14View Hansard

Supported the bills while arguing the LNP is following the Campbell Newman playbook of blaming the previous government to justify future cuts, sacking and selling, and criticised the credit rating downgrade as a consequence of the LNP's dishonesty.

“They blame the previous government for so-called budget blowouts and say that everything is a disaster and make stuff up to make it look worse than it is and introduce mechanisms—whatever they need—to get the outcome they want.”— 2025-03-13View Hansard

Supported the bills with a philosophical reflection on the responsibility of government spending, arguing the former Labor government burdened Queensland with debt and deficit through reckless spending at the worst possible time.

“Rather than carrying the burden of governing well, they burdened Queensland with debt and deficit and they did it because it was easy, even though it would make life hard for ordinary Queenslanders.”— 2025-03-13View Hansard

Supported the bills and argued the government cannot simultaneously categorise unforeseen expenditure as irresponsible waste while also acknowledging it funds essential services like cost-of-living relief and disaster response.

“They cannot have it both ways. They cannot on one hand say that the unforeseen expenditure which is covered by these appropriation bills is irresponsible financial management, they cannot say that they are cost blowouts, and they cannot say that they are reckless waste and then on the other hand say these things are essential services and necessary.”— 2025-03-13View Hansard