Editor’s view: Budget giveaway on Premier’s list since poll shock

The extraordinarily generous State budget is the final proof of just what a seismic impact the polling that YouGov conducted for The Courier-Mail in April had on the Palaszczuk government.

The extraordinarily generous State budget is the final proof of just what a seismic impact the polling that YouGov conducted for The Courier-Mail in April had on the Palaszczuk government.

While the polling revealed little change in voting intention since the last survey in December, the issues results contained within it clearly set off alarm bells within Labor. It found that even then – now several interest rates rises ago – two in three Queenslanders thought cost of living was the most important issue. Housing affordability was second, followed by youth crime, and then hospitals and ambulances.

Most worryingly for state Labor strategists, “an LNP government led by David Crisafulli” was rated clearly better at handling all those issues than “a Labor government led by Annastacia Palaszczuk”.

It was really no surprise, then, to see the Premier just three weeks after the polling was published dump her ministers for housing, youth crime and health – and also to admit that Queenslanders were not happy with the way those portfolios were being handled.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk during a press conference in the 2023/24 state budget lockup at Parliament House in Brisbane. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire

That done, there remained only one thing on the Premier’s polling-led to-do list – and that was to do whatever it took to be seen to be helping ease those cost of living pressures that more Queenslanders think the LNP would be better placed to help with, and that one in three said they think the Palaszczuk government is to blame for.

Enter Cameron “Robin Hood” Dick, and his extraordinary take from the rich (miners) to give to the poor (Queenslanders) State Budget that he delivered yesterday.

So unapologetically targeted at this political wound on Labor is the Treasurer’s fourth Budget that the official documents released with it are literally stamped – in maroon – with the phrase “TACKLING THE COST OF LIVING: Queensland’s Action on the National Cost of Living”. The Treasurer’s Budget speech then literally began by promising all Queenslanders – not just those who will soon benefit from the Albanese Government’s Budget assistance for battlers – that “help is on the way”.

“Our government will deliver greater and more widespread cost of living relief than any other government in Australia, state or federal,” Mr Dick told Parliament. “Through this budget, no matter who they are, Queenslanders will receive cost of living relief from our government through their electricity bill – and the value of that cost of living relief will be higher than anywhere else in Australia.”

It was a long way from subtle. And so was the way Mr Dick said he would fund this historic largesse: “We can deliver (this) … because of one simple reason: progressive coal royalties. Our decision to take on the mining lobby, to stand our ground and to fight for the people of our state has delivered a rich reward for Queenslanders.”

Treasurer Cameron Dick with his budget, Parliament House, Brisbane. Picture: Liam Kidston

He then launched into a stirring defence of his controversial mining royalties scheme that imposes the heftiest taxes on miners anywhere in the world – a reality that might explain why Mr Dick has now also attached a very Orwellian term to describe them. They are not unfair, he says. They are “progressive”.

Interestingly, Mr Dick also laid out a political challenge to the Opposition: “This budget debate will allow honourable Members, and all political parties, to make a public declaration on whether they support progressive coal royalties in their entirety, or not.”

This was a clear signal to the Opposition that Labor believes there is zero political advantage for the LNP in opposing the super-profits tax on miners. Considering Mr Dick’s revelation in his speech that mining companies will take $60 billion in revenue this year from the stuff they dig out of the ground in Queensland; well, this modern-day Robin Hood disguised as the Treasurer is probably right.

(As an aside, there was a clear discrepancy in all of this. Mr Dick boasts early in his speech that “we will not be racking up bills on the credit card to pay for” cost of living relief – but then he later contradicts himself by also boasting of “our deliberate decision to dig deeper than our annual revenues would otherwise allow, to support Queenslanders with cost of living relief”. But whatever. It is raining cash, so who’s paying attention!)

The free kindy program for all four year-olds no matter if they attend long day care or short-day kindergarten will meanwhile allow parents to pocket $4600 extra a year, or $88 a week. That is also substantial relief that should help lock in those 64,000 votes at the state election in October next year.

The government has also set aside significant cash to address the issue of ambulance ramping outside hospital emergency departments – just one of the challenges facing the new Minister. And, while the sector would like to see more, the extra $322 million set aside for social housing is not to be sneezed at.

Again, this is a Budget that is clearly framed around the findings of The Courier-Mail/YouGov poll in April that so shocked Labor insiders. The success of last month’s reshuffle has given the Premier a real spring in her step. This Budget should do the same, as households start to receive their giveaways.

The only thing the Premier has left to do is to thank us. She has our number. We won’t hold our breath.