Question Time live: Annastacia Palaszczuk expects “more to come for Qld” in future federal budgets

The Premier expects "more to come for Queensland" in future federal budgets after a number of mega projects were ditched or delayed. 

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk expects “more to come for Queensland” in future federal budgets amid revelations mega projects for the state had been ditched or delayed amid a brutal redirection of billions of infrastructure dollars.

The federal budget, released on Tuesday night, didn’t include funding for causes championed by the state government and Ms Palaszczuk herself—including a 50/50 health funding split and cash for 2032 Olympic Games projects.

Ms Palaszczuk said the state government was “continuing to work” with its federal counterparts to secure funding for the Copperstring 2.0 transmission project which would connect Mount Isa and surrounds to the electricity grid via Townsville.

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She also mentioned the Hughenden Irrigation Project, which has had its federal funding delayed for now.  

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: Sarah Marshall

“(We are continuing to)…support the proponents all of these projects will mean more investment in Queensland's regions and good jobs,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

There was also “more work to do” in national cabinet “when it comes to funding the health system”.

“I expect more to come for Queensland in future budgets…future funding for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” she said.

“And we are just starting detailed discussions on funding support for the Queensland energy and jobs plan.

“The Prime Minister has been very positive in the discussions I've had with him on building new pumped hydro energy storage dams”.

Infrastructure Minister Catherine King was scheduled to write to her state and territory counterparts on Tuesday night outlining which projects had been felled by Labor’s razor gang, which had been deferred indefinitely, and which were safe.

Ms King said the budget would “honour” the election pledges Labor had made while also “managing the economy in an uncertain global environment”.

It has since been confirmed the Kuraby-Beenleigh Faster Rail upgrade, noted in the March budget as “critical to meet the demand of projected population growth” and for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, will be going ahead.