Qld election 2024: Alternative treasurer David Janetzki yet to appear in campaign

Treasurer Cameron Dick accused his LNP counterpart David Janetzki of stumbling through two interviews today after two weeks of low-profile campaigning.

The LNP’s David Janetzki is yet to be sighted this month.

He is on track to take control of Queensland’s $98bn budget in two weeks, but shadow treasurer David Janetzki has been accused of hiding while the LNP struggles to explain its economic plan.

But even after two media appearances today by Mr Janetzki, Labor Treasurer Cameron Dick remains on the attack.

Mr Janetzki has not appeared alongside Opposition Leader David Crisafulli during the campaign, his absence fuelling Labor’s attacks about how the LNP’s economic policies would be funded.

Mr Dick called on his LNP counterpart to release an economic plan and spark public debate.

“Politics is a contest of ideas and the state’s economy is the most important part of that,” he said.

“I’m ready for the contest but has anyone seen David Janetzki, let alone heard of any of his ideas?

“David Janetzki has had four years to come up with the LNP’s plan for the economy, so I’m not sure why he isn’t excited to share it.”

Mr Dick, campaigning alongside federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers in Logan, described interviews with Mr Janetzki today as a “train wreck”.

“That is disrespectful to train wrecks because a train needs momentum and forward movement before it can run off the rails,” he added, describing Mr Janetzki as in “LNP witness protection”.

“We haven’t seen or heard from that bloke and when he came out today he couldn’t even tell Queenslanders what the total cost of their commitments would be, nor how he would pay for them.

“The LNP commitments in this campaign now total $18bn, twice as high as Labor.’’

Mr Janetzki denied Mr Dick’s earlier claims, instead taking aim at the Labor Treasurer and Deputy Premier.

“If Cameron Dick was more focused on respecting Queenslanders’ money and less on auditioning for the top job, Queensland wouldn’t have a $9bn budget blowout last year,” he said.

“These comments are further evidence of why Queensland needs a fresh start with the right plan for Queensland’s future”.

The LNP has pledged to release its costings and economic policy before the election.

Mr Crisafulli is yet to detail how his promises would be paid for.

He has declared taxes and debt would be lower under the LNP, but has repeatedly declined to say whether spending would be lower under his government or if he would work to pay down debt.

“If you continue to grow an economy and you don’t blow projects out and you don’t continue to grow debt, well then debt becomes less of a burden,” he said.

Mr Janetzki has not appeared alongside Mr Crisafulli since September 29, but has held several individual press conferences.

Mr Crisafulli dismissed claims Mr Janetzki had been hiding, saying he would play a bigger role in the last two weeks of the campaign.

“I would suggest to you, he’s done more media conferences than the vast majority of Labor frontbenchers and I look forward to him joining the campaign more into the future,” he said.

“If government changes, you’ll have, in my mind, the most qualified person to be treasurer in a generation. I think he’s outstanding.”

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli (right) with local candidate Marty Hunt on the Sunshine Coast on Monday. Picture: Tertius Pickard

Mr Crisafulli said the LNP would save money by ensuring the days of “drunken spending” on consultants ended.

Queensland’s total debt is forecast to reach $172bn by 2027-28.

Mr Dick said on Monday that without borrowings, Mr Crisafulli’s only option to pay for operating expenses and Queensland’s hefty infrastructure program was through increased revenue.

“He specifically said he would not borrow for operational costs,” Mr Dick said.

“The budget is in an operating deficit this year, $2.6bn this year, and $515m the next financial year.

“If David Crisafulli does not want to borrow for operational costs, then he must immediately cut $3bn from the Queensland budget.”

Mr Dick dismissed claims Labor’s $8.9bn election expenditure, to be paid for by borrowings, would affect the state’s AA credit rating after warnings from S&P Global.

He said debt “may very well” increase due to the party’s cost-of-living cash splash, but remained adamant the borrowings, including the latest $1.4bn free lunches program, would not affect the forecast budget surplus in 2026-27.

Mr Dick said he was not concerned about a potential future downgrading of the state’s credit rating.

“S&P Global and Moody’s went through the Queensland budget books, top to bottom, left to right, up and down, after our budget and they reaffirmed our AA+ credit rating,’’ he said.

“And when you look at our competitor states in NSW and Victoria, we are streets ahead of them when it comes to budget management and fiscal management.

“Just a week ago, I announced the unaudited financial results for Queensland. Our net debt for last financial year has been halved from $12bn to just under $6bn, our surplus went up from $600m to $1.7bn.

“Let’s put that in comparison to NSW and Victoria. So the net debt at the end of last financial year was $5.7bn, in NSW it was $97bn and in Victoria it was $136bn, so that means NSW debt is 16 times higher than in Queensland and Victoria’s debt is 22 times higher.

“We’re in a really strong position to make commitments and deliver on them because our commitments are fully funded.’’

Economist Marcus Smith said Labor’s high-spending campaign would hurt the LNP if it was elected.

“All the recent spending announcements not only speaks of desperation for a government in trouble, but it is also is sabotaging the state finances to wedge the next government that has to come in and obviously review and likely make reductions to the spending programs to reduce the growing debt burden,” he said.

Voting in Queensland state elections is mandatory, and pre-polling booths are open from October 14 till October 25 in most electorates.

You can find out more information about how to vote in our guide to early voting and find where to vote near you with our full list of polling booths.