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State government set for grilling over broken budget promise
The Palaszczuk government is under fire in parliament this morning, the Premier fending off Opposition accusations her government broke its promise ahead of yesterday's state budget not to introduce any new taxes. QUESTION TIME BLOG
The Palaszczuk government is facing a grilling in parliament this morning after breaking its election promise for no new or increased taxes.
Treasurer Cameron Dick revealed three new or increased taxes during Tuesday's state budget, with companies, online bookmakers and businesses with annual wages bills exceeding $10m to all pump more money into the state’s coffers.
But he insisted he wasn't breaking any promises despite saying during the 2020 state election that there would be none.
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Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk also insisted she had kept her promise that there would be no additional impost on families.
The Opposition is also expected to ask questions about the record $23.6 billion health budget which stakeholders have said doesn't go far enough to ease pressures on hospitals in the short term.
Updates
Question Time has wrapped up
Katter's ask about gas reserve policy
Katter's Australian Party leader Robbie Katter has asked Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk whether she would immediately direct the government to implement a "proper gas reserve" policy like in Western Australia.
Ms Palaszczuk spruiked Queensland's hydrogen industry.
"I have been on the record that Queensland is the energy rich state and unfortunately New South Wales and Victoria have failed to open up any gas and exploration …," she said.
"Western Australia is not connected to the national electricity market."
The Premier spruiked the jobs across the gas, coal and renewables industry.
– Domanii Cameron
No detail when overnight patients will stay at new hospital
LNP health spokeswoman Ros Bates said the Australian Medical Association of Queensland is warning the Gold Coast is currently 500 hospital beds short.
She asked Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk when the new 400 bed Coomera Hospital would admit its first patient for an overnight stay.
Ms Palaszczuk responded by saying: "We're building a new Coomera Hospital".
The Premier spent the next couple of minutes largely attacking the LNP and not answering the question.
Ms Bates raised a point of order on relevance.
Ms Palaszczuk suggested such projects required planning and time. She concluded by saying the hospital would be built in six years.
– Jack McKay
Simpson: Will government give themselves a "fail mark"?
Opposition frontbencher Fiona Simpson has questioned whether the government will give themselves a "fail mark" for a "broken promise".
Ms Simpson said the government committed to "no new taxes" at the 2020 election.
But Treasurer Cameron Dick slammed the Opposition's own integrity, questioning the "Bruce Highway hoax".
"I remember election costings very well," he said.
"I remember what the LNP promised including the Bruce Highway hoax – they talked for a year about duplicating the Bruce Highway – it was the greatest hoax on the people of Queensland."
Mr Dick said "we have been absolutely consistent in everything we have done".
Ms Simpson responded to the attack on the Opposition's integrity with "just say sorry".
– Samantha Scott
Will new taxes lead to higher grocery or power prices?
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has been asked by Opposition frontbencher Brent Mickelberg if she can guarantee the Treasurer's new taxes on big business won't result in higher grocery or electricity prices during a "full blown cost of living crisis"
Ms Palaszczuk did not directly answer the question, but suggested Mr Mickelberg read the Newman government's 2012 budget.
"In their first budget they cut concessions," she said.
The Premier said the taxes would fund vital health infrastructure upgrades and investment in mental health.
-Hayden Johnson
Bleijie lines up to question Treasurer's latest 'misunderstanding'
Deputy LNP Leader Jarrod Bleijie also took aim at Treasurer Cameron Dick and the government's broken promise on new taxes, asking whether his pledge that he has "zero interest" in becoming Premier could also be a potential future "misunderstanding".
"Let me say, I am crystal clear when I speak to the people of Queensland," Mr Dick said.
"We made a promise during an election campaign – I was speaking to the people of Queensland."
Mr Dick also said the pre-election campaign by mining companies pre-election not to raise mining royalties demonstrated they believed business could be in the firing line for royalty hikes.
"They knew the promise did not apply to them, which is why they campaigned against us," he said.
– Steph Bennett
Treasurer: I did not make a promise to business
Opposition treasury spokesman David Janetzki has asked Treasurer Cameron Dick to explain why he never mentioned the word business when pledging in 2020 that there would be no new or increased taxes.
Mr Dick said the reason why he didn't mention business was "absolutely 100 per cent clear" because "our promise was to the people of Queensland".
"Our government stands with and by and for the people," he said.
"Labor governments deliver for the people and this is our promise.
"I did not make a promise to business."
– Domanii Cameron
'You can trust me': Premier insists after Dick's broken promise
Opposition Leader David Crisafulli pointed to the government's commitment at the last election to not increase or introduce any new taxes.
In light of Tuesday's budget, he asked Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk how Queenslanders could trust the government to deliver for them.
Ms Palaszczuk fired back, insisting the people of Queensland trusted her, as she pointed to her government's efforts during the pandemic.
"People of Queensland know I care about them," she said.
"We know they (the LNP) don't care about people."
She used the opportunity to attack the LNP frontbench, suggesting many of them were Newman government ministers when the former LNP administration oversaw "savage cuts".
Her response prompted a series of interjections from the Opposition, including from former leader Deb Frecklington who said: "What has happened for the last seven years, Premier."
– Jack McKay
LNP opens with a question about Treasurer's broken promise
Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has opened post-budget question time with a question to the Premier about why the Treasurer broke a promise and imposed new taxes.
Annastacia Palaszczuk insisted he didn't break a promise when saying he would not increase taxes.
"The Treasurer did not mention the word business," she said.
"This is the largest health spend in this state's history.
"I have been working my guts out to get this health budget."
Ms Palaszczuk, who has been the Premier for seven years, then spoke about Mr Crisafulli's time as a minister in the Newman Government.
– Hayden Johnson
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