REVEALED: What Warwick scored in State Budget
The Treasurer handed down the 2020-21 State Budget. Here’s Warwick hits and misses:
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ALTERNATIVE energy, road safety and schooling are the big winners in Warwick after the Queensland Budget was handed down.
Treasurer Cameron Dick delivered the much-anticipated COVID-19 pandemic budget at Parliament House yesterday.
“This is a budget that delivers certainty in a year that has been anything but certain,” Mr Dick said.
Notably, the most substantial funding commitment was a $42.3 million pledge to CleanCo’s Karara Wind Farm.
This 2020-21 promise was out a of $250 million total spend.
A sizeable $6 million in 2020-21 was also delivered to upgrade the Eight Mile intersection, in partnership with the Federal Government.
Warwick East is set to receive $1.056 million for the structural rectification of heritage building after the 2019 fire, meanwhile Warwick State High School will receive $5.8 million over four years to construct a new multipurpose hall and disability access project.
The latter makes true on an election promise.
Other big tickets items included:
– $175,000 to help Southern Downs Regional Council deliver kerbside recycling services to local residents
– $497,982 to deliver a new water reservoir at the Warwick wastewater sewage treatment plant, supplying industry with Class A recycled water.
– $137,000 for redevelopment of Bald Rock Creek and Castle Rock camping areas at Girraween National Park, near Stanthorpe.
– $1.7 million to continue planning works for enhancements to meet future extreme weather events.
But not everyone was satisfied.
While Member for Southern Downs James Lister approved kerbside recycling measures and Girraween camping developments, western roads were still a major concern.
“There’s no money here for the Cunningham or Gore Highways, particularly between Yelarbon and Goondiwindi,” he said.
“There’s a terrible stretch there and between Goondiwindi and Millmerran. Those roads need money spent on them, the government knows this so I’m going to keep fighting to make sure they spend up on those desperately needed improvements.”
He also voiced his “concern” that Coolmunda Dam inflow issues hadn’t been addressed.
The budget also revealed Queensland’s forecast deficit for 2020-21 as $8.633 billion.
General Government Sector borrowing is estimated to be $53.501 billion, up from the pre-crisis forecast of $34.772.
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