Analysis: LNP’s first budget in 11 years is a non-frills statement that won’t rock the boat or set the world on fire

For most Queenslanders there are no political sweeteners, with the conservative treasurer instead focused solely on budget repair but it’s a big risk for David Janetzki, writes Hayden Johnson.

Treasurer David Janetzki has handed down his first budget. Picture: John Gass

Treasurer David Janetzki has five cricket bats in his office - if this budget risk is to work he’ll have to wield them.

The LNP’s first budget for 11 years is Weet-Bix with no milk - a no-frills statement designed to rock no boats, nor set the world on fire.

It was almost 100 pages shorter than the Labor’s politically-charged pre-election splurge in 2024.

Expectations were set so low that Mr Janetzki, who labelled it “boring”, merely had to step over the bar.

For most Queenslanders there were no political sweeteners, with the conservative treasurer instead focused solely on budget repair.

It’s a big risk.

For the next four years Queensland will spend more than it earns.

Eye-watering deficits for the next three are so high that it makes the $1.1bn shortfall in 2028-29 look comparatively acceptable.

Mr Janetzki is spending big now and relying on budget improvements near the end of the decade, with the rewards coming over the horizon.

BQueensland Premier David Crisafulli (right) and Treasurer David Janetzki. Picture: Dan Peled

He insists short-term pain is necessary to cover Labor’s cost blowouts without succumbing to their claim 17,000 public servants will be sacked and countless programs axed to pay for them.

Instead, they’ve played the politically clever move and frozen the number of non-frontline public servant bosses for three years.

During the Covid-19 pandemic Labor froze hiring of all non-essential public servants.

Mr Janetzki’s decision allows the government to mute the opposition claims of widespread job cuts while slowing ballooning spending on public service wages.

However, how much Queensland owes to how much revenue is coming into the coffers continues to widen.

By front-loading heavy spending now, Mr Janetzki is relying on the government penny pinching until election day - right when politicians are desperate to pork barrel their way to victory.

For the treasurer to stick with Tuesday’s four-year “pathway to surplus” he’ll have to beat away louder cabinet voices demanding more cash.

It’ll be especially difficult if Labor closes the gap and Queensland politics again becomes a tighter contest.

The treasurer’s cricket bats might come in handy.

Originally published as Analysis: LNP’s first budget in 11 years is a non-frills statement that won’t rock the boat or set the world on fire