Queensland budget 2023/24: Education and health the biggest winners in the Far North
The Far North’s education and health sectors were the region’s biggest winners to emerge from the state budget. Read our comprehensive breakdown.
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The Far North’s education and health sectors were the region’s biggest winners to emerge from the state budget.
Treasurer Cameron Dick tabled the budget papers on Tuesday afternoon with about $500m of spending allocations for Far North projects in the coming financial year.
But only $5.6m of the promised $360m for Cairns Marine Precinct’s Common User Facility, which featured in the budget for the first time, will be spent in the 2023/24 financial year.
More than $830m was allocated for regional road projects including Captain Cook Hwy upgrades, Cairns Western Arterial Rd duplication and upgrades to the Bruce Hwy along Cairns Southern Corridor, but only $38m will be spent among the three projects in the coming year.
Cairns Hospital received an additional allocation of $252m for a major expansion – only $37m will be spent in 2023/24, and none of the promised $160m for the Cairns Health Innovation Centre building was allocated.
“The Common User Facility is a key part to this budget … this is about building new industry (in Cairns),” Cairns MP Michael Healy said.
“Some of the money has to go to forward estimates because you can’t pay it all at once. But the money has been allocated, so next year we know there’ll be more money for (key projects).”
The region’s education and training sector was the biggest winner.
The Great Barrier Reef International Marine College over the next 12 months will receive half of the $16m promise made during regional parliament, with the second half to be allocated in future budgets.
Malanda State School will receive $1.3m for enclosed sporting spaces.
Weipa’s Western Cape College will receive $10.3m for construction of new learning spaces.
Woree State School will receive $5.9m for a new hall facility, and Gordonvale State High School will receive $754,000 for additional specialist classrooms.
Atherton Hospital received an additional $7.1m for the redevelopment of the existing facility but its total project cost increased 15.5 per cent from $74.8m to $86.4m.
Thursday Island Hospital received $9.5m for redevelopment but the project cost increased about 40 per cent from $49.5m to $66.4m.
Cape York received several other investments; Horn Island received $6m for its jetty and wharf, Bamaga Hospital received $3m and Mer Island Primary Health Care Centre received $1.7m.
“Money being allocated for schools is really important to me – I’ve been asking for that for a while and now it’s ready to go,” Mr Healy said.
“There’s no reason why our children can’t have the best teachers and best facilities regardless of where they are in the state.”
Police and youth justice projects also received some warmth from the government.
Cairns Safer Streets and Midnight Basketball received $750,000 and Cairns police facility received $1.4m for the completion of its upgrade, although its total project cost increased 14.9 per cent from $17.4m to $20m.
A line was also dedicated to a new youth detention centre in Cairns, although cost was not specified.
“That’s currently ongoing, but that’s definitely going to be built in Cairns,” Mr Healy said.
Specific tourism projects were largely ignored, apart from $10.4m to be spent on the beleaguered Wangetti Trail. Mr Healy said there would be more money being passed around the state government in the coming year to spend on recreational projects.
“There’ll be a $15m pool of money for a variety of projects throughout the state over a twelve month period,” he said.
Originally published as Queensland budget 2023/24: Education and health the biggest winners in the Far North
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