Queensland State Budget 2025-26: NQ politicians banking on LNP
North Queensland politicians are banking on Townsville and the region getting its fair share in the Crisafulli Government’s first budget.
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North Queensland politicians are banking on Townsville and the region getting its fair share in the Crisafulli Government’s first budget.
Mundingburra MP Janelle Poole, the assistant minister for community safety, defence industry, veterans and North Queensland, said she had been fighting to ensure the electorate “gets its fair share”.
“Our community voted for our election commitments and I want to ensure these are funded to be delivered,” she said.
“On top of this, our number one priority is tackling youth crime and I expect that this budget will set a clear path forward to reducing victim numbers and making our community a safer place.”
She listed her local election commitments as the Mundingburra State School security fence Upgrade ($1.1m), Angus Smith Drive Upgrade ($30m), Ross River bikeway and footpath upgrade ($1.5m), a new public toilet block at Aplins Weir Park ($750,000) and the Hermit Park Tigers AFL Club grounds and clubhouse upgrades ($375,000).
Townsville MP Adam Baillie said he was confident the LNP would meet its commitments.
“For too long, a lot of people have lost faith in government doing what they say they are going to do and we’re determined to bring that back – we’ve said we are going to do things and we’re going to do it.”
He said in terms of youth crime and early intervention, he was hoping for investments to ensure the Community Gro in Garbutt remained operational.
“Looking at housing, I would expect to see the residential housing fund, that’s $2 billion across the state with $1 billion to be spent in the regions,” he said.
“We’re obviously working with council, local developers, land owners to identify opportunities for that and make applications and try and attract as much of that funding to Townsville.”
Mr Baillie was also relishing the prospects of Townsville being an “Olympics city” in 2032.
“I expect to see a fair bit of investment coming this way as a result of the Olympics, not just in infrastructure to do with Olympics but in grassroots clubs,” he said.
“One of my election commitments was for $50,000 for Western Suburbs Cricket Club; that should be there.”
He said he expected funding to kick-start tourism on Palm Island.
“And I’ve got commitments on Magnetic Island where we are investing in infrastructure, the road to Radical Bay, I’d expect to see that in the budget as well,” he said.
KAP Deputy Leader Nick Dametto, whose expansive Hinchinbrook electorate stretches from north of Cardwell to Townsville’s Northern Beaches, called for $20 million for a business case for the “critical” Woolcock Street and North Townsville Road corridor project.
The majority of items on his wish list relate to funding for marine infrastructure projects, including all-tidal access and long-term dredging plan at Port Hinchinbrook in Cardwell, the relocation of the Cassady boat ramp at Forrest Beach and the crucial construction of the rock wall and dredging at Dungeness, Lucinda.
The $12 million Dungeness project will restore safe and reliable marine access while protecting the channel from re-silting in what will be a “game changing” development for tourism in North Queensland.
“Much of the heavy lifting has been done with navigating environmental regulations, planning requirements and departmental red tape,” he said.
“Now it’s time for the government to step up on a number of Hinchinbrook marine projects that are costed and simply need funding to get construction started.”
The vocal Hinchinbrook MP also called on the Crisafulli Government to increase the Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme to lessen the burden placed on regional and rural Queenslanders hit with out-of-pocket medical travel costs.
Mr Dametto, who has long been critical of the state of the notorious Bruce Highway, also called for trunk infrastructure funding and an upgrade of Ingham Hospital’s Accident and Emergency Department.
KAP Leader Robbie Katter was contacted for comment.
Acting Mayor Ann-Maree Greaney welcomed “much-needed investment” into the region in the upcoming State budget.
“Council is constantly advocating to the State Government for our fair share, but in the upcoming budget we’re really hoping to see some further outcomes to support housing growth in the region, like investment into enabling infrastructure that will accelerate housing availability, investment into community safety initiatives and big-ticket projects that enhance the liveability of our region like those listed in our Legacy Action Plan 2025-28.”
Townsville Enterprise CEO Claudia Brumme-Smith, meanwhile, said it was looking forward to seeing additional funding of $1.4 billion for CopperString.
“This amount of funding will build on the $1 billion previously invested and will really kick-start the region’s ability to deliver this nation-building piece of infrastructure – we want to see poles and wires delivered as soon as possible,” she said.
“CopperString is the single most important enabling project in northern Australia, with more than 40 per cent of our region’s incredible $40 billion investment pipeline dependent on the timely delivery of this transmission line between Townsville and Mount Isa.”
She said that in addition to funding for the Bruce Highway and the broader road system, other key asks included the Port Expansion Project, the Magnetic Island Koala Hospital and the Dungeness project.
“Health and housing remain two major priorities for the entire North and North-West, and we hope to see both sectors generously supported by the Queensland Government next week,” she said.
“This includes the funding needed to support the delivery of the Housing Investment Fund.”
Ms Brumme-Smith said its Townsville Enterprise 2025 Budget Luncheon on July 2 would feature Treasurer, Minister for Energy and Minister for Home Ownership David Janetzki and Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training Ros Bates.
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Originally published as Queensland State Budget 2025-26: NQ politicians banking on LNP
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