‘Temu politician’: Debate over the state of the budget heats up

Shadow treasurer Shannon Fentiman has accused the Crisafulli government of not being upfront about how it plans to pay for increasingly expensive projects, and suggested it may cut public services.

It comes as the LNP government flags a $24 billion budget “black hole” it says it was unaware of and largely caused by the former Labor government.

“David Crisafulli is the Temu politician,” Fentiman told reporters from Parliament House on Wednesday, referencing the popular discount retail website.

Shadow Treasurer Shannon Fentiman speaks from Parliament House on Wednesday.Credit: William Davis

“The deal is always too good to be true, and, when you get it, it never does what it says.”

During last year’s election campaign Crisafulli said debt would be lowered under his leadership and no government services or projects would be cut.

But, ahead of a budget update due later this month, the Labor opposition claims Queenslanders should expect the worse.

“They’re going to have to break their election promises, aren’t they? They are going to have to break one of them,” Fentiman said, adding she believes additional expenses are due to increasing global construction costs the government always knew were coming.

“What hospital projects aren’t going to go ahead? What road projects aren’t going to go ahead? What services are not going to be funded? You know, we said this before the election.

“He’s either fooled Queenslanders or he is a fool, because I don’t think there’s anyone that didn’t realise the cost of building projects … was increasing.

“Yet, he continued to make promises about surpluses and lowering debt and it is just a fantasy.”

Speaking just a few hundred metres away on Wednesday afternoon, acting treasurer Deb Frecklington ruled out cuts.

Deb Frecklington at Parliament House on Wednesday. Credit: William Davis

She opened the door to further borrowing, suggesting the government’s promise had been to keep debt lower than it would have otherwise been under Labor.

“Now, let’s remember we are here trying to sort out a decade of Labor’s mess,” the former LNP leader said.

“Debt will always be lower under the LNP than under Labor. It takes time to sort out Labor’s mess. That’s what we’re doing.

“We are not breaking our election commitments.”

While Crisafulli promised to deliver infrastructure projects on time and on budget, he and his government have highlighted what they claim to be blowouts under Labor’s management.

Frecklington announced an additional $5 million dollar package to support skills training for workers.

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