Queensland election: LNP reveals its costings; Palaszczuk’s mixed message on hotel quarantine

The party’s costings show no cuts through forced redundancies or asset sales, and no new taxes.

A Liberal National Party government would pay for its election commitments through a combination of borrowings, efficiency dividends across departments, better procurement processes, and extending Labor’s replacement freeze for non-frontline employees.

The party’s costings, released on Thursday after sustained attacks from Labor over supposed cuts for public service employees, show no cuts through forced redundancies or asset sales and no new taxes.

An LNP government would continue with part of Labor’s multi-billion dollar borrowing plan to pay for the commitments made during the election campaign.

Treasurer Cameron Dick in September outlined Labor would borrow $4bn to stimulate the economy and LNP deputy premier Tim Mander on Thursday announced that the LNP would spend $1.7m of the loan.

Mr Mander reaffirmed his commitment that an LNP government would deliver a budget surplus within four years.

The party’s two key election infrastructure projects – the New Bradfield scheme and the duplication of the Bruce Highway – would still be years away from construction, with only enough funding provided for planning and studies.

Mr Mander said it would give an LNP government time to “make sure we do the right planning and get this right”.

It means the “$26bn spend” trumpeted by Labor throughout the campaign is actually $5.05bn.

Mr Mander said the efficiency dividends, similar to that proposed by Labor for Queensland Health, would be applied across all departments except for Queensland Health.

It would generate about $200m in savings every year.

A “better procurement” strategy would save $100m this financial year and $200m a year to 2024.

Extending Labor’s internal replacement block for non-frontline staff by six months would save $1.6bn over four years.

Frontline staff would be widened to include COVID-19 contact tracers, fisheries officers, biosecurity staff and employees of the chief health officer.

Under the LNP, the public service would rise by 7400 full-time workers in the next four years, in line with population growth.

Mr Mander said the LNP’s commitments would be delivered through “careful budget management”, not asset sales or forced redundancies.

He described the savings measures as “modest and achievable” and “fiscally responsible and possible”.

“This is 2 cents out of every $1,” he said of the savings that all directors general will be asked to find.

The savings will not be made through reduced wages or grants.

Mr Mander accused Labor of misleading voters about the LNPs financial strategy.

“For the past four weeks Labor has run a baseless scare campaign,” Mr Mander said.

He accused Mr Dick of “verballing” him during the campaign by claiming the LNP had ruled out using the borrowings announced in September.

“Some of those borrowings will be used to fund this,” Mr Mander said. “The money is there.”

He said the processes to borrow the money were already put in place by the Treasury.

Asked about the high number of commitments paid for from “unallocated funds” Mr Mander said it was half that of what Labor had promised through unallocated money from various programs.

Mr Mander criticised the Palaszczuk government’s economic record, saying the nation-leading unemployment rate was a “result of Labor, not of Covid”.

“It has been proven they do not support Queensland businesses,” he said.

“This is the largest and fastest debt surge in the history of Queensland and it hasn’t finished yet.”

Treasurer Cameron Dick accused LNP leader Deb Frecklington of being “mean and tricky” after the Opposition’s costings were released.

“The LNP’s big bold visionary plans have come to nothing, they funded almost nothing when it comes to the supposed New Bradfield Scheme, or four-laning the Bruce Highway,” Mr Dick said.

“This idea the LNP would borrow no new money is a hoax as well.”

“Frankly Deb Frecklington cannot be trusted, she remains the most serious risk to economic recovery in this state”

“The frontline will be starved of essential services (under the LNP’s plan).”

Mr Dick confirmed the government had secured the $4bn in borrowings required to pay for Labor’s election promises.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk speaks during a press conference at the Southport Spit on Thursday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Premier’s mixed quarantine messages

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk insists the state has a very “robust” hotel quarantine system, despite telling voters on Wednesday that it “cannot cope at the moment”.

Ms Palaszczuk appeared to back away from the comments on Thursday – saying Queensland “can absolutely cope” with what it needs to do for international arrivals.

But she said Queensland would not rush internal student arrivals, pointing to infections in other parts of the world.

“The priority is to get Queenslanders and Australians home and families reunited,” she said.

“What I said very clearly is if we had a rush of international students coming into Queensland, that could put at risk our hotel quarantine and put at risk the health of Queenslanders.”

The Premier was quizzed about international students at last night’s The Courier-Mail/Sky News People’s Forum, where she said: “Our hotel quarantine cannot cope at the moment.”

She also said hotels were keeping up with demand, but warned that Queensland could not extend its resources.

Touring the LNP stronghold of the Gold Coast on Thursday, Ms Palaszczuk said the state’s hotel quarantine “can cope now”.

“But you cannot stretch hotel quarantine, you cannot go too quickly and too fast,” the Premier said.

“Our hotel quarantine is very robust.”

Ms Palaszczuk said her government would monitor how other trials of international student arrivals operate in other states.

“And the Chief Health Officer will examine them very carefully and then she would provide me with advice,” she said.

Meanwhile Ms Palaszczuk launched a final blitz on the Gold Coast ahead of Saturday’s election, as Labor tries to chip away at the LNP stronghold.

The Premier used the second final day before polls close to talk about Labor’s previously announced plan to upgrade the Spit, detailing how they would spend $23 million of the commitment.

Ms Palaszczuk is visiting five electorates across the Gold Coast on Thursday, where the LNP holds all but one electorate.

“For too long now, the LNP has taken the Gold Coast for granted,” the Premier said.

“It’s about time the people of the Gold Coast can send the LNP a message – that they have not lived up to people’s expectations, they have not been strong advocates.”

Ms Palaszczuk made her announcement from Spit in the Southport electorate, held by the LNP’s Rob Molhoek by a 7.2 per cent margin.

Border reopening

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will receive a final briefing tomorrow morning before a decision is made to reopen the Queensland border.

Ms Palaszczuk is due to announce the decision on Friday, just one day before polls close, after initially flagging a November 1 reopening last month.

Pressed today about what options she had been given ahead of making the decision, she insisted she had not been given any yet.

“That will come from the Chief Health Officer. That’s the way the Chief Health Officer works,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“It’s a matter for her. She will advise us and we will tell the public.”

Frecklington in Brisbane push

Deb Frecklington has set off on a Brisbane blitz two days out from polling day, visiting polling booths around the city.

The Opposition Leader spent the morning at the Caravan and Outdoor Expo at the RNA showgrounds, spruiking her $300 registration rebate and her promise to cut the luxury vehicle tax, dubbed the “grey nomad tax”, applied to caravans and motorhomes.

She then visited a polling booth in Fortitude Valley, in the electorate of McConnel, held by Labor frontbencher Grace Grace.

Ms Grace and Ms Frecklington came face to face, touching elbows in an amicable encounter.

A disgruntled Labor volunteer was less friendly, shouting out at the LNP leader and asking, “What school will you cut next?”.

“Not cuts,” Ms Frecklington replied.

LNP candidate Pinky Singh echoed the response.

LNP deputy leader Tim Mander is due to release the party’s costings today after weeks of badgering from Labor over how Ms Frecklington planned to pay for her election commitments.

With The Courier Mail