States doing the heavy lifting to turn around productivity, says Queensland Treasurer David Janetzki

Queensland Treasurer David Janetzki says he would have ‘loved to have seen a Queensland presence’ at the federal government’s economic roundtable in August.

Queensland Treasurer David Janetzki, centre, on Monday: ‘I’m not going to stand back from putting Queensland’s interests, particularly because the states do have a significant role in driving productivity.’ Picture: Tara Croser

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Queensland Treasurer David Janetzki says the states are doing the heavy lifting when it comes to turning around the nation’s stagnating productivity after he and Premier David Crisafulli were snubbed from the federal government’s economic roundtable in August.

Mr Janetzki had publicly lobbied to be given one of the 25 seats at the discussion, which is designed to help the Albanese government set its agenda on taxation, growth and productivity, but failed to make the list of invitees unveiled last week.

The Queensland Treasurer said he would have “loved to have seen a Queensland presence” at the roundtable, given the role the state government plays in the productivity puzzle.

“My view always was that the states are doing the heavy lifting on productivity”, Mr Janetzki said.

“We’ve got to deliver the housing, we’ve got to deliver the health services. We’ve got to deliver the other key infrastructure.” he said.

“I’m not going to stand back from putting Queensland’s interests, particularly because the states do have a significant role in driving productivity.”

No premier or chief minister was among the list of business leaders and union figures invited to attend the roundtable. All state treasurers will be represented by their NSW counterpart, Daniel Mookhey, who is the chairman of the Board of Treasurers.

Mr Janetzki made the comments on Monday at the opening of a new build-to-rent project in the inner-city Newstead precinct, which was delivered in a collaboration between residential dev­eloper Mirvac and the state government.

“There’s no way we get on top of the housing crisis unless we see productivity return to building construction worksites and we have a clear pathway for capital to come and invest,” he said.

First announced by the Palas­zczuk Labor government in 2021, the LIV Anura tower overlooking Brisbane River includes 396 studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments. A quarter of the units will be offered at “affordable” rental rates at a minimum of 25 per cent less than median market pricing.

While the typical one-­bedroom apartment in the area would ordinarily be priced at $700 a week, eligible tenants would pay $525 a week. Only key workers employed within 10km of the project with permanent residency earning less than the average Queensland weekly wage of $1975.80 can access the cheaper rentals.

Mirvac chief executive Campbell Hanan said the pilot model and the collaboration with state governments had “enormous ­potential”.

“We’re really proud to be helping demonstrate what’s possible when government and industry come together with shared purpose,” he said.

“We’ve built many projects in this precinct over a long period of time, and it’s all about community … we believe this building will just enhance the whole vibrant, connected community just a kilometre and a half from the CBD.”

Two other projects commissioned as part of the pilot program are still under construction.

Queensland re-established its own Productivity Commission in March. Its first task was to review the state’s construction sector following the pause of the Best Practice Industry Conditions, which were said to have added up to 25 per cent to the cost of major projects.

In tandem with advocating for greater productivity, Mr Janetzki has been critical of the federal government’s GST carve-up process, demanding the state get a fairer allocation of funds after Queensland’s annual portion was slashed by more than $2bn in March.