LNP refuse to reveal election costings amid claims of job cuts
The LNP has refused to reveal details on how it will pay for billions in election promises, despite promoting that all spending is “fully funded and fully costed”.
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Premier Steven Miles has blasted the Opposition for hiding its “excel spreadsheet” of costs from voters eleven days out from election day.
The LNP has refused to reveal details on how it will pay for billions in election promises made throughout the campaign, despite promoting that all spending is “fully funded and fully costed”.
Treasurer Cameron Dick yesterday claimed the LNP has so far racked up more than $17bn in election commitments, and accused Opposition Leader David Crisafulli of planning to cut 17,000 jobs, to achieve a fiscal surplus without growing debt.
Queensland’s debt is expected to hit $172bn by 2028.
Mr Crisafulli on Monday vowed that debt would be “lower” under an LNP government but refused to detail how.
“You’ll see our costings as we continue to outline our lower tax plan,” he said.
Mr Dick claimed the LNP would have to slash $10m a day, every day for a year, to meet its pledge not to borrow to fund ongoing costs.
Mr Dick brushed off a statement from ratings agency Standard & Poors Global that Queensland’s coveted AA-plus credit rating faced headwinds as coal revenue eased and spending increased, instead turning the attack on the LNP’s uncosted election promises which he said were now running at twice that of Labor’s commitments.
“Yesterday (October 14) David Crisafulli said he wouldn’t borrow for the operational costs of government,’’ he said.
“That would mean David Crisafulli would have to cut $3 billion as soon as he took office in October.
“It would mean David Crisafulli would have to cut $10 million a day each and every day until the 30th of June to deliver on his promise.
“That means there are 17,000 Queenslanders whose jobs are now on the line under David Crisafulli and the LNP, and that is even before he even finds one cent to pay for the $18 billion in election commitments that are unfunded and that he has already announced in this campaign.
“David Crisafulli won’t even tell Queenslanders the total of the election commitments he’s made in this campaign so far.
“That’s because he would have to cut to deliver on those promises.’’
Mr Miles on Tuesday slammed the LNP for telling Queenslanders it was normal to hide costings until the “last minute,” saying the method was outdated and unnecessary.
“It’s true that in the past, costings would often be released, usually in the last week, but that that hails from a day when you had to make your announcements and then print your costings,” he said.
“There is no reason to wait anymore, we have the internet now, and on the internet, we have published Labor’s costings every single day.
“David Crisafulli has those costings somewhere in the opposition office, there will be an excel spreadsheet with all of those details, but they don’t want to show Queenslanders.”
A $515m deficit is forecast for 2025–26.
The Premier said Labor had a “clear plan” to return to surplus, which Mr Dick predicts will total $887m in 2026-27 and $2bn in 2027-28.
He made no apologies for the $8.9bn in increased borrowings to pay for Labor’s election commitments, claiming they would help drive down inflation.
“Queenslanders priority right now is their cost of living, and so at this exact point in time, what Queenslanders want to see is us support them with their cost of living,” he said.
“That’s why we’ve gone into deficit over these two years, but we know we’re turning a corner.
“We know our measures have driven down inflation.
“We know that gives room for the RBA to move on interest rates, and we know, therefore, that we can return to surplus in that third and fourth year. “
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