Qld election: Labor throws down gauntlet to LNP with costings for $4.8bn in spending promises
Labor has made a bold move in the lead-up to the state election, backing up close to $4.8 billion in spending promises with “live” costings, while calling out the Opposition’s lack of financial plans.
QLD Votes
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Queensland Labor has made nearly $4.8bn in election promises before the campaign for a historic fourth-term gets underway, with Treasurer Cameron Dick revealing the party will reveal its costings in real-time.
In an unprecedented move Labor will update its election costings live on its campaign website, in a direct challenge to the LNP to reveal its financial plans sooner rather than later.
“When people are going to start voting in this state in two weeks, it is just not good enough for the LNP to hold on to its costings until the end of the campaign,” Mr Dick said.
“So the Miles Labor government will show Queenslanders our spending commitments in real time.
“Unless you hear from me or any other members of the government before the election, we will fund those election commitments through borrowings.
“We’ve been absolutely consistent since we first started making election commitments, and that will be the case going forward.”
Queensland Labor has already committed to $4.77bn worth of election spending, including putting $1.2bn extra into the CopperString 2032 power line project after a cost blowout and $700m for a new Bribie Island Bridge.
There also $450m promised for the Barron River Bridge in Cairns and $548m for seven satellite hospitals.
Making 50 cent fares permanent will also cost $1bn.
Mr Crisafulli has promised lower taxes and debt under the LNP and, while insisting all elections commitments were “fully costed … fully funded”, has not revealed how they would be paid for.
Queensland’s total debt is set to surpass $100bn by 2026/27 according to the latest budget, up from about $51bn in 2023/24.
Originally published as Qld election: Labor throws down gauntlet to LNP with costings for $4.8bn in spending promises
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