‘Respect for people’s money’: Crisafulli flags LNP budget priorities

The LNP has sharpened its campaign focus on managing the state budget, hitting out at Labor for making election promises that would be funded through borrowings.

David Crisafulli on Monday said an LNP government would reduce state debt by being more careful with expenditure, including a “serious reduction” in ministerial spending on marketing and travel and avoiding cost blowouts with major projects.

As Labor continued to warn of budget cuts and job losses under the LNP, Crisafulli vowed to use fewer consultants from the private sector – instead training public servants to do more.

The LNP expects to reduce debt, criticising the Labor government for borrowing money in “everyday spending” projects. Credit: Catherine Strohfeldt

“You will see a focus on allowing the public service to be able to upskill and provide that level of service, and the change that needs to occur that’s important to us,” he said.

Crisafulli said money would only be borrowed for “generational infrastructure projects,” including the LNP’s plans for a new dam in south-east Queensland – at a location yet to be revealed – and small-scale pumped hydro power plants.

“As we make announcements, you’ll see that they’re fully costed and fully funded,” he said.

“Debt will be lower under the LNP because we will have respect for people’s money.

“I can point to many billions of dollars in cost overruns on every project the government has announced.”

The LNP has seized on Labor’s pledge to provide school lunches through $1.4 billion in borrowings. Traditionally, both parties have sought to avoid going further into debt to pay for operational expenses.

In response, Labor said it was not unreasonable to borrow money to provide more support in a cost-of-living crisis.

“The budget is in an operating deficit this year – $2.6 billion this year and $515 million next financial year,” said Treasurer and Deputy Premier Cameron Dick.

The major parties are expected to release their full policy costings and budget forecasts in the last week of the campaign.

Dick said he did not believe the LNP could fund its election promises without cuts.

“If David Crisafulli does not want to borrow for operational costs, then he must immediately cut $3 billion from the Queensland budget,” he said.

Crisafulli insisted budget management was “no different to how you run your house”.

“You will borrow if you want to put on another bedroom on the house, of course, but you don’t borrow to go and pay for your everyday expenses,” he said.

As to how the LNP would reduce debt, Crisafulli would not be drawn on whether it intended to borrow less in future or pay down existing debt.

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