QUEENSLAND BUDGET 2026-27
This year’s Budget strengthens the foundation for a fresh start, in the face of significant international and national pressures.
This Budget delivers for Queenslanders and it focuses on three key areas:
1)MAKING QUEENSLAND SAFER
This Budget is strengthening the foundation for safety where you live with stronger laws, more police, new early intervention and rehabilitation, better resourced courts, more domestic and family violence prevention, child protection and child safety reform, and more support for victims of crime.
Our plan to make Queensland safer is already starting to deliver positive early signs. Victim numbers are down 7.2% in the first year of Adult Crime, Adult Time, compared with the previous year.
- $80M Circuit Breaker Sentencing – our new court-ordered remote rehabilitation-focused detention for youth offenders
- $7.2B Making Queensland Safer – By recruiting even more frontline police and continuing the rollout of the resources they need, including load bearing vests, body worn cameras and portable radios.
- $250M Keeping Our Kids Safe – implementing the In Plain Sight recommendations, with a new Queensland Protection Commission to identify offenders and keep our kids safe in childcare, in school and in the community
2)BUILDING QUEENSLAND’S FUTURE
This Budget is strengthening the foundation for infrastructure for our future with new and upgraded hospitals, new schools and TAFE Centres of Excellence, the Energy Roadmap, more homes and generational road and rail. The Housing Crisis left Queenslanders struggling to keep a roof over their head and put home ownership out of reach for many.
- $2B Residential Activation Fund – The fund boosts construction of essential housing infrastructure like water connections, lighting, stormwater and roads so we can build more houses.
- $5.7B Social and Community Housing – Right now work is underway on a record 6,500 social and affordable homes across Queensland
- New Schools – Our investment includes delivering 22 new schools, 9 of which are special schools across the State which will provide better education outcomes and more choice for parents.
- Bruce Highway – We’re getting on with the job of fixing the Bruce Highway, with work underway on projects from Cairns to Gympie.R
3) BETTER SERVICES THROUGH A STRONGER ECONOMY
This Budget is strengthening the foundation for relief you can rely on, health services when you need them, a plan to restore sovereign capability, and a boost to ecotourism.
For too long Queensland’s economy was crippled by fiscal mismanagement and lack of respect for Queenslanders’ money with budget blowouts and blackholes under the former Government. An uncertain tax and regulatory environment saw investment flee the State and Queenslanders struggle under the weight of broken promises of new and increased taxes. Service delivery deteriorated, and youth crime, health, housing and cost of living crises were impacting Queenslanders’ daily lives.
This Budget delivers the largest four-year cost of living relief package in Queensland’s history
- $8.8M Healthy Kindy Kids – providing free vision, hearing and speech development checks so our kids have the best chance at being ready for school.
- Hospital Rescue Plan – with 3 new hospitals, 10 expansions, more beds and extra health workers
- Energy Roadmap – The Australian Energy Regulator has confirmed energy costs on the Default Market Offer will fall between 7.2% and 10% for households, and between 10.4% and 14% for small businesses next financial year. We’re demanding retailers pass on these savings to Queenslanders.
- $150 Back To School Boost – Our expanded $150 Back to School Boost can go towards essential items including books, stationery, uniforms and excursions.
- $200 Play On! Sports Vouchers – Every child aged 5-17 is eligible for a $200 Play On! Sport Voucher that can be used on summer or winter sports.
- Permanent 50c Fares locked-in law – We’re locking-in law Permanent 50 Cent Fares because we know Queenslanders rely on them.
- $50M Growing Our Ag Industry – Through the Sowing the Seeds of Farming Innovation Fund farmers will have access to cutting edge innovation and technology helping to boost Queensland’s primary production output to $30 billion by 2030.
- $146M To Unlock Critical Minerals – Former mine sites with high-value critical minerals will be re-commercialised to extract critical minerals from abandoned mining tailings, as part of unlocking the emerging sector.
- $19M Fuel Security Plan – We’re fast-tracking the Taroom Trough and backing new refining and storage capability right here on Queensland soil
- $330M Reef Conservation – The Great Barrier Reef is one of Queensland’s greatest natural assets, injecting $9 billion each year to our economy and supporting local jobs.
To learn more about what this Budget delivers for you, visit https://budget.qld.gov.au
As always, if you have any State issues you would like to discuss with me, don’t hesitate to contact my office.
Address: 1/2434 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach, 4218, QLD
Phone: 07 5600 0100
Email: mermaid.beach@parliament.qld.gov.au
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Cheers Ray
