Budget comments

_{06 June, 2008}

Ms JARRATT (Whitsunday—ALP) (12.33 pm): Given that I struggle to balance my household
budget, I have nothing but admiration for the state Treasurer who deals in billions of dollars, a
community with a voracious appetite for consumption and a tricky two-speed global economy. Indeed, I
place on record my sincere congratulations to the Treasurer, Andrew Fraser, who has demonstrated
nerves of steel in framing such a responsive yet responsible budget in such volatile economic times.

This, his first budget, is a wonderful balancing act that will underpin continued growth in the state while
providing support for those who are feeling the pinch of rising costs and social dislocation. This budget
maintains Queensland’s position as a growth state in which economic performance is forecast to
outstrip the nation for the 13th year in a row. Our jobs growth will remain strong while unemployment is
estimated to fall to a 34-year low, well below the national average. As a regional member, I am only too
aware that continued strong economic growth can be a double-edged sword, with housing affordability,
labour shortages and rising costs coming hand in hand with the benefits of economic growth. That is
why I welcome the balance that this budget has found between funding for infrastructure and funding for
initiatives that enhance the liveability of communities and develop economic resilience.

Sometimes budget day is a bit like Christmas Day where every child expects to receive a shiny
new toy from the infrastructure budget. Invariably, people focus on the things that a budget funds rather
than the underlying fiscal and social policies that will shape individual and collective opportunity. The
infrastructure budget is important, and I am pleased to say that my constituents will receive great benefit
from our share of the record $17 billion in this year’s budget.

In the north of my electorate the Bowen community will benefit from the Treasurer’s
announcement that the Abbot Point coal loading facility is set to double its capacity to 50 megatons per
annum. The $250 million set aside in this budget will ensure that this expansion will be rolled out just as
soon as possible. Budget funding for the northern missing rail link guarantees the future of Abbot Point
as Queensland’s next industrial hot spot, and I was delighted to hear the Deputy Premier this week
endorse the state development area that adjoins Abbot Point as an area that may one day rival
Gladstone in importance as an industrial precinct.

In Mackay, which lies to the south of the Whitsunday electorate, infrastructure funding from this
year’s budget will build roads, rail networks, bridges and the Bluewater Quay project that will continue to
breathe life back into the city’s heart. There is no doubt that the most eagerly awaited project in Mackay
is the new hospital, which will be funded through the sale of the Mackay airport. I thank the Treasurer for
06 Jun 2008 Appropriation Bills; Revenue and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2143
allocating funds in this year’s budget to ensure that planning for this important project is not held up and
will progress further with the airport sale. There was also good funding in the budget for the Proserpine-
Airlie Beach area, including funding to assist the council to undertake a streetscaping project for the
main street area of Shute Harbour Road in Airlie Beach. This area is looking tired and I look forward to
council’s revelations of its plans, which I hope will be developed in consultation with local business
owners and operators as well as Main Roads and the community.

The final issue I want to address is that of funding for tourism. My local tourism body was quick to
criticise the government for what it called a lack of support in the budget. It has been a very difficult year
for tourism operators in the Whitsundays, with floods followed by a devastating night in which we lost 60
boats. We have also been affected, like operators everywhere, by the rising dollar and increasing
pressure on household budgets that make a holiday more unlikely to be a priority for families. The final
blow came last week with the announcement that Jetstar intends to pull flights from its Sydney to
Proserpine and Sydney to Hamilton Island routes.

This government has not reduced its support for tourism. The budget numbers are different to last
year because some of the projects funded under the Queensland Tourism Strategy have concluded and
no longer require funding. I am very proud of the way this government and the minister for tourism have
responded to the needs of the Whitsundays. Earlier this year we worked with Tourism Queensland to
implement campaigns to assist the industry, including a recovery campaign to lure southern states back
to Queensland after rain events and a specific Whitsunday campaign to entice international and
domestic visitors back to the area.

In relation to the ongoing issue of loss of flights to the region, I can inform members that the
Premier last night announced a $4 million rescue package to provide a marketing campaign that aims to
increase demand for flights into places like Cairns and the Whitsundays. There is no magic wand for this
issue, but we should all roll up our sleeves and work together, making our destinations the best in the
world. While this budget was not a Christmas Day budget, it is a ‘steady as she goes’ budget that will
help to keep our economy on track. There are many challenges in a modern economy, but I believe that
Treasurer Fraser can be proud of a sensible budget that keeps the state in surplus and maintains our
track record as the engine room of the nation. I commend the bills to the House.

More Hansard