Queensland Labor Government Election Commitments 2020

The Queensland Labor Government, led by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, has been returned to office with a clear majority.

Over the course of the campaign the Premier and her team released their policy plans for the third term administration over the next four years.

The core of the Government’s agenda is for the economic rebuilding of Queensland through job creation, skills and training development and support for traditional and new industries.

Hawker Britton has monitored and detailed these policies.

The Government will deliver a full State Budget that builds off the September economic statement, incorporates the Government’s election commitments and details the road to recovery.

In line with the Department of Premier and Cabinet handbook, caretaker provisions have now ended. The Premier will make and announce ministerial arrangements over the course of this week.

Creating New Industries

• $21 million over two years to create maritime jobs in a revitalised Queensland coastal shipping industry; taskforce to be established to investigate growth in the industry.
• Additional $10 million to increase the Government’s Hydrogen Industry Development Fund to $25 million.
• $20 million extension to the highly successful Production Attraction Strategy and support the construction of a $5 million television hub on the Gold Coast for national and international productions.
• The Copper String 2.0 project will be supported by the Government.

Manufacturing and Secure Jobs

• $1 billion pipeline of train manufacturing works to be done in regional Queensland, including building twenty new trains.
• Plans to return rail manufacturing to Rockhampton through securing land at disused Aurizon workshops.
• Two new regional manufacturing hubs will be created to invest in manufacturing skills training and provide targeted grants to manufacturing businesses in Central Queensland.
• $600 million investment in the popular Works for Queensland program and the South East Queensland Community Stimulus Package.
• $6.1 million would be invested over the next four years to boost the Labour Hire Licensing Compliance Unit, allowing it to pursue targeted campaigns in a broader range of sectors and locations.

Small business

Building off the Government’s $2.3 billion in tax relief, grants, rebates and loans the government will deliver a $140 million strategy to lift competitiveness and resilience for small business, comprising:

An initial $100 million Business Investment Fund to invest in small to medium sized businesses that have both significant growth potential in Queensland and will utilise funds to create Queensland-based jobs.

• Continuation of the highly successful Mentoring for Growth Program.
• $25 million grants package, focusing on priority industry sectors
• $1 million worth of grants to support businesses ready to grow into international markets
• Develop a Business Ready website to provide easy access to critical information to support businesses to grow.
• The permanent appointment of a Small Business Commissioner who will work with the newly established Office of Productivity and Red Tape Reduction, to continue to deliver small business regulatory reform to assist in their recovery.
• Targeted engagement strategies and a re-invigorated Small Business Advisory Council Establishment of Summertime Taskforce to investigate how businesses can move outdoors

Tourism and Racing

• $74 million to help rebuild Queensland’s tourism industry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, including:
  • $20 million Queensland Tourism Activation Fund.
  • $20 million in events boost to attract more events for Queensland. This investment will include $14 million for major events and $1.5 million a year for business events.
  • $15 million to Tourism and Events Queensland for a marketing blitz to encourage travellers to experience Queensland.
  • $15 million regional tourism organisation fund to provide a special one-off funding injection to regional tourism organisations.
  • $4 million to deliver business capability training and future proofing the industry.

• Supporting Queensland’s Country Racing with a $35.2 million for prize money as well as tracks and facilities.
• $20 Million towards stage 1 of an improved Sunshine Coast Stadium.

Transport Infrastructure

• $23 million upgrading public facilities at the Gold Coast Spit, creating 76 new jobs and delivering the Spit Master Plan.
• $58 million this year in new and improved bike riding and rail trail projects across the state, as part of the annual Transport and Roads Investment Program.
• $1.2 billion road safety program in addition to other major jointly-funded roads initiatives like the $12.6 billion Bruce Highway Upgrade Program and the Building a Better M1 plan.
• $280 million for the Transport Infrastructure Development Scheme.
• Prioritising safety upgrades to take trucks off of the Bruce Highway onto a ‘Second Bruce ‘inland freight route.

Education, Skills and Training

• $1 Billion over four years in boosting school infrastructure to create world class facilities, creating over 3,000 jobs.
• $100 million for TAFE Infrastructure across the State focusing on new infrastructure to provide skills training for new growth industries of cyber security training, robotics, hydrogen and resources, manufacturing, agriculture; and nursing and allied health.
• Free TAFE for students under the age of 25.
• $45 million to upgrade and build industry linked training facilities and trade training centresat 26 schools across Queensland as part of the ‘local schools, local jobs’ initiative.
• $100 million to give every Queensland primary and secondary state school student access to a psychologist or similar health and well-being professional
• Establishment of after-school homework centres at 120 state schools

Great Barrier Reef

• $40 million will be invested to protect the Great Barrier Reef.
  • $10 million Reef Credits initiative to drive on-ground restoration and environmental market development projects
  • $10 million Reef Assist program working with local councils and organisations.
  • $ 6 million Great Barrier Reef Island Arks program to deliver ecotourism and acquire new protected areas.
  • $3.9 million to develop ‘sailing trails’ around Townsville and the Whitsundays; and
  • $10.1 million for upgrades to National Parks and World Heritage Areas.

Agriculture

• $5.4 million to safeguard the industry with wild dog fencing and protection from disease.
• 15 per cent cut in irrigation water charges for the 6,400 farmers who buy water fromQueensland’s 35 state-owned irrigation schemes. This includes broad-scale crops likesugarcane. 
• 50 per cent cut in water expenses for fruit and vegetable growers, recognising the number ofharvesting and picking jobs this could create.

Frontline Services

• $35.38 million investment for replacement vessels and the establishment of an integrated marine rescue service.
• $86 million to employ an extra 357 firefighters over five years.
• Employing 9, 475 new frontline health staff over the next four years.
• More than 6,100 new teachers and 1,100 new teacher aides will be employed under a re-elected Palaszczuk Labor Government
• $30 million in additional funding to Surf Life Saving Queensland.
• $160 million investment in new and expanded hospitals to cater for the health needs of agrowing Gold Coast with a new hospital and health precinct for the northern Gold Coastregion in Coomera.
• Seven new ‘satellite hospitals’ were announced for the Redlands, Brisbane Southside (near QEIIHospital), Pine Rivers (Petrie / Strathpine area), Gold Coast, Ipswich, Caboolture and Bribie Island.

Social Policy

• Labor will introduce legislation for voluntary assisted dying in February 2021, providing a conscious vote for its members on the bill
• A re-elected Palaszczuk Government will invest $171 million in palliative care, including:
  • A new Palliative and End-of-Life Care Strategy
  • $102.5 million to employ more front-line palliative care staff to look after Queenslanders
  • $54.8 million for community-based service providers to deliver home-based hospice care for adults and children and after-hours services
  • Enhancing palliative care digital services and telehealth support for patient and for staff
  • A 24/7 hotline to provide support to palliative care practitioners
  • Additional palliative care public education and advocacy

Veterans Funding

• Up to $4 million in capital works grants and to fund commemorative events and memorials for ex-services organisations, councils and other groups helping veterans.
• $1.8 million for a specialist service to support homeless veterans.
• $1.1 million training package to help veterans into civilian employment.
• $1 million for the Anzac Day Trust Fund to financially support veterans affected by COVID-19.
• $1 million for the Oasis wellbeing centre in Townsville; $600,000 for legal assistance; and$500,000 for health and wellbeing research.