Queensland Budget 2023 Key Points 

On Tuesday 13 June, Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick MP handed down the State Budget for 2023 with a range of key elements affecting people with disability. Key points include: 

Cost of living package  

  • $550 Cost of Living Rebate on electricity bills to all Queensland households from 1 July 2023
  • $700 Cost of Living Rebate on electricity bills for vulnerable households, in addition to the existing $372 under the Queensland Electricity Rebate Scheme, bringing total rebates for this group to $1,072, from 1 July 2023 

Rebates are available to people who have any of the below:

  • Services Australia or Department of Veterans' Affairs Pensioner Concession Card 
  • Services Australia Health Care Card* (Electricity Rebate only). Includes holders of a Low Income Health Care Card and Ex-Carer Allowance (Child) Health Care Card 
  • Queensland Seniors Card 
  • Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card (and receive the War Widow/er Pension or special rate TPI Pension) 
  • Asylum seeker status—residents will need to provide their ImmiCard details (Electricity Rebate only). 

Go to https://www.qld.gov.au/community/cost-of-living-support/concessions/energy-concessions/electricity-gas-rebates#eligibility for more information on eligibility and how to apply. You might be able to apply over the phone to your energy retailer or ask them to send you an application form. 

  • 15 hours per week of free kindy for all 4-year-olds from July 2024
  •  Up to $150 for eligible children aged 0 to 4 years for learn-to-swim activities
  •  $2.7 million over 2 years to extend and expand school breakfast programs in areas experiencing hardship across Queensland
  •  $315,000 to provide grant funding to Foodbank to deliver critical food relief.
  • $70.3 million over 4 years to increase assistance to regional patients through the Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme 

All new concessions and cost of living measures announced in the budget can be seen at a glance here https://budget.qld.gov.au/files/Budget_2023-24_BP2_Appendix_A_Concessions_statement.pdf  

See all current and new rebates and check your eligibility at https://www.queenslandsavers.qld.gov.au/all-savings/medical-disability  

Housing 

  • $2 million for the Helena’s House project, to support the safe transition of young people with a disability from the family home to a living solution of their choice.
  • $1.1 billion in increased funding for social housing, to start building 5,600 social and affordable homes by 30 June 2027
  • Over $250 million for housing and homeless support services, including outcomes from the Queensland Housing Roundtables and Queensland Housing Summit. Includes:
  • $54 million for the Immediate Housing Response package to help Queenslanders living in insecure and unsafe situations and help people maintain tenancies. This includes $5 million from the Housing Summit Outcomes
  • $7.8 million to reintegrate women and girls into the community, as part of the recommendations of the Queensland Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce in Hear her voice – Report Two.
  • Rental reform – rent increases to be limited to one per year from 1 July 2023 

Health  

  • $2.9 billion additional funding for Queensland’s health budget, including: 
  • $10.8 million in 2023–24 for 40 new ambulance vehicles 
  • Opening all 7 Satellite Hospitals at Caboolture, Kallangur, Ripley, Eight Mile 
  • Plains, Tugun, Bribie Island and Redlands in 2023–24 
  • Completion of major expansions at Caboolture and Logan Hospitals 
  • $150 million for a new mental health facility as part of the staged 
  • expansion of Redland Hospital.