Summary Queensland State Budget 2021-22

The State Budget was handed down yesterday on 15 June 2021 by the Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick MP.

It is a big spending budget focused on infrastructure, jobs, health, housing and education and the post-COVID economic recovery and funding the government’s election commitments. The major boost to social housing, domestic violence, funding for disability including for disability peaks and advocacy services, people with disability not eligible for the NDIS, transport and disaster preparedness, response and recovery are welcomed. Queenslanders with Disability Network (QDN) looks forward to working with the Queensland Government to ensure these initiatives and investment will lead to a more inclusive and accessible Queensland.

QDN welcomes the new allocation of $1.9 billion funding over four years to social housing and new funding for $20 million domestic violence accommodation. The budget accelerates the Queensland housing strategy to fund enhanced social housing and associated support programs over the next four years.

QDN acknowledges the range of investment focused on infrastructure in this budget, and members know it is important that housing, hospitals, transport and schools are designed and built to meet the needs of people with disability. People with disability need to be included in the beginning planning, design delivery and evaluation stages. Co-design leads to better services and outcomes and QDN looks forward to working with the Government around design and implementation of these important initiatives.

QDN welcomes the continued funding over two years for disability advocacy services to ensure people with disability can access essential services and support and uphold their rights as equal citizens.

You can have a look at the full budget here: budget.qld.gov.au

SUMMARY BY PORTFOLIO

Disability

Disability Services

$22.7 million to support disability services including peak bodies and advocacy services including:

$3.6 million to support peak and representative groups
$8.1 million over 2 years to continue Queensland disability advocacy services
$6.6 million over two years to support positive behavioural support for Queenslanders with disability
$7.3 million & $1.8 million for former disability services clients who are ineligible for NDIS
$5.1 million over 4 years & $1.4 million ongoing to advance disability services functions

Older Persons

$4.8 million over 4 years and $1.2 million ongoing for seniors legal and support services, financial advice and a scams and fraud protection Hotline

Housing

Social Housing and Homelessness Action Plan

$1.9 billion over four years in social and affordable housing and associated support programs.

Housing Investment Fund

$1 billion will be allocated to establishing a new housing investment fund to boost housing supply.

Safe Housing

$20 million over four years to expand domestic violence crisis housing.

Health

$22 billion has been allocated to health across the state, including:

$2 billion Hospital Building Fund including at Toowoomba Day Surgery and Mater Public Hospital.
$648.7 million towards emergency patient flow and elective surgery wait times.
$233.6 for capital works projects including replacing health technologies
$177 million for care of public patients at the expanded Springfield Hospital
$43 million for Gold Coast University Hospital and Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit
Delivering election commitments to satellite hospitals at Bribie Island, Caboolture, Brisbane South, Pine Rivers, Gold Coast, Ipswich and Redlands

Education

$16.8 billion over 4 years on:

$1.4 billion new schools in 2023, 2024 including 10 New state schools in high growth areas
$1 billion for continuation of the Great Schools Great Future infrastructure program
$53.9 for air-conditioning under the $477 million Cooler Cleaner Schools Program
$17.3 million to link industry with high schools (School to work transition)
Boost

Employment & Training

$3.34 billion job creation, including:

$1.84 million Queensland Jobs Fund
$1.5 million Queensland Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Jobs Fund
$350 million Industry Partnership Program to support business, industry and research
$320 million Skilling for Work Program
$140 million Back to Work Program
$47.8 million TAFE Future Program

Transport

$14.7 billion allocated for infrastructure in 2021-22 out of $52.2 billion Capital Works Program will support 46,500 jobs from infrastructure projects and 29,800 jobs from regional program, includes:

$1.5 billion Cross River Rail continuation
$148 million Regional Council Projects
$74 million Cairns Convention Centre
$70 million Building Regional Roads

Women

$320 million over 4 years Skilling Queenslanders for Work Program
$800,000 over 3 years for Working Women’s Queensland
$670,000 for legal services
$60 million for breast cancer screening services
$7.7 million for perinatal and infant health services

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships

$300 to establish Path to Treaty Fund to support treaty advancement
$89.6 million upgrade to social housing
$40.8 million to deliver 47 new social housing dwellings
$6.7 million Native Titles Compensation Office

Disaster Management

$10.8 million over 4 years has been allocated to implement priority actions in response to the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements in Queensland.

Arts

$71 million will be invested in screen projects
$61.7 million Queensland Cultural Centre and Infrastructure Investment Fund and Queensland Museum
$7 million live music support in 2021-22
$6 million invested in major movies