vote 1 labor

appears to be creating plenty of extra jobs in Cabinet all those extra staffers needed as well

maybe they need extra police to stop taxpayers fleeing south ( and overseas )

claiming to be no different from other disastrous governments is nothing to be proud of

" Mr Dick said he had expected unemployment to reach 9% during the December quarter, but that could come down following "significant stimulus" announced in the "Federal budget" last month."

So the Federal government will either be paying unemployment benefits to Queens-landers, or, providing jobs through financial stimulus, which the labor government is relying on, after helping to create the problem by keeping the border closed unnecessarily.

amazed they got back in power qld RIP

well the LNP could rename as the ghost party

maybe the informal vote is a better indicator of voter sentiment

i note another election during a 'virus panic ' i hope all those electoral booths weren't at schools

seems this virus goes on vacation on election days ( and BLM marches )

What was the informal vote ?

I think the Conrona virus played a big part which allowed the Premier Palas------k to play the 'looking after Queens-landers' role, which a lot of the half-wits up there would have fallen for, and at the same time, the border closure would have stifled any policies the LNP might have otherwise put forward, they couldn't really argue against the border closure.
The virus and border issue played right into Labors hands who probably had no real campaign to impress with beforehand.

RIP qld ..watch the qld debt clock very sad

https://australiandebtclock.com.au/

Queensland budget reveals total debt will reach almost $130 billion
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Felicity Caldwell
By Felicity Caldwell
December 1, 2020 — 2.01pm
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Queensland's total debt will hit almost $130 billion in three years as the state's finances take a hammering from the coronavirus pandemic.

However, handing down his first full budget, Treasurer Cameron Dick insisted the "no surprises" financial document was all about jobs and recovery.

Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick briefing media at the 2020-21 state budget lock-up.
Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick briefing media at the 2020-21 state budget lock-up.CREDIT:ATTILA CSASZAR

"This is a budget that delivers certainty in a year that has been anything but certain," Mr Dick said, delivering the recently re-elected Palaszczuk government's sixth budget.

"The next four years will be a hard road for Queensland as we recover from COVID-19. There is no point trying to pretend otherwise.

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"But the opening of our borders [to Victoria and Greater Sydney] today and the great pictures we've seen ... we've seen families reunited, I think is a symbol of hope, and a sign of confidence in the plan that has brought our state this far."

Total debt, which includes that of government-owned corporations, was expected to soar to $122.67 billion by 2022-23.

By comparison, that is $31.95 billion higher than expected at last year's budget, back when the word "corona" simply elicited thoughts of beer.

Mr Dick said Queensland could not rule out its credit rating being placed on a negative outlook.

"The rating is very important to us," he said.

"But the priority for us is to create jobs but I think as you've seen from the budget today ... we're doing better than a lot of other jurisdictions in Australia and I think that will hold us in good stead with our rating agencies."

Queensland lost its AAA credit rating in 2009.

There will be increases in spending, which comes amid a massive revenue hole caused by hits to GST, coal royalties, taxes, LNG prices and international tourism.

It will further complicate fiscal repair with a big-spending budget set to be paid for with record borrowing.

At $64.89 billion, expenses are expected to be $506 million higher this financial year than predicted just two months ago and $3.47 billion higher than foreshadowed in last year's budget.

Over the next four years, total revenue was expected to be $12 billion lower than forecast at the Mid-Year Fiscal and Economic Review in December last year.

GST was the largest driver of the fall in revenue, as people in "lock-down" spent mostly on items not subject to GST, while business closures impacted the supply of goods.

But GST could deliver green shoots for the economy as it was expected to be the main driver of revenue growth and grow by 9.3 per cent in 2021-22.

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Cameron Dick Treasurer delivering the Queensland Budget.
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General government sector debt, which includes government departments, was $44.27 billion in 2019-20, about $6 billion higher than predicted last December.

It is expected to double by 2023-24 to $88.62 billion, at which time the annual interest bill alone will be almost $2 billion.

Queensland will then be paying more than $5 million in interest per day to service that debt.

However, Mr Dick said there was never a better time to borrow with interest rates at record lows.

"Expenditure is up and revenue is down," he said.

"In the current environment, that leaves no choice but to borrow.

"Now is not the time to impose new or increased taxes on individuals or small businesses, nor is it time to hit Queenslanders with austerity measures through cuts to jobs or essential services.

"When the private sector is hit with a hammer blow like COVID, government must help it get back on its feet."

Former treasurer Jackie Trad was due to deliver the budget in April, but it was delayed due to the economic fallout from COVID-19.

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Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk at the Downer rail facility in Maryborough during the election campaign.
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Mr Dick - who took control of Queensland's finances in May - delivered a budget update in September before the state government entered caretaker mode for the state election which revealed an expected $234 million surplus for this financial year had been turned into an $8.1 billion deficit.

Tuesday's budget papers show the deficit this year will worsen to $8.63 billion with deficits over the next four years, although it will ease to a $1.39 billion deficit by 2023-24.

The government's "savings and debt plan" will deliver savings of $3 billion over four years.

Almost half of the government's $352 million savings target for this year has already been delivered by reviewing advertising, accommodation, data, structural reform and limiting secondments of frontline workers to back-office roles.

The public service is growing at faster than the state's population, meaning the government will not meet one of its fiscal principles.

There are now 238,604 full time public servants in Queensland and the state's wage bill was expected to come in at $26.47 billion on June 30, about $200 million more than was estimated in September.

The unemployment rate was expected to worsen to 7.5 per cent in 2020-21 before improving to 6.5 per cent in 2022-23.

Opposition leader David Crisafulli will deliver his budget reply speech on Thursday.

Aussies paying the wages of ‘classic public sector ponzi scheme’
01/06/2020|4min
Sky News host Peter Gleeson says in Queensland, under the Palaszczuk government, the public bureaucracy “has become a hotbed of leftist zealotry” which “punishes free-thinking and encourages silos”.

He said while jobs in the private sector continue to be lost throughout the coronavirus pandemic, Labor governments across the country have an “obsession” with public servants.

He said in Queensland, now there are about 250,000 public servants on the payroll, which is “up about 50,000 since 2015 when Labor took power”.

He said while the “public sector blossoms” workers are being protected by “bully boy unions” who fund the campaign of Labor politicians.

He said this is done “in return for more and more employees being put on the public sector payroll, netting them greater union fees”.

"It’s a classic ponzi scheme and we’re the mugs paying their wages”.

qld is a Greece of asia a basket case imo

employed by the state government ???

STOP IT you have me doubled up with laughter just be accurate and call it the biggest sheltered workshop in Australia

not bankrupt .. broke as a badger LOL

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has refused to say whether she used her private email account for government business before she banned the practice in 2018.

During a budget estimates hearing on Monday, Ms Palaszczuk confirmed she had a private email account, stacia1@bigpond.com, but would not say whether it was used for ministerial purposes.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s office would not say whether the Premier had used her stacia1 BigPond account to discuss government business.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s office would not say whether the Premier had used her stacia1 BigPond account to discuss government business.CREDIT:GETTY IMAGES

In 2018, the Premier banned her ministers from using personal email accounts and apps such as Snapchat to discuss official business, following a corruption investigation into Transport Minister Mark Bailey.

Mr Bailey, who was energy minister at the time, was temporarily stood aside over his use of the mangocube6@yahoo.co.uk email account, which he subsequently deleted.

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An email tabled to Queensland Parliament during the estimates hearings on Monday suggests Mr Bailey had emailed the Premier about a hiring decision.

Mr Bailey’s office would not confirm whether the email was authentic and referred questions to the Premier’s office.

Ms Palaszczuk’s office would not say whether the Premier had used her BigPond account to discuss government business.

“Unsurprisingly, the Premier has no recollection of an email from five years ago,” a spokesman said.

Although she had previously denied using her private email account for work, the Premier would not rule it out when questioned by opposition integrity spokeswoman Fiona Simpson on Monday.

Asked if the account had been used for government business, Ms Palaszczuk said “not since the code has been updated [in 2018]”.

“I have said previously that I have had a private email account, I have said that publicly,” she said.

The Premier was also grilled about the overlap of two high-profile lobbyists and her October election campaign.

Cameron Milner is a former state secretary of the Labor Party.
Cameron Milner is a former state secretary of the Labor Party. CREDIT:ANGELA WYLIE

Evan Moorhead and Cameron Milner, both former Queensland ALP state secretaries-turned-lobbyists, worked behind the scenes on the ALP campaign that propelled the Premier into power for a third term.

Evan Moorhead.
Evan Moorhead.

Ms Palaszczuk said neither man was given access to government resources, but Mr Milner was “seated next to a couple of staff members” at the state’s executive building, 1 William Street, during the campaign.

“My understanding is they were not paid by the taxpayers at any stage during the election campaign,” she said.

Last month, The Australian reported the two men were running strategy for the Labor campaign and gave directions to government staff throughout the election period.

Ms Palaszczuk denied either man was “in charge” and said they were not given staff parking spots at 1 William Street.

Dave Stewart, who heads up Ms Palaszczuk’s department, told the hearing his predecessor wrote to Mr Moorhead last year “reminding him very clearly of his obligations and I have done the same”.

“I’m aware that both those gentlemen were on our floor but I’m not aware of how they were accessing the building," he said.

“I can’t see their names or their company names anywhere on the contract disclosure that we make, so they weren’t employed by the Department of Premier and Cabinet in relation to any contracting or consulting services.”

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More public servants earning big bucks despite economic downturn
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Lydia Lynch
By Lydia Lynch
December 7, 2020 — 5.05pm
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An extra 7000 public servants have been promoted to salaries of more than $120,000 in the past year despite the massive economic downturn and crippling unemployment.

Figures reveal about 32,000 Queensland public sector workers were earning more than $120,000 as of September 2020, compared with about 25,000 at the same time last year.

The Palaszczuk government had promised to keep growth in the public service in line with Queensland population growth - until the pandemic arrived.
The Palaszczuk government had promised to keep growth in the public service in line with Queensland population growth - until the pandemic arrived.CREDIT:LYDIA LYNCH/SUPPLIED

The latest Queensland public-sector profile report shows high earners, with salaries more than $120,000, now make up 14 per cent of the public service – up from 11 per cent last year.

Those earning between $120,000 and $180,000 included nursing directors, school principals and senior executives.

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The very top earners, raking in more than $180,000 a year, make up 1.52 per cent of the public sector and are dominated by medical staff.

There are now 234,142 full-time employees in the Queensland public sector.

About 93,800 of those work for Queensland Health, 74,600 in the Education Department and 15,500 in Queensland Police, the report showed.

Women make up more than two-thirds of the state’s public service and 64 per cent of all workers live outside Brisbane.

The Palaszczuk government had promised to keep growth in the public service in line with Queensland population growth, but has abandoned that fiscal principle during the pandemic.

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The Queensland public service wages bill will increase to almost $29 billion by 2023-24.
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Queensland public service wages bill to hit $26 billion
In September, the two-year average growth of the public service was 2.2 per cent, compared with population growth at 1.25 per cent.

The state’s wage bill was tipped to come in at $26.5 billion on June 30 – about $200 million more than estimated in September and $700 million more than predicted in last year’s budget.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk defended the ballooning public service during budget estimates on Monday.

“Since my government has been in office, our first job was to restore the savage cuts undertaken by the Newman government,” she said.

“It did take us a few terms to fix those savage cuts that were made and I make no apologies for that.”

Former LNP premier Campbell Newman’s government sensationally cut 14,000 jobs from the public service during his three-year reign from 2012 to 2015.

The Palaszczuk government has hired more than 35,000 public servants since the 2015 election, but 91 per cent of those are in frontline roles.

During the height of the pandemic, between March and September this year, an extra 1340 public servants were hired, mostly in public hospitals.

The government’s latest budget outlined plans to “strengthen” the frontline by hiring a further 5800 nurses and midwives, 1500 doctors and 475 param