$3.7 billion committed to cost-of-living relief in state budget

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The Queensland treasurer Cameron Dick has handed down his fifth state budget which features billions of dollars in measures to tackle the cost-of-living crisis.

Transcript

00:00 This is Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick's fifth budget and the final one before voters

00:06 head to the polls.

00:07 It's a big spending budget with the Labor State Government unapologetic about putting

00:11 next financial year's budget into deficit to help households with the cost of living.

00:16 There'll be $3 billion in new and expanded measures including the already announced six

00:20 month trial of 50 cent public transport fares, a cut to car registration for 12 months, an

00:26 increase to the stamp duty threshold for first home buys and a freeze on state collected

00:30 fees and charges like driver's licenses.

00:33 There's also billions allocated for housing, health, infrastructure and education.

00:37 Total government debt is also climbing.

00:40 The budget papers show it's expected to reach $170 billion in four years, which would also

00:45 mean billions of dollars in interest repayments.

00:47 Today the government has announced a new task force will be set up to try and find savings

00:52 across four years, targeting government spending in areas like advertising, consultants and

00:57 travel expenditure.

00:58 With the election four and a half months away, Cameron Dick says this budget makes clear

01:02 the values and plans the third term Labor government will be putting forward, claiming

01:07 this election is a fight about the future of Queensland and that it's not a referendum

01:12 on the last nine years, he says.

01:14 Our government has made the choice to reduce that cost of living pressure on Queensland

01:19 families.

01:20 We have chosen to deliver nation leading cost of living relief that will give all Queenslanders

01:26 more choice.

01:27 The LNP will deliver its budget reply speech later this week.

01:31 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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