ESTIMATES HEARINGS 2025 SUMMARY – AUGUST 2025

The Estimates process is a crucial one, providing opportunity to find out how public funds are being spent or not spent, whether what communities had sought was being delivered or not, and ultimately, ensure what is passes the ‘pub test’.

Sandy has been a longstanding advocate for reforming the committee and estimates process to address ongoing failings to achieve greater transparency, efficiency, and accountability. This would go a long way to restoring public trust and confidence in how government manages your hard-earned money by way of taxes.

As mentioned in our April 2025 Noosa 360 update, in response to our Question on Notice earlier this year, the Premier confirmed work had commenced on a reform process for estimates. However as at the time of writing, the only changes appear to be the ability to remove disruptive committee members from hearings and the installation of two ‘independent’ chairs to moderate the committees. Government’s definition of independence must differ from everyone else’s, as the chairs are both government MPs and, with no disrespect to the Speaker and Deputy Speaker who from our experience during the hearings are doing a good job, this was not the independence sought over the years.

Furthermore, welcomed changes by the previous government to the estimates process actioned last year and mentioned in our 2024 summary, have been reversed. These included giving both the opposition and crossbench members Questions on Notice, and more time for crucial questions in the hearings, via trimming the time allocated to government members and their ‘Dorothy Dixers’. This reversal has resulted in a significant loss of vital time for non-government members, and a return in those hours of predictable questions that promote government rather than scrutinising it.

This is not the major ‘overhaul’ the government advocated for while in opposition, and it is disappointing how political parties shift their positions once they are in power, which understandably increases the mistrust that continues to grow in the system and representatives at all levels.

In addition, unfortunately there was nothing found in the budget so far regarding the needed ‘trust builders’ such as further electoral reform, the review of pandemic responses as part of disaster management, and public service capabilities.

This year as part of our annual process, questions were sent to the relevant Ministers and Committees or asked at the public hearings, over a broad range of budgetary inquiries relevant to the Noosa electorate. From policing, victim assistance and courts to the environment, regional plans, business support, tourism, short term accommodation regulation and more.

The following is not a short read so you may need to use the ‘Control F’ search function on computers to skip to the topics you are interested in!

To view Sandy’s 2025 – 26 Budget Summary including her reply speech, please visit www.sandybolton.com/budget-2025-26-summary.

Written and video transcripts for the 2024 Estimate Committee hearings is available at www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Work-of-Committees/Estimates-Hearings.

If Noosa electorate residents have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our office via noosa@parliament.qld.gov.au or on 5319 3100.

SANDY’S QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BEFORE AND DURING ESTIMATE HEARINGS 2025

Please note that they are grouped together by issue and are in the order that the answer was obtained. Below each issue heading, you will see a question by Sandy followed by the answer indented and in italics. For responses that did not answer the question, follow up correspondence has been, or will be sent.

Land valuations

Q. With $207 million budget for land administration (SDS, p. 6), will the Minister, for fairness in taxation, commit to ensuring that appeals on land valuations are undertaken by a body independent of the State Valuation Service?

When performing their statutory duties, the Valuer-General must exercise independent judgement and is not subject to direction from anyone else, as stated in Section 211 of the Land Valuation Act 2010.

The Valuer-General (VG) sits within the Office of the Valuer-General, independent from the State Valuation Service (SVS) within the department.

SVS supports the VG in their statutory obligations, including actioning objections received.

Following consultation with stakeholders and outcomes of court decisions, the SVS has established an independent appeals team to create a separation of duties and support natural justice in the review process. This has seen improved consistency in approach, methodologies, best practice, and efficiencies in streamlining the appeals processes.

To maintain the separation of duties (impartiality) the appeal team has no part in the making of the issued statutory valuations and only become involved in the objection and Land Court appeal process undertaking reviews and expert witness work.

The rules governing impartiality and expert witness requirements is outlined in the Universal Civil Procedure Rules 1999 and Expert Evidence in the Land Court – Practice Direction 6 of 2020 outlines the obligations of expert witnesses to the Land Court.

All property professionals undertaking valuation work in Queensland must be registered with the Valuation Registration Board of Queensland (the Board).

The Board also has rules around impartiality that binds all valuation professionals in Queensland.

Electric batteries and manufacturing

Q. Given the budget commitment to ‘drive advanced manufacturing and jobs growth across Queensland’ (SDS, p. 1) will the Government provide grants or other incentives to encourage manufacturers to produce in Queenland EV batteries and components, for energy systems and electric vehicles?

For information regarding the Queensland Battery Industry Strategy, please contact the Ministerial Office of the Deputy Premier Hon Jarrod Bleijie MP, as this strategy primarily falls under his portfolio responsibilities. You can contact his office through the email deputy.premier@parliament.qld.gov.au.

Advanced Manufacturing Hub for Sunshine Beach Hight School

Q. With the budget committing $79 million over 3 years to support the Transforming Queensland Manufacturing program (SDS, p. 2), will the Minister for Resources provide partner funding to the Department of Education for the construction of the Advanced Manufacturing Hub facility at Sunshine Beach State High School as a crucial contributor to expansion of manufacturing skills in the State?

We recently announced the opening of a new Manufacturing Hub in Toowoomba and that planning is underway for a Hub on the Sunshine Coast. These Hubs are in addition to the six existing Manufacturing Hubs in Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton, Gladstone, and Gold Coast.

In the 2025 Budget, the Queensland Government has allocated $79.1 million over three years to the Transforming Queensland Manufacturing grant program to assist manufacturers to increase their international competitiveness, productivity and innovation via the adoption of new technologies, and to generate high-skilled jobs for the future. The new Transforming Queensland Manufacturing program replaces the existing Made in Queensland program.

NRMMRRD delivers events on leading-edge approaches to manufacturing such as Lean Manufacturing and Technology in Manufacturing. In 2024–25, 274 workshops and events were delivered to over 21,000 attendees across Queensland. This included 101 events with students and teachers designed to promote manufacturing as a career option. Attendee surveys record a satisfaction rate of over 89 per cent, demonstrating their continued value and benefit to Queensland manufacturers.

Q. Given the budget allocates nearly $0.5 billion in the capital program to deliver world class learning environments for students (SDS, p. 8), can the Minister for Education provide details on the construction of the advanced manufacturing hub as part of the Sunshine Beach State High School Master Plan, including timelines for commencement?

Minister for Education: As you are aware, in 2022 a concept master plan proposed upgrading the Industrial Technology and Design facilities at Sunshine Beach State High School. The schematic design for the proposed Advanced Manufacturing Centre is anticipated to occur during Term 3, 2025.

The Department of Education manages its infrastructure investment portfolio to ensure that projects are prioritised, and funding is allocated accordingly on a regional and statewide basis. In a high growth state like Queensland, the highest priority must be afforded to building additional classrooms in existing schools.

At this stage, funding has not been allocated for the construction of the project. It is important to note that planning works undertaken by the department do not guarantee that a project will proceed to construction. The construction of this project, along with all other infrastructure project nominations submitted to the department, will be rigorously assessed and be prioritised against other proposed investments across the State.

Biosecurity, primary industries and agriculture

Q. With the SDS identifying an objective for Queensland Biosecurity Services to ensure agricultural chemical use is in line with community expectations, and funding of $350 million (SDS p. 5,9) can the Minister provide details on what budget allocation is available to address chemical trespass issues being experienced in Queenland?

Minister for Primary Industries: The management of agricultural chemicals in Queensland is part of a national system involving both State and Federal regulatory agencies, with various departments contributing to a comprehensive approach. Key State Government bodies, such as WorkSafe Queensland and the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI), oversee the impacts of chemical misuse or spray drift. Biosecurity Queensland, within the Department of Primary Industries (DPI), directly regulates the use of agricultural chemicals, supported by an indicative budget of approximately $1.59 million (based on 2024-25 data) for agriculture and veterinary chemical management, along with significant in-kind support within Biosecurity Queensland. Operating with a flexible approach, Biosecurity Queensland allocates resources across different areas to meet community needs. Furthermore, as part of the Crisafulli Government’s election commitments, $60.9 million over five years and $19.2 million ongoing funding will enable the recruitment of 100 additional biosecurity officers, enhancing biosecurity operational capacity.

Q. With the budget providing $30 million for the Sowing the Seeds of Farming Innovation Fund (SDS, p. 1), can the Minister provide details on what grants and other support to primary producers will be available for farm gate produce, artisanal products and other agricultural production as part of an overall agri-tourism promotion strategy?

Minister for Primary Industries: Under the Queensland Government’s Destination 2045 strategy, actions are being taken to enhance visitor experiences through the development of agritourism and Queensland’s broader visitor economy. Initiatives such as farm stays and on-farm experiences aim to improve profitability for producers while showcasing Queensland’s diverse offerings to both local and international visitors.

These efforts align with the Government’s goal of achieving $30 billion of primary production output by 2030.

Budget allocations through DETSI and Tourism and Events Queensland will support infrastructure, events, and experience development, building capability to double visitor expenditure and deliver lasting benefits to Queensland communities.

Q. As above, can the Minster report on funding that may be provided to farmers to address cost/access issues to mobile abattoirs in order to support local farm produce, farm to gate, artisanal food production, and agri-tourism meat processing in Queensland?

Minister for Primary Industries: While the Queensland Government does not provide specific funding for mobile abattoirs or meat processing, a range of grants and support services are available across Government and industry that may be relevant. DPI’s Rural Economic Development team offers facilitation support to agribusinesses and investors, helping them identify suitable grants and navigate government processes to establish and grow agribusinesses in Queensland.

Q. With the budget of $250 million to provide ‘primary industry prosperity’ (SDS, p. 9), can the Minister provide what changes the government is undertaking to reduce agricultural waste, including fruit and vegetables, such as produce discarded due to not meeting retailer specific requirements, etc?

Minister for Primary Industries: The Enabling Primary Industries Prosperity Budget for 2025-26 is $275.85 million.

Addressing food waste on farms requires tackling a complex set of market and systemic challenges that limit producers’ ability to align production with market demand. Reducing this waste involves improved market coordination, data sharing, and supply chain reforms.

To this end, DPI is investing approximately $4.32 million until 2028 in End Food Waste Australia, one of the world’s largest food-waste research and development initiatives. This program focuses on transforming how industries and consumers view and manage food waste. Key projects delivered by DPI under this initiative include:

• controlling over catch in oyster production, targeting a potential lost value of more than $20 million annually
• monitoring and improving the banana supply chain to reduce downgraded consignments, currently valued at an estimated $1.75 million
• investing in regional waste transformation capacity to convert snack tomatoes into high-value food products, with an estimated market value of $33 million
• reducing food waste in strawberries by exploring the transformation of lower grade produce into new marketable products
• transforming rescued food into shelf-stable meals, potentially saving 150,000 kilograms of food annually.

Housing and homelessness support

Q. Minister for Housing, regarding your commitment to social and affordable housing, has forecasting been undertaken on the expected increase of eligibility once the income thresholds are updated to reflect 20 years of inflation, wage increases and housing costs? (Asked during Housing and Public Works Estimates Hearing)

Minister for Housing: We ran through in detail earlier the work commissioned by the former minister and the approach that the new government is taking to eligibility thresholds and the priority we have on increasing our build program so we can get that waitlist under control and moving in the right direction. I do not have any particular information. I can endeavour to get back to you by the end of the session. I am happy to refer to the director-general if he has anything further to add to that particular query.

Housing and Public Works Director General: I just wanted to repeat a comment I made earlier about the eligibility. The incoming income limit is one test. There are many financial and non-financial considerations such as assets, trusts and exceptional circumstances such as long-term unemployment, whether they are able to work or whether there are medical or disability issues. All of those exceptional circumstances are considered as part of the comprehensive eligibility assessment. There are many cases where people who may not have met one criteria, such as the income limit, have been accepted as eligible onto the register. To give you an example: in the first nine months of the last financial year we added 378 ineligible households to the register due to the fact that they had other exceptional circumstances. The income limit is only one of the factors.

Minister for Housing: Just to add a little bit more to that, they were generally women experiencing domestic and family violence and there were a couple of pensioners who were together. They were included in the 300-odd cases that the director-general mentioned there.

Q. Given the policy constraints around downsizing and also the outdated income thresholds, can the minister advise whether more government housing will be transferred to community housing providers so that Queenslanders can access up to that $5,000 per annum as part of the assistance? (Asked during Housing and Public Works Estimates Hearing)

Minister for Housing: We want to see community housing increase in this state. I am not happy with the level that it is at. It is sitting at around 16 per cent of our total stock. It is directly related to the fact that we are experiencing the crisis that we are experiencing. The data that we have seen in the Productivity Commission’s interim report, which was released today, shows that we would have had 77,000 more homes had the policy settings not been put in place by the former government.

I do want to see community housing grow. We are very much driving our entire build program in that direction. We are working through our master agreement with those providers. That is a significant piece of work, but it is well and truly underway. We are making some good progress with the providers who are trialling it and are the first to move on it. Those discussions will be part of it. We want to see what options we have to increase community housing, and everything is on the table. The build program is the central part of it. As part of those agreements with those providers going forward, we absolutely would be open to that and open to ideas to grow their portfolios because they are an enormous part of the solution.

We want to gear our whole system towards supporting them. That is what the pipeline I was running through earlier was all about. It is about making sure that they can bring ideas to us all the time. We want to always have that open so that we do not have particular rounds that are open for particular times with set parameters. They will be able to come to us with an idea and we will run through it with them and hopefully make as many of those projects as possible a reality. Absolutely, that will involve our existing stock as well.

That absolutely will be on the table. In fact, the 1,005 homes that we announced after our successful bid in the second round of the Housing Australia Future Fund will be managed by community housing. We had the first three in a position to get those projects underway immediately. They are the ones that we will be delivering, but they will be managed by community housing. We were successful at getting 1,005 homes from round 2 of the Housing Australia Future Fund, which was double what the former government achieved through round 1. We very much look forward to working with the Commonwealth constructively going forward.

Q. With $0.5 billion a year invested in the community and social housing pipeline (SDS, p. 2) can the Minister provide what financial incentives and/or penalties are provided to individuals to downsize from family sized social housing, and what is the estimated number of family homes that could be made available through this downsizing across the Queensland Department of Housing portfolio?

Minister for Housing: In June 2025, I announced a strengthened tenancy management approach for public housing in Queensland. From 1 July 2025, the Department of Housing and Public Works implemented progressive annual rent reviews and structured tenancy reviews to ensure our tenants pay the correct rent, remain eligible for social housing assistance and that their home meets their current needs.

This approach realigns the focus of the department to prioritise long-term stable accommodation and ensure people in the greatest need have access to social housing.

Underoccupancy is an ongoing challenge nationally across the social housing sector. Other jurisdictions experience similar challenges to Queensland in addressing underoccupancy. Low supply of available alternative housing and increased housing demand generally remain the greatest barriers to addressing underoccupancy. The availability of properties to meet the specific needs of tenants (such as ground level or in a particular location) pose additional challenges to the timely relocation of tenants.

Effectively managing underoccupancy within public housing enables the Queensland Government to achieve the best use of its existing homes and increase the department’s capacity to deliver safe and affordable housing to as many individuals and families in need as possible. Underoccupancy is managed through a choice-based approach, acknowledging the potential impacts on under-occupying tenants downsizing to a home that meets their current needs and entitlements. Tenants are not forced to downsize to another home and there are no penalties if they choose not to. The tenant’s agreement to downsize is paramount in the application of this policy.

Where tenants agree to relocate, the department places them on a transfer list to be considered for any vacancies that may arise for a property in their chosen location/s and within their bedroom entitlements. Incentives and support are available including financial assistance with moving costs (removalists); help to reconnect utilities and/or essential services; mail redirection; time limited storage of excess household items; and/or up to four rent free weeks. This approach ensures that tenants will not incur significant out-of-pocket expenses and helps them to adjust to new living arrangements.

As at 30 June 2025, there were 8,186 dwellings reported as underoccupied. This represents approximately 14.6 per cent of the portfolio.

Q. Given the commitment in the budget of total program funding of $380 million over 5 years to deliver crisis accommodation initiatives and support the delivery of frontline housing and homelessness services (SDS, p. 2), can the Minister identify what funding will be made available to increase the amount of crisis accommodation as well 24/7 homeless support services available in the Noosa Electorate?

Minister for Housing: As at 1 July 2025, the department has committed $2,880,583 (GST exclusive) in Homelessness Program funding in 2025-26 to deliver Specialist Homelessness Services in the Noosa Local Government Area (LGA), including:

• $630,796 (GST exclusive) for delivery of an enhanced outreach service model including after-hours outreach services for people who are experiencing homelessness
• $1,661,279 (GST exclusive) to extend the Immediate Housing Response, including assistance to access emergency accommodation.

As at 30 June 2025, the department has also committed $724,379 (GST exclusive) in Crisis Accommodation Program Funding in 2025-26 to two organisations to head lease 21 properties from the private market to support the delivery of crisis accommodation across multiple LGAs, including Noosa. The department will shortly finalise new funding arrangements under the Crisis Accommodation Program that will see this funding continue until 30 June 2027.

Sunshine Coast Waterway Authority

Q. Minister for Transport and Main Roads, my question is regarding the proposed Sunshine Coast waterways authority and the response to question on notice No. 840 that timeframes and stakeholder consultation will be considered during establishment. Can the minister clarify why Noosa is being considered for inclusion, given there has not been a community need or requests for consultation? (Asked during Transport and Main Roads Estimates Hearings)

Minister for Transport and Main Roads: I thank the member for Noosa for the constructive approach that she has always taken in dealing with me both in opposition and in government. I acknowledge the member’s ongoing work with Maritime Safety Queensland to address some of the challenges in and around the Noosa waterways. We made a very clear commitment before the last election to deliver a Sunshine Coast waterways authority to not just tackle some of the challenges in Noosa but also tackle some of the challenges that exist elsewhere on the Sunshine Coast in places like the Pumicestone Passage, the Mooloolah River and the Maroochy River. It is very clear that the community wanted to see different outcomes and better outcomes in these areas.

This budget allocates $35.61 million to the Sunshine Coast waterways authority over the next three years. This was a commitment we made. We were very clear and transparent with Queenslanders prior to the last state election. This year we have allocated $11.58 million to establish the Sunshine Coast waterways authority. We are working closely with Maritime Safety Queensland and the Gold Coast Waterways Authority, examining options for the roles and the responsibilities of the new Sunshine Coast waterways authority. The intent of that authority is to ensure we are better listening to the needs and concerns of community. We want the community to feel like they have a voice in the process of establishing the Sunshine Coast waterways authority and to have input into creating a management plan for the waterways that best reflects the unique needs and requirements of the Sunshine Coast. I hope that answers the member’s question.

Q. Can you provide assurances that any proposed waterways authority will not override the determinations of local governments and communities in relation to their waterways and foreshores, nor use MSQ operational funds and resources? (Asked during Transport and Main Roads Estimates Hearings?

Minister for Transport and Main Roads: I have just spoken about the budget allocation in relation to the creation of the Sunshine Coast waterways authority. I will not go over that again. These are additional funds. These are not funds that have been repurposed from Maritime Safety Queensland or anywhere else. This is a commitment to establish a new Sunshine Coast waterways authority.

In relation to the first part of the member’s question, as I said the intent of our commitment to establish a Sunshine Coast waterways authority is to better listen to the needs of communities. I would note that in the existing Gold Coast Waterways Authority framework the local government has a seat at the table. I am confident that local government and local communities will be well represented in the design of the Sunshine Coast waterways authority. Our intent is for them to have a better voice at the table to ensure the outcomes that are delivered for the member for Noosa’s community and my community on the Sunshine Coast better reflect the diverse and unique needs of our communities. That is our intent for the establishment of the Sunshine Coast waterways authority.

Maritime Safety Queensland do tremendous work in ensuring our waterways are safe and well managed. I know the member for Noosa has a good working relationship with Maritime Safety Queensland, and we want to ensure that deepens over time. We want to keep our waterways safe, but we also want to manage the entirety of the Sunshine Coast waterway in a way that reflects community expectation.

Tewantin Bypass

Q. QTRIP lists the Tewantin Bypass as construction commencing in 2028-29, however does not contain the $30 million construction funding as committed. Can the Minister provide details as to where this funding is located, what it will be used for and why construction cannot commence earlier?

Minister for Transport and Main Roads: I understand that on 9 July 2025, you discussed the Tewantin Bypass with Mr Scott Whitaker, Regional Director (North Coast Region), Department of Transport and Main Roads, and Mr Larry Sengstock, Chief Executive Officer, Noosa Shire Council (NSC). A total of $8.5 million has been allocated to support the planning phase for the Tewantin Bypass, Beckmans Road project, and a further $30 million has been committed to commence delivery of the project.

My Department is actively engaging with NSC to ensure local input is incorporated into the planning process. Planning for the entire project is expected to be complete in 2028 and my department will investigate opportunities to advance early works in line with planning milestones. The Tewantin Bypass, Beckmans Road, early works project is published on page 49 of QTRIP and listed under projects up to $250 million. This project is a planned investment, and the Queensland Government has allocated funding under the Safer Roads, Better Transport Plan in line with our election commitment.

Q. Minister for Transport and Main Roads, can you advise where the $30 million for the future stages of the Tewantin Bypass is currently sitting and why such short notice was given on how the QTRIP reporting format had changed? (Asked during Transport and Main Roads Estimates Hearing)

Minister for Transport and Main Roads: I will deal with those two questions separately. I will deal with the issue in relation to the Tewantin Bypass. We are committed to solving this longstanding issue. We have seen a decade of Labor inaction on it, which is why we made an election commitment and backed it with $30 million. We are focused on trying to progress this project into delivery. We know how important this project is for the northern Sunshine Coast. Planning is continuing so we can deliver a long-term solution aimed at improving safety and traffic flow between Cooroy-Noosa Road and Eumundi-Noosa Road within the Beckmans Road corridor. Funding has been allocated to support the planning phase for the Tewantin Bypass-Beckmans Road project, and additional funding has been committed in this year’s QTRIP to commence early works for the project.

As planning progresses, a concept layout for the upgrade will be finalised that will consider the long-term solution for solving this peak-hour traffic congestion, which I know is a considerable concern. My department has been actively engaging with Noosa council to ensure local input is incorporated into the planning process. Planning for the entire project is expected to be completed in 2028. Future stages of construction will be determined as the project progresses. My department will investigate opportunities to advance early works in line with the planning milestones. A further investment is committed to prepare a business case that considers future upgrades at the intersections of Diamond and Elm streets and Myall and Elm streets in Cooroy, and investigations will build on the preliminary planning conducted in 2019. That deals with half of the member’s question.

In relation to the changes we have made to the reporting of QTRIP, on coming to government— and I am on the public record in stating this—I was advised that there were no projects within the QTRIP program that were under budget. The cumulative cost overrun on the QTRIP program was $6.7 billion. That told me—not that I needed reminding—that something needed to change. The former government asked a gentleman by the name of Rodd Staples to look at the capital program. The advice that I received was that he was best placed to continue that work and look at how we roll out improvements to driving better value for money for the taxpayer. We asked Mr Staples to report on the capital program but also in relation to QTRIP.

What became very clear—and it is reflected in the Productivity Commission report today—is that we need to better manage the planning phase of projects, provide greater certainty to industry in relation to the timeframe and the funnel of work that is coming to market. The member may see that we have now included information in QTRIP that has never been provided in relation to the timeframe in which we expect planned investments to be made. Similarly, we have split QTRIP into separate sections— planned investments and contracted work. This is about driving better value for money for the taxpayer.

The simplest analogy that was put to me is that you never walk into a negotiation telling someone what you are prepared to pay. It is better that you say what you want built and then they give you a price and you go from there. The process we were taking previously is that we went to the market and said, ‘We are prepared to pay X,’ and then the market came back and said, ‘Okay, we will do it for X.’ That strikes me as not a particularly constructive approach. What we have done is try to drive better competition in the market by (1) providing greater visibility of the pipeline of work that is coming and (2) providing greater certainty in relation to when we will be going to market on that work. That will then enable contractors of different sizes to identify work that they want to bid on and prioritise that.

Frequently the feedback I receive from industry is that they do not feel like that is a two-way conversation, and that is something we have committed to addressing. We have re-established the QTRIP industry briefing as well—something those opposite ceased to offer—and we will be doing a face-to-face QTRIP industry briefing because we think that is an important opportunity to inform and to discuss our program with industry.

Our changes to QTRIP are all about driving better value for money for the taxpayer. I look forward to working collaboratively with industry. It has been very well received by industry, by the Civil Contractors Federation and by QMCA. When I talk to local contractors as well, they are pleased to see the timeframes articulated in relation to planned investments. We will continue to work with industry to ensure (1) we develop a pipeline of work that is sustainable and able to be delivered within the constraints that exist and (2) we drive better value for money for the taxpayer.

Kin Kin Quarry

Q. Director-General, given the determination of the federal government that the clearing of koala habitat at the Kin Kin Quarry is a controlled action under the EPBC Act, is consideration being given to review the SARA process, including publishing technical environmental advice from DETSI which has not been accessible since SARA was set up? (Asked during Environment and Tourism, Science and Innovation Estimates Hearing)

With the question unable to be answered in the hearing, we have followed up and are awaiting a response.

South East Queensland Regional Plan

Q. With the SDS (p.1) stating the Government will progress new regional plans across all of Queenland, can the Deputy Premier provide details as to when the Government undertake community consultation and engagement on the development of the new plans?

Deputy Premier: The Queensland Government has committed to working to deliver new regional plans, with supporting infrastructure plans, that cover every corner of the State. The future review of regional plans, including ShapingSEQ 2023, will provide the community with the opportunity to put forward new ideas and propose new locations for future housing. The timing for stakeholder engagement will be confirmed once the sequencing for the review program has been decided.

As part of our election commitment, the Queensland Government is also resetting the planning partnership with local communities and Councils to protect the lifestyle of existing residents and appropriately cater for growth. The State Government will closely and respectfully partner with Local Governments to deliver these new regional plans.

To stay up to date with regional plan reviews in the future, visit the ShapingSEQ website at www.qld.gov.au/ShapingSEQ.

South East Queensland Liveability Fund & Resource Recovery Boost Fund

Q. With the budget committing $90 million as part of the $200 million South East Queensland Liveability Fund to support local government projects that create liveable, creative, sustainable and healthy communities (SDS, p.10), can the Deputy Premier provide details on whether funds that have been committed to projects in the Noosa electorate, including to address the impacts from visitors?

Deputy Premier: The $285.8 million SEQ Liveability Fund (the fund) is a commitment under the South East Queensland City Deal. The fund supports Local Government projects that create liveable, creative, sustainable and healthy communities.

The Noosa Shire Council was allocated $3.58 million from the fund, comprised of $1.79 million from the State Government and $1.79 million from the Australian Government. Two projects have been approved:

• the Cooroy Sports Complex Multisport Facility was allocated $2.7 million for an indoor training space and larger gymnastics area to increase community participation.
• the Noosa Coastal Pathway Stage 1 at Peregian Beach was allocated $880,000, with the project to extend the Sunshine Coastal Pathway with 800m of cycle pathway and wayfinding signage.

Q. With regard to the $130 million for a Resource Recovery Boost fund, can the director-general provide some details on what types of council infrastructure will reduce waste levy costs and maximise recycling? That was mentioned in the response to question on notice No. 5. (Asked during Environment and Tourism; Science and Innovation Estimates Hearing)

Environment and Tourism; Science and Innovation Director General: The minister has announced the $130 million recovery boost fund. We know that fund has not only been well received by councils but also the private sector and the industry. The guidelines for that recovery boost fund are being created and designed at the moment. The minister has asked us to co-design that with our councils and industry so we will certainly be working through that process at the moment. What I can say is that the intent around that fund is certainly about helping councils to implement their regional waste management plans, as well as reducing their ongoing exposure to the waste levy. We also know that there is certainly some infrastructure projects that would be a consideration, so we will be taking all of this feedback on, helping to design the guidelines and then the minister will sign off on those.

Q. Regarding the $2 million allocated to expand collection points for batteries including lithium, is there any allocation for the disposal given this is problematic and expensive? (Asked during Environment and Tourism; Science and Innovation Estimates Hearing)

Environment and Tourism; Science and Innovation Director General: Earlier this year it was great for the minister to announce those funds. It was certainly designed as a result of some feedback that we got from our councils. The intent behind that is to support our councils expand collection points for problem batteries like those found in vapes and e-scooters. We are working with industry on practical ways to disseminate this so we are taking that feedback into consideration.

Innovation

Q. Director-General, within the budget there was $100 million for stimulating Queensland innovation. I am trying to get a better understanding of how you collaborate with departments from the aspect of industry challenges around workforce. For example, who identifies the training and education that is needed? Are there any partnerships regarding the infrastructure needed for that training and education—for example, in advanced manufacturing? (Asked during Environment and Tourism; Science and Innovation Estimates Hearing)

 

             Environment and Tourism; Science and Innovation Director General: Innovation is a driver of productivity, prosperity and wellbeing in the state and we certainly take that seriously. We are delivering a number of different programs through the initiatives and partnerships that we have. As the minister noted earlier, we have also been tasked with developing a science and innovation policy that our programs can align to. Ongoing investments in our partnerships that connect customers with Queensland innovations that tackle the big challenges facing the state are also key. We know that workforce is an area that has been tabled.

 

             In terms of specifics around advanced manufacturing, we certainly look at opportunities for smaller businesses in this space to connect into our programs, and we can connect them to further put them on a global stage. We also look at ways we can drive different initiatives and economic outcomes—for example, for females and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders where we have some really specific initiatives trying to solve some real-world problems. We are always evaluating our existing programs and initiatives and considering those best practice approaches. We certainly would be cognisant of any workforce shortages, but our role is to connect businesses with further entrepreneurs and capital and even help put them on the global stage.

 

             We do not fund specific infrastructure for workforce challenges, but we certainly support infrastructure that would drive innovation, such as innovation precincts.

Short term accommodation

Q. What actions is the Government undertaking to improve regulation of Short-Term Accommodation, which can be detrimental to liveability for Queenslanders in high tourism areas?

Deputy Premier: Regarding Short-Term Accommodation, the Cabinet Housing Ministerial Taskforce has considered this matter and decided Local Governments are best placed to regulate short-term accommodation through their planning schemes and local laws.

Body corporates

Q. Given the department committing to spend over a quarter billion on legal and prosecutions (SDS p. 8), can the Attorney-General report on how and when the Government will take forward the recommendations of the Community Titles Working Group to address ongoing issues with the management of body corporates?

Attorney General: $4.3 million over four years and $1.1 million ongoing for the Office of the Commissioner for Body Corporate and Community Management to deliver information, education and dispute resolution services for all Queenslanders.

Special schools

Q. With the Government committing over $800 million for new schools including six new special schools in the Sout East Queensland region (SDS, p. 2), will the Minister consider the placement of a special school in the Noosa electorate, given the difficultly for residents to access special schools much further south?

Minister for Education: When planning new schools, the department considers the capacity of the existing school network, the ability to expand existing schools, growth in the local student population and land availability.

The department has identified four new special schools to meet increased enrolment demand and ensure Queensland children are better supported in their learning journey. The new schools will be delivered at Central Logan (Berrinba), Beenleigh, Coomera and Moreton Bay South. In addition, two new campuses will relieve enrolment pressures at Ipswich West Special School and Goodna Special School.

While these locations have been prioritised to address the most immediate demand pressure points, the department remains committed to reviewing the needs of all communities, including the Noosa Electorate. The Noosa Electorate currently has around 3,900 students attending state schools, whereas the department typically plans a new special school to cater to a local student population of 15,000.

School resourcing and support for students

Q. With the budget identifying $2.7 billion over five years for the government’s policy “Better and Fairer Schools Agreement” (SDS, p. 2), and given the department’s review of school resourcing, can details be provided on any draft proposals including the timeline for when Government will engage with stakeholders including parents, teachers and the community on this?

Minister for Education: On 24 March 2025, the Crisafulli Government signed the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement — Full and Fair Funding 2025-2034 and an associated Bilateral Agreement with the Australian Government. This provides funding certainty for Queensland schools, including ensuring for the first time ever that state schools will be funded to 100% of the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) by 2034.

As reflected in your correspondence, the Queensland Government has committed to increase its funding for state schools from 70.5% of the SRS in 2025 to 75% of the SRS by 2028, four years earlier than previously anticipated. This will see an estimated injection of $2.772 billion in state funding for Queensland state schools over five years, and $9.356 billion over the next 10 years.

The department conducted the School Resourcing Review in 2023 and 2024, considering current practice and possible future improvements. This review was informed by engagement with a wide range of staff and stakeholders from across the State, including parent groups, principal associations and unions.

A final review report has been presented to me and remains under consideration by government, so I cannot provide further detail on its findings or proposals at this time.

Q. Will the Minister identify action taken by the Government to address the wholistic needs of students including by:

• expanding alternative schooling options and implement these in areas where there is currently demand for non-mainstream schooling placements including Noosa with its waitlist.
• ensure primary school aged children have access to a comprehensive, fully funded health assessment to assist with hearing, visual, learning, developmental and neurodiverse diagnoses.
• expand the availability of GPs and nurses in primary school settings.

Minister for Education: The Queensland Government is committed to delivering high quality educational facilities for all Queensland school-aged students choosing to attend a state school.

The department supports a range of alternative learning options for students facing challenges with learning and engagement, including in-school learning interventions and programs, through to alternative schooling.

Alternative education is delivered by the state and non-state schooling sectors. Queensland has a greater number and higher rate of growth of non-state Special Assistance Schools than any other state or territory. Non-state Special Assistance Schools, such as the Noosa Flexible Learning Centre, provide another alternative educational option for students in the Noosa area.

The department is committed to regularly reviewing student engagement data, supporting schools to deliver evidence-based responses to student disengagement, and collaborating with regions to assess future needs.

Increasing access to Queensland Health’s hearing screening and diagnostic audiology service and providing in-school hearing screening for children in priority areas across Queensland is a priority with $9.94 million allocated over four years (2024-2028). The department is planning for expansion of in-school hearing screening in priority locations, to be determined collaboratively by the department and Queensland Health. Schools participating in the program during 2025 will be formally identified and onboarded this year.

The department also has a licence for Sound Scouts, which is a hearing screening application. The application is available to all Queensland state schools and enables school teams to identify students at risk of hearing loss.

Queensland Health also leads and funds the Prep vision screening program, known as the Primary School Nurse Health Readiness Program. The department supports delivery by enabling Queensland Health Registered Nurses to deliver the vision screening program at schools so Prep-aged students with visual abnormalities are detected and treated early.

All schools have access to specialist support staff including allied health (e.g. speech language pathologists) and wellbeing professionals (e.g. guidance officers and psychologists). These school-based professionals identify barriers to student learning and wellbeing and support reasonable adjustments for students. These professionals are also well placed to refer students and their families to outside agencies to access additional support in relation to assessment and/or diagnosis, as appropriate.

I acknowledge your advocacy for expanding the availability of GPs and nurses in primary school settings. The Queensland Government is investing $10.73 million across four years to place health practitioners (GPs or nurse practitioners) in 20 selected Queensland state primary schools and support students to access free primary healthcare at school one day per week.

Services that health practitioners provide include identifying and managing a range of students’ physical, mental and reproductive health concerns. Health practitioners also make referrals for students to medical specialists, allied health professionals or other external agencies when required.

The first 10 schools involved in the program were established across Semester 2, 2024 and Semester 1, 2025. The final 10 schools are expected to commence programs in Semester 2, 2025.

You may be aware that the department also employs State Schools Registered Nurses (SSRN) to support state school staff to safely manage the support needs of students with health conditions. SSRNs train school staff to perform health procedures and develop health plans in response to student health needs. There are two SSRNs based in Cooroy State School who support schools in the Noosa Electorate.

Q. With the budget providing $100 Back to School Boosts for primary students (SDS, p. 2), can the Minister identify whether this boost will be expanded to secondary school students?

Minister for Education: The Back-to-School Boost will be provided for each primary school student starting in 2026 to help parents and families with the costs of school essentials.

To assist with the cost of education for secondary school students, the government provides a Textbook and Resource Allowance (TRA) to parents of students in Years 7 to 12.

The TRA contributes towards the cost of textbooks and other learning resources. In 2025, the TRA is $160 per student per annum for Years 7 to 10 and $348 per student per annum for Years 11 and 12.

Sunshine Beach State High School tuckshop

Q. With the budget providing $174 million for the renewal of school infrastructure (SDS, p. 8), can the Minister confirm that grants will be available for the upgrade of school tuckshops such as needed by the Sunshine Beach State High School?

Minister for Education: As previously advised, Sunshine Beach State High School submitted an application for the 2025-26 School Subsidy Scheme funding round for a tuckshop upgrade. Outcomes of this round are anticipated to be announced in Term 3, 2025.

Noosa Learning Hub

Q. In reference to the $1.5 billon in the budget for ‘connecting Queenslanders to training and skills programs’ (SDS, p. 5), can the Minister identify funds that will be committed to skills training for Noosa, proposed via the Noosa Learning Hub, and provide funds that have been made available from the transfer of the decommissioned Tewantin TAFE site to this Hub?

Minister for Training: TAFE Queensland continues to operate in the Sunshine Coast – Moreton Bay region including campuses at Nambour, Mooloolaba, Caboolture, Redcliffe and a small, leased facility in Noosa. The former Tewantin TAFE site was transferred to the local NRA Noosa Collective in April 2025. The Queensland Government is investing a further $78 million in this region for construction of a TAFE Centre of Excellence at Caloundra to focus on construction trades within the Sunshine Coast.

Additionally, almost $4M has been spent funding vocational education and training for over 1400 students in the Noosa State Electorate in the past 12 months.

Growing Workforce Participation grant program

Q. As above, will the Minister update the eligibility requirements for the Growing Workforce Participation grant program to include in the list of eligible regions Noosa, which has below State average incomes and a severe shortage of workers?

Minister for Training: The Skilling Queenslanders for Work (SQW) initiative continues to offer a suite of targeted employment and training programs to support Queenslanders experiencing barriers in accessing training and the labour market. Since 2015, SQW has invested more than $12.5 million in the Noosa electorate to assist over 1400 local jobseekers.

The Growing Workforce Participation Fund is delivered through the Queensland Government’s Back to Work program which, as you are aware, is subject to geographical restrictions. While there will be a further funding round held in 2025-26, Noosa LGA remains an ineligible geographic area under current program delivery arrangements. However, this will be taken into consideration for future employment programs to ensure we are supporting all regions to address regional workforce shortages.

Sporting infrastructure

Q. Given the $250 million through the Games On! Grassroots Infrastructure Program (SDS p. 2) can the Minister outline why there was no allocation in the budget for the Noosa Rugby Union Club (Dolphins) to redevelop their club house, the Noosa Tigers for new change rooms, and Noosa Council aquatic centre and indoor sports courts. In addition, confirm the proposed $10,000 for the Noosa Touch Association, not detailed in the Regional Delivery Plan/Map?

Minister for Sports: I appreciate your proactive approach and passionate advocacy for the needs of the Noosa community.

As you are aware, the Queensland Government made a $250 million commitment to the sport and recreation industry via the Games On! program, to deliver new or upgraded fields and courts, clubhouses, change rooms or lighting across Queensland in the leadup to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. While criteria for Games On! is currently being developed, the Department of Sport, Racing and Olympic and Paralympic Games (DSROPG) does not have any funding opportunities available to support the proposed projects.

The clubs may wish to consider future rounds of the Gambling Community Benefit Fund (GCBF). Further information is available on the Department of Justice website at www.justice.qld.gov.au/initiatives/community-grants.

While not outlined in the regional delivery plan, I can confirm that the 2024 Government Election Commitment of $10,000 to the Noosa Touch Association to install clubhouse security is underway. DSROPG are working closely with the Club to progress the project, with an executed Funding Agreement now in place.

As you may be aware, the Queensland Government is developing a new Sport Strategy to help shape the state’s sporting landscape for the next 1O years and secure a sporting legacy from the Games. Consultation on the discussion paper ‘What does 2032 mean for you?’ closed on 15 June 2025 and included regional and stakeholder forums, as well as an online survey and written submissions where thousands of Queensland had their say on the future of sport in Queensland.

I encourage your local clubs to stay updated on progress of the Strategy, the initiatives underpinning it and DSROPG’s funding opportunities by visiting www.sport.qld.gov.au. Sport and recreation clubs within your electorate may also be interested in exploring the DSROPG ClublQ program, which offers free, easy-to-use resources for Queensland sporting clubs. These resources may help club committees and volunteers deliver quality service to their communities across four key focus areas of governance, financial management, planning and volunteering. These resources may also assist clubs to plan and prepare for future funding. ClublQ can be accessed at www.qld.gov.au/recreation/sports/club-support.

Cooroy intersections

Q. As above, can the Minister provide a timeline and details for the delivery of the Corroy intersection planning, detailed design and construction?

Minister for Transport and Main Roads: Funding has been committed to prepare a business case that considers future upgrades of the intersections at Diamond and Elm Streets and Myall and Elm Streets at Cooroy. Investigations will build on preliminary planning conducted in 2019. Opportunities to progress design and construction will be considered during future program reviews.

Transport

Q. With the budget allocating $285 million upgrading rail to Nambour (SDS, p. 11), and the Government building on that with a Northern Sunshine Coast Public Transport Strategy, when and how will the Government engage with the community on draft proposals and the formation of that strategy?

Minister for Transport and Main Roads: My Department undertook initial community engagement to inform the development of the Northern Sunshine Coast Public Transport Strategy (NSCPTS) in late 2023 and early 2024. A summary of community feedback is available on the project webpage.

The NSCPTS will outline a plan for an improved public transport network in the northern Sunshine Coast and Noosa area, identifying the major structural elements of the future network and how the Queensland Government committed investments such as 50c fares, The Wave, Bruce Highway upgrades, and other regional road improvements will be leveraged to deliver better outcomes sooner. My Department is currently developing the draft plan.

Q. Within the over $1 billion ‘Safer Roads, Better Transport Plan to provide greater transport connectivity’ (SDS, p. 2), what proportion has been allocated to identify the infrastructure and services required for the Sunshine Coast and Noosa electorate with the increase in population to the south, Olympic Games and predicted increase in tourism numbers?

Minister for Transport and Main Roads: Safer Roads, Better Transport Plan progresses projects including the Caloundra Congestion Busting Plan and Mooloolah River Interchange, which will significantly improve connectivity for the Sunshine Coast and support access to venues for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

My Department has updated how it presents QTRIP, focusing on a more strategic approach and providing cost ranges for projects that are not yet contracted. The overhauled QTRIP provides industry, funding partners, and the community with clear insights into the program, distinguishing between projects in development and delivery to avoid premature costings and foster genuine market competition. Project costs will be shared after contracts are awarded and upon final completion.

Teewah, Cooloola, National Parks, tourism, environment, recycling

Q. With additional staffing and funding for the QWPS of $85 million (SDS, p. 2), can the Minister provide:

a) timeline for the release of the Cooloola Recreation Area (CRA) Management Plan, and allocations to action recommendations

b) what additional resourcing including staffing numbers are allocated for Noosa National Parks for the identified risks of fire, visitor impacts and invasive flora and fauna?

c) details on allocations for specific strategies to manage increased visitor number, including drones for monitoring?

Minister for Environment: The Queensland Government’s first budget lays to the foundations for a fresh start and delivers exactly what we said we would do.

That is why the 2025-26 Budget supports our commitment of $84.6 million over five years to the More Rangers, Better Neighbours program for Queensland’s national parks – the largest single additional investment ever into the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service’s ranger workforce.

The Great Sandy National Park (Cooloola Section) Management Plan is currently being considered. The Management Plan, when gazetted, will be publicly available.

 The Queensland Government is ensuring that Noosa’s National Parks are managed properly and are able to be responsibly shared with all Queenslanders.

FTEs and funding allocations from the new More Rangers, Better Neighbours program will also be invested in 2025-26 delivering fire management activities in the Cooloola and Noosa areas. A positive recent example is a joint planned burn undertaken by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, QueenslandFire Department and Noosa Council in Noosa National Park in preparation for the forthcoming fire season.

Q. With the Government allocating $446 million for Destination 2045 (SDS, p. 2), can the Minister provide –

a) what funds have been allocated for managing and mitigating the impacts of increased tourism

b) details on the 45 ecotourism projects, including allocations of funding for each

c) allocations for grant funding to organisations and local governments to develop and promote regenerative tourism?

Minister for Environment: The Queensland Government has an ambitious vision to make Queensland a world leader in ecotourism under the Destination 2045: Delivering Queensland’s Tourism Future plan

(Destination 2045), ensuring that we continue to protect our natural environment and responsibly share it with the world.

The 2023 Growing ecotourism in Queensland report from the Queensland Audit Office found that the previous government had only approved two ecotourism projects between 2015 and 2023. That is why the Crisafulli Government’s 45 by 45: Getting Queensland Ecotourism Moving (45 by 45) plan will kickstart Queensland’s ecotourism future.

All projects to be delivered under 45 by 45 are yet to be fully identified as these are to be delivered over the next 20 years, in close consultation with industry. Funding for the following eco-tourism projects was allocated in the 2025-26 State Budget: 

• $5 million over two years for Whitsundays Skyway;
• $15.5 million over four years for Smithfield Mountain Biking Trails;
• $4.9 million over four years for Palm Island Walking Trails;
• $19.7 million over two years for the Wangetti Trail (bringing the total funding allocated so far to $59.1 million, including $8 million from the Australian Government);
• $1.3 million in 2025-26 for Springbrook National Park visitor facilities (with total overall funding of $17 million allocated for this project); and
• $1.1 million in 2025-26 for Crater Lakes National Park – Lake Eacham Day Use area (total overall funding of $10.3 million allocated to this project).

Consideration of the balance between conservation and tourism development was key to the development of Destination 2045 and Queensland’s ecotourism policy 45 by 45. The policy sets out guiding principles for ecotourism development and a clear definition in accordance with the Nature Conservation Act 1992. All ecotourism projects must go through the required environmental assessments.

Q. Minister for Environment, regarding the 45 ecotourism projects that are yet to be identified, will communities be consulted alongside industry, which was mentioned in the response to question on notice No. 20? (Asked during Environment and Tourism; Science and Innovation Estimates Hearing)

Minister for Environment: The short answer is yes. We went to great lengths as part of preparing Destination 2045 to hear from as many people as possible. We held 16 workshops across the state. We held six deep dives. It was not restricted to operators or RTOs. We had members of the community, members of the conservation sector and people who are operating in transport and logistics businesses. We are open for business, but we are also open to ensuring we hear from everyone.

Q. Director-General, the response to question on notice No. 1 stated that Destination 2045 will be delivered in partnership with key institutions and organisations. Can you outline what partnerships with environmental organisations have already been developed? (Asked during Environment and Tourism; Science and Innovation Estimates Hearing)

Environment and Tourism; Science and Innovation Director General: I just want to touch on Destination 2045. We put a symbol of partnership out when we were developing it through the consultation. As you are aware, we had 16 workshops across the state, we did six deep dives, we had over 1,500 people attend and we had hundreds of submissions come through. I have to say that our conservation groups were highly involved in all of that. The minister and I made a real effort in the regions as well to meet and engage with conservation groups because they are critical in terms of our Destination 2045 priorities, especially around ecotourism.

We know ecotourism is a key priority for this government. We are now working through those initiatives. As the minister said, we have $200 million for product development and aviation and $100 million for events. We certainly have good relationships with our conservation groups and they are providing input into the design of our guidelines for grant programs and the implementation of those initiatives as well as our experienced development initiatives. They will play a key role in the development. I will finish by saying the ecotourism policy was announced by the minister in line with the Destination 2045 strategy and our conservation groups were very important in providing their feedback to that as well.

Q. My concern with increased tourism is mitigating and managing the impact on areas that are currently struggling. Will the More Rangers, Better Neighbours policy have funding not only for the rangers but also for the things they need, like drains et cetera? (Asked during Environment and Tourism; Science and Innovation Estimates Hearing)

Minister for Environment: Yes. I appreciate that ecotourism is a central pillar of Destination 2045 and some of that ecotourism will occur in our national parks. As part of Destination 2045, we listed a number of projects that have already commenced in our national parks, including the Lake Eacham day-use area up in the Atherton Tablelands. I hear what the member is saying, and I believe it is very important.

We are looking at how we allocate those 120 rangers. I will point out that 40 of those are dedicated fire rangers, so they have a specific purpose. The remaining 80 will be working through a process around where they need to go, where they are most needed. To be blunt, some of that will be in Western Queensland where we have large national parks with a very small presence of people on the ground and they will need some.

I also appreciate there are some very high-visitation national parks, particularly in the member’s own electorate and in her backyard, and there is a need for investment in infrastructure. We have just completed some work in the Noosa National Park. We are always doing work on K’gari Fraser Island. If the member has a specific request, I am happy to hear from her as to where she would like us to consider putting more rangers.

Q. With the SDS (p. 3) committing to working collaboratively with partner agencies and stakeholders to minimise the impact of disasters, can the Minister for Police report on any advocacy efforts to have the Federal Government remedy the lack of mobile reception in identified locations including the Cooloola Recreation Area?

We will update once a response has been received.

Mental health, general health services and Noosa Hospital

Q. Director-General, regarding the response to question on notice No. 19, can you provide details on what options are being investigated with Ramsay Health Care to expand Noosa Hospital and a timeline for when actual progress is expected, given that there have already been years of investigations and negotiations? (Asked during Health and Ambulance Services Estimates Hearing)

Health and Ambulance Services Director General: There have been ongoing conversations with Ramsay Health Care for quite some time with regard to future opportunities and expansions. Obviously the Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service already has an existing relationship with Ramsay for the Noosa Hospital. In the context of conversations or negotiations that could be commercial-in-confidence I am not in a position to go into specific details around future plans and opportunities in that space, except to say that there is a strong commitment to continue to provide access to health services for the local community through that arrangement.

Q. Director-General, question on notice No. 20 provides that the Sunshine Coast will be funded for a number of new services—psychosis teams, mental health supports et cetera—will any of these be available after 4 pm daily, weekends or on public holidays? (Asked during Health and Ambulance Services Estimates Hearing)

Health and Ambulance Services Director General: Look, I do not have the exact details of every single program, every single clinician and every single schedule except to say that Queensland Health is absolutely committed to providing services to the community across a seven-day-a-week 24-hour-a-day cycle. We have extensive investments in community mental health and community support services that are pre-existing and continue to have growth funding through the Better Care Together mental health program. If there is a very specific question around a specific program I am happy to take that under advice and seek some information to answer a specific response. Queensland Health absolutely provides—through its acute hospitals as well as through its community services—extended hours services to the community.

Q. Director-General, in relation to the $1.75 billion investment through the Surgery Connect program, can you provide us with what the funding increases have been for those to occur at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital, Nambour Hospital and Noosa Hospital? (Asked during Health and Ambulance Services Estimates Hearing)

Health and Ambulance Services Director General: What I can say is that there has been a substantial increase in investment. The volume that is directed through the Surgery Connect program varies and fluctuates across the year so it would be very challenging to provide you with a specific answer to the number that the Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service will utilise. The reason is that the demands around volume pressure, waitlists—as well as the capacity within the private sector—will fluctuate seasonally over time as it does in all parts of the healthcare system.

Typically, we work progressively with the hospital and health services as the year progresses around where there is capacity in the private system, the arrangements we have with the private providers and the volume of surgery that gets delivered. One thing that is for certain across the entire state, we do take advantage of the significant growth in funding allocated to the Surgery Connect program to ensure Queenslanders, according to where their needs are, are getting access to surgery.

It is very important to recognise that in the context that we currently operate under with the demands from the community for access to surgical care and the inability for us to have kept pace with capacity in the public hospital system, we do have a dependency on leveraging off the private sector to ensure Queenslanders do get access to care.

We obviously have a significant investment through the Hospital Rescue Plan to invest in the long-needed capacity expansion to allow us to become more self-sufficient around surgery in the public sector.

Q. Commissioner, regarding the five-year strategic plans and modelling, you spoke about a lot of different things including local nuances. I am trying to understand how your planning interconnects with the Department of Health. We have 227 new paramedics or frontliners and there are 170 new or replacement vehicles. You are picking people up quicker, but when you get to an emergency department there is not the extra capacity there. I am trying to understand how that works in terms of reducing wait times instead of just increasing ramping. (Asked during Health and Ambulance Services Estimates Hearing)

Ambulance Service Commissioner: All of our planning is done in—I was going to say in consultation with the Department of Health but it is not; it is done hand in glove with the Department of Health. All of the population information that I spoke of we derive from the statistical areas within Queensland Health. We have formalised processes with our service planning team and with the Department of Health service planning team, and we have local consultation with all 16 hospital and health services across the state. In terms of that planning, we do it together. I am not best placed to talk about the workforce modelling in an emergency department, but we share information and we share data in terms of our ED presentations. That is provided daily if not rolled up monthly. The understanding of our projections in terms of the amount of patients that will be brought to an emergency department, if that is the specific area you are asking me about, is reviewed monthly within the Department of Health and projected forward.

Q. Can you provide the number of new or replacement vehicles and extra paramedics that will be allocated to the Sunshine Coast region along with the projected decrease in wait times for the Sunshine Coast region? (Asked during Health and Ambulance Services Estimates Hearing)

Ambulance Service Commissioner: I can definitely provide the staffing number to you. I am not sure if I can be specific about the fleet. The enhancement for FTEs for the Sunshine Coast is 23 of the 227 on top of the enhancement of 15 last year. As I said, I cannot provide the vehicle number to you because it is something we do on the basis of the need and the age of the fleet in the local area. We will work with the local team to determine how many of those 170 need to be replaced or how many additional new ones need to go in to support the 23 additional people.

Q. With those extra allocations in the Sunshine Coast region, has any modelling been done on how that will improve the current wait times being experienced in Noosa? (Asked during Health and Ambulance Services Estimates Hearing)

Ambulance Service Commissioner: Yes, when we overlay those resources into our sophisticated system, we have geographical mapping that will demonstrate where we can cover hotspots or areas of concern or areas of demand. In fact, we do it in reverse. We look for the areas where there is limited coverage, for example. I am not saying this is the case, by the way, member for Noosa, but is the best way to deliver better services for Noosa putting more staff into Coolum? We can model that. We can put those sorts of assumptions into the system. We have to make good, local decisions about that. When we attempt to do that for the northern Gold Coast area, for example, the deployment software will say the very best thing you can do is close the ambulance station at Beaudesert. We are not going to do that. We have to make those local decisions with those people in mind.

All of the allocations of these resources, down to the time of day that they work, is about improving the response times for the entire Sunshine Coast and specifically for the areas where we have identified need. You would appreciate the co-dependence of the resources and the assets that we have in an area like the Sunshine Coast. It would surprise me if the resources allocated to Noosa did not do at least 40 per cent of their work outside of Noosa. Likewise, the resources in Coolum would be doing 40 per cent of their work in Noosa.

The Move-Up Module—or LiveMUM, as the minister referred to it earlier today—is informed by that two-year workforce modelling. It bolts on to our computer-aided dispatch system that then gives predictive analysis of where the next case might happen, which gives us the opportunity to predeploy staff into the Noosa area, for example. I used to work on the Sunshine Coast—as you know—and Coolum, Kawana and Caloundra are key station locations because they give us broad-level coverage across the entire Sunshine Coast. It does not mean we can keep an ambulance service in every community 24/7, of course, but it gives us the opportunity to respond quickly. The clever models are better at predicting than me, but that was the way we used to do it when I was there 20 years ago. It is about finding those key areas to deploy staff to and from.

Q. With an additional $218 million for access to health care (SDS, p. 2), can the Minister provide details of additional health services for the Noosa electorate including expanded mental health services, public contracts and beds for Noosa Hospital, as well timeframes for the delivery of these?

Minister for Health: The Queensland Government’s 2025-26 Budget delivers the foundation for a fresh start with more free healthcare than ever before and funding to deliver the Hospital Rescue Plan.

A record $33.1 billion is being invested to reduce ambulance ramping, improve services, recruit more health workers and stabilise the elective surgery waitlist, including for people in the electorate of Noosa and the broader Sunshine Coast region.

The budget is investing in more health workers for the Sunshine Coast, with additional funding in 2025-26 to grow the workforce to 7,892 FTE across the Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service (SCHHS).

Residents of Noosa will also benefit from the Crisafulli Government’s record $1.75 billion investment to deliver more elective surgeries when and where Queenslanders need them, including partnering with the private sector through the Surgery Connect Program to reduce waitlists and have patients seen sooner. I note the Noosa Hospital is a part of the Surgery Connect program, meaning more access to planned care sooner for residents of Noosa and surrounds.

Ramsay Health Care currently operates the Noosa Hospital under agreement with the SCHHS, which was renewed from 1 July 2020 through to 30 June 2030. SCHHS is working with Ramsay Health to investigate options to expand the Noosa Hospital, including expanding the Emergency Department and possible additional operating theatre capacity. I note further detail on the Crisafulli Government’s health investment in the electorate of Noosa and broader Sunshine Coast region has been provided in my response to pre-hearing QON 20.

Q. With an increase to over $3 billion for mental health and alcohol and other drug services (SDS, p. 12), can the Minister detail the additional allocations for the Sunshine Coast region and Noosa specifically, including for residential and non-residential eating disorder, alcohol and other drug treatment services for children and young people?

Minister for Health: The Queensland Government’s 2025-26 Budget delivered a record $33.1 billion investment in health. The Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service was allocated $2.01 billion in 2025-26 – an uplift of 12.3 per cent from 2024-25 – to deliver health services in the region, including a range of mental health, alcohol and other drug services.

Under Better Care Together, the Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service is allocated funding of more than $110 million over five years to 2027 to expand and enhance mental health alcohol and other drug (AOD) services in the region.

This includes across both community and inpatient services, as well as enhancements to priority workforces in a number of specialised areas. Further details of planned service enhancements include the following:

• Augmenting and enhancing the existing Eating Disorders Specialist Service, a whole of age service.
• Providing AOD responses in the emergency department and hospital settings as well as to meet demand pressures to provide opioid treatment and harm reduction services in the community.
• Operational funding for 12 acute mental health beds at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.
• New Early Psychosis teams and youth mental health services delivered in conjunction with Headspace.
• A new mental health team to support people with an intellectual or developmental disability.
• Additional clinicians supporting community mental health and AOD treatment services for adults, older persons, children and young people, and perinatal and infant mental health.
• Enhancements to the peer workforce, multicultural workforce, and indigenous mental health workforce.

Eating disorders

As part of the Queensland Government’s election commitments, $1.9 million is being provided to deliver a new short-term accommodation village at endED in Woombye.

Eight ‘tiny homes’ will be built onsite allowing for intensive eating disorder treatment and mental health support through endED.

• EndED is a Sunshine Coast non-for-profit community organisation that has a focus on eating disorder supports for individuals and their caregivers.
• EndED will establish eight tiny homes in Woombye anticipated to be delivery by early 2026, which will provide temporary crisis and short-term accommodation to provide vital support for Queenslanders with eating disorders or other mental health needs.
• Residents will have access to wrap around support, in-treatment for an eating disorder and mental healthcare to help them on their recovery journey.

Queensland Health currently funds a total of eight public beds at Wandi Nerida, a private residential eating disorder facility on the Sunshine Coast.

Queensland Health also funds Eating Disorder Queensland to provide psychosocial support services including individual recovery support programs and peer to peer and carer to carer support services within each Eating Disorders Service including in the Sunshine Coast. Funding is also provided to Eating Disorders Families Australia to deliver information, support and advice to families and carers of young people experiencing an eating disorder including provision of the Nourish, Nurture and Notice Program.

Alcohol and other drugs

Queensland Health funds two non-government providers located at Nambour, Caloundra, Gympie and Mooloolaba to deliver specialist community-based alcohol and other drug services for young people up to 25 years of age. Young people from the Sunshine Coast region can access Mater Health’s specialist AOD services located in South Brisbane which includes a five-bed AOD residential withdrawal management service and a five-bed AOD residential rehabilitation service as well as intensive outreach for youth. An adult alcohol and other drug residential treatment service is also funded in Nambour that accepts young adults aged 18 to 25 years.

Q. With the budget committing $6.5 billion over 4 years to improving access to health services in Queensland (SDS, p. 2), can the Minister confirm the details and timeline for the expansion of the Noosa Hospital?

We will update once a response has been received.

Q. Can the Minister provide details regarding planned expansion of mental health services to be delivered by Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service to the Noosa electorate?

We will update once a response has been received.

Q. As above, with the increase in beds allocation, can the Minister provide details on increased allocations for the Sunshine Coast region including public hospital beds for Noosa Hospital?

We will update once a response has been received.

Independent review of public sector capabilities & COVID-19 pandemic

Q. With the Government budgeting $141 million (SDS, p. 8) for “strategic policy advice and insights to support government decisions on key social, economic, law and justice, and environment and planning policy” (SDS, p. 3) will the Premier commit to initiating an independent review of COVID-19 pandemic as part of preparation for future pandemics?

We will update once a response has been received.

Q. As above, will the Premier initiate an independent review of public sector capabilities to ensure that the Queensland public service addresses issues identified in reviews such as the Coaldrake Report and the Faultlines Report?

We will update once a response has been received.

Environmental Upgrade Agreements

Q. With the budget committing $26 million for landlords to install solar panels on rental properties (SDS, p. 2), can the Treasurer provide details on the roll out Environmental Upgrade Agreements, which allow commercial and residential property owners to install solar panels and other energy efficient upgrades by paying them back through council rates?

We will update once a response has been received.

Small business assistance

Q. With the budget providing payroll tax relief to general practitioners (SDS, p. 2), will the Treasurer also advocate to the Commonwealth Government to increase fairness of business taxation via targeting tax evasion by multi-national businesses so that tax relief can be extended to small business including the removal of payroll tax or increasing the payroll tax threshold?

We will update once a response has been received.

Q. With $130 million committed to the Small Business First agenda (SDS, p. 1), can the Minister for Family and Small Business confirm whether this will include funding for the Better Local Business grant program for chambers of commerce to address key business concerns and opportunities?

We will update once a response has been received.

Tax relief to seniors downsizing

Q. With the budget providing payroll tax relief to general practitioners (SDS p.2), will the Treasurer consider also providing targeted tax relief to seniors downsizing their home which has the additional benefit of freeing up much needed housing for Queenland families?

We will update once a response has been received.

Courts, legal and victims

Q. With the budget committing $42 million for the domestic and family violence courthouse improvements program (SDS, p. 9) can the Attorney-General identify whether the Maroochydore Court house will be upgraded to full DFV Court level?

Attorney General: $74.8 million over four years to deliver upgraded courthouse infrastructure that is safe, functional and responsive to community needs — including critical Domestic and Family Violence safety upgrades at Maroochydore Courthouse.

Q. With $113 million over four years committed to an increased contribution to the legal assistance sector (SDS p. 2), can the Attorney-General provide details on what funding increases are being provided to Sunshine Coast legal centres?

We will update once a response has been received.

Q. With the budget providing $75 million for court houses and $46 million in additional justice resourcing (SDS, p. 2), can the Attorney-General outline details on whether the government is delivering:

• additional Magistrates to the Children’s Court of Queensland.
• making all Children’s Court culturally safe, including culturally safe spaces and training, and First Nations Liaison Officers.
• extending the Fast Track Sentencing program and expanding it to all Children’s Court locations across the state.
• increased resource allocated to restorative justice processes in order to reduce delays and improve the experiences of victims who participate in these processes.
• new Youth Murri Courts in regional Queensland.

Attorney General: $54.4 million over five years and $2.2 million ongoing better support the justice system to implement the Making Queensland Safer laws, which includes critical funding to address sustained increases in volume and complexity of Children’s Court matters;

$45.9 million over four years to strengthen the Criminal Justice System through initiatives such as the Queensland Intermediary Scheme, Fast Track Sentencing, electronic monitoring of young people on bail and enhanced courthouse security;

$25.9 million over four years to support the Office of the Public Guardian to secure the protection of vulnerable Queensland children, and adults with impaired decision-making capacity;

Q. With the budget providing $12 million over 4 years to deliver enhanced support to victims of crime (SDS, p. 2), can the Attorney-General detail whether the government is funding:

• the extension of financial support to victims of non-violent crime.
• the conduct of a public awareness campaign to inform victims of youth crime how they can access the supports available to them.

Attorney General: $11.6 million over four years to deliver enhanced support to victims of crime through the Victim Liaison Service at the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Electoral, Committee and Estimates reform

Q. With the SDS identifying the strategic objective of maintaining confidence and integrity in our system of government (SDS, p. 1), will the Attorney-General fund an independent review of the Queensland Electoral Act, which has not been reviewed since 2013, to consider issues such as postal voting and political donations, amongst others?

We will update once a response has been received.

Q. With the SDS identifying the strategic objective of maintaining confidence and integrity in our system of government (SDS, p. 1), will the Attorney-General commission an independent review of the Queensland Parliament Committee system including the Estimates process?

Attorney General: Following amendments to the Parliament of Queensland Act 2001 introduced by the Crisafulli Government, the 2025-26 Estimates hearings will be chaired by the Speaker and Deputy Speaker—which will bring consistency to proceedings and lift the standard of hearings across all committees. The reforms we have delivered also add an additional day to the schedule.

Police

Q. With the Government committing $37 million in police funding to enhance the response to DFV (BP No. 4, p. 87), can the Minister report on the trial of police DFV co-responder teams and any details on deploying a DFV specialist to the Noosa region?

We will update once a response has been received.

Q. Given the budget commitment to 1,600 new police recruits for Queensland during the term of the government (BP No. 1, p. 7), taking into account attrition, can the Minister report the incremental increase in the FTE allocation to the QPS in each year of the forward estimates and their allocation across regions?

We will update once a response has been received.

Q. Given the $226 million provided to the QPS for making Queensland safer (SDS, p. 2), can the Minister detail whether funds are being provided to renew and expand to more locations the vehicle immobiliser subsidy scheme and the ‘helping seniors secure their homes’ initiative?

We will update once a response has been received.

Q. With $450,000 allocated for a Safe Night Precinct in Hasting Street, Noosa, given there is no stakeholder support for this, can the funding be reallocated to Noosa police for overtime and ‘specials’ as requested and needed?

We will update once a response has been received.

Youth Justice and corrective services

Q. With $225 million over 5 years for the Staying on Track program, providing 12 months of post-release rehabilitation support to all youth exiting detention (SDS, p. 2), can the details of this be provided including how government will ensure for all exiting detention participation for the full 12 month period, and what housing/accommodation will be provided for those returning to DFV households?

We will update once a response has been received.

Q. With $75 million over 4 years to deliver youth co-response models (SDS, p. 2), can the Minister confirm that this will include a team in the Northern Sunshine Coast/Noosa electorate?

We will update once a response has been received.

Q. With over $1.8 billion being spent next year on corrective services (SDS, p. 5), to reduce re-offending can the Minister provide details on what additional support will be provided for youth who transfer to adult detention during and after incarceration, including housing and drug/alcohol rehabilitation?

We will update once a response has been received.

Q. Given the budget funding of $138 million to reduce youth crime and $345 million for rehabilitation (SDS, p. 2), what is the timeframe and process for the development of the new Youth Justice Strategy and what consultation will occur, and will it address evaluation of previous amendments to the Youth Justice Act since 1992 and their impacts?

We will update once a response has been received.

Q. Given the budget funding of $138 million to reduce youth crime and $345 million for rehabilitation (SDS, p. 2), can the Minister identify whether funding will be provided to:

• upgrade all videoconferencing facilities at youth detention centres.
• expand the availability of GPs at all Youth Justice Service Centres to assist in preventative health screening.
• comprehensive mental health and physical health assessments for youth detainees, including specialist referrals for ADHD and FASD.
• state-funded youth justice programs and services to operate more flexible hours during crucial times for potential offending, including late at night and on weekends.
• additional programs targeting children under 10 years of age.
• expansion of Youth Justice Intensive Case Management to more locations and increasing the number of children it is funded to assist.
• expand Youth Co-Responder Teams and the Early Action Group model.
• implement alternative options to watch houses and detention centres for children and young people with significant mental health conditions and/or disabilities so they can be appropriately diagnosed and treated.
• establish residential rehabilitation programs as part of a non-custodial sentencing order.
• provide specially trained staff to advise victims on how the youth justice system is responding to the behaviour of the person who offended against them.

We will update once a response has been received.

Queensland Fire Department

Q. With nearly $1 billion allocated in the budget for fire services (SDS, p. 4), can the Minister provide details on further engagement with rural fire service representative organisations for improvements in funded operations that have been advocated for prior to the establishment of the Queensland Fire Department?

We will update once a response has been received.

Q. With the budget allocating $26 million for replacement and new fire and rescue trucks, what proportion is dedicated to upgrade substitute vehicles used when fire trucks are in for repair or service?

We will update once a response has been received.

Cyclone and disasters

Q. With $450 million over five years for Queensland’s resilience and risk reduction program (SDS, p. 13), will the Government fund a public review of how local, state and national governments make decisions, communicate and advise businesses of precautionary closures associated with areas in ‘cyclone warning zones’ during natural disasters and minimise the economic costs imposed on businesses?

We will update once a response has been received.

Indigenous

Q. With the Path to Treaty Act repealed and the budget identifying a priority of indigenous economic and life outcomes (SDS, p. 1) can the Minister provide details on what funding is provided for programs directed to these and also alternative reconciliation approaches?

We will update once a response has been received.

Women’s economic security and support

Q. With the government only providing funding of $20 million over 4 years to help women get back into the workforce, will the Minister commit to increase funding to a more substantive level in line with the identified requirements and needs for women:

• greater financial assistance for more women to re-entering the workforce, including micro-finance for small business start-up funding
• recognition of prior employment for workplace entitlements for women who take off periods of time longer than maternity leave
• advocacy and support for share house provision for women and expansion of the Better Together Housing program to incorporate under-55s.

We will update once a response has been received.

Q. With $380 million funding for DFV (SDS p. 9) can the Minister for Prevention of Domestic Violence provide details as to whether there is an increase in funding for women’s refuges to ensure the children, as well as parent/carer, can be provided essential counselling and support services?

We will update once a response has been received.

Tourism

Q. With the budget funding the delivery of Destination 2045 in the SDS page 2 of $446 million, can the Minister provide details on all 45 new eco-tourism projects indicated in the plan, and whether any of these are regenerative in nature?

We will update once a response has been received.

Accessibility officers

Q. With over $300 million in the budget for seniors and disability services (SDS p. 9) can the Minister provide details on what is available for local government to employ accessibility officers to ensure that the work of council, its contractors and services, target a built environment more accessible for the elderly and disabled?

We will update once a response has been received.

Child safety

Q. Given the funding of the Child Safety Commission of Inquiry, will the inquiry include consideration of emergency and supported accommodation used by children and young people?

We will update once a response has been received.

QPWS, QPS, MSQ, crime and youth justice data and statistics

Q. With the SDS (page 1) identifying that the Department will “play a lead role in designing and maintaining critical government ICT systems [including] a strategic joined-up approach to future ICT design and investment”, can the Minister advise that the new ‘joined up’ approach will deliver an ICT program capable of sharing enforcement information between QPS, QPWS and MSQ for more effective compliance in and on our parks, rivers, and roads, and a timeline for this?

We will update once a response has been received.

Q. With the budget providing $25 million in 2025–26 to deliver a consolidated online service (SDS, p. 2), can the Minister provide details on how this will be delivered and how government will ensure open data to the public and improved and timely delivery of statistics, including for crime and youth justice data, that is easily comparable to other jurisdictions?

We will update once a response has been received.

Q. Given the budget of $31 million for economic and statistical services (SDS, p. 10) will the government expand the Queensland Government Statisticians Office (QGSO) – Crime Statistics and Research Unit as an independent publisher of crime statistics for Queensland?

We will update once a response has been received.