As always, Budget Week at Parliament is full of expectations, ruminations, and deliberations amongst some frustrations and bleary eyes!

From the first ‘trawl through’, there is much good, with literally something for everyone. However, as I have said before, the devil is in the detail, including how, and where funds from those new allocations such as the $1 billion Housing Fund, will be dispersed.

Questions surrounding the level of debt, and the ability to reduce it, of course have been raised as no doubt in other jurisdictions and across the world who share this. Given we knew that the journey through and out of COVID would be costly, entities such as Deloitte have analysed and suggest that the QLD Government’s Economic Recovery Plan have set the foundations for a strong budget with a transition from short-term support and stimulus to longer term productivity and competitiveness to drive private sector growth and jobs. Due to record low interest rates, it is cheaper to service debt and borrow to rebuild – thus stimulating the economy even further.

Whilst we did not have specific announcements for Noosa regarding community housing, detailed design for Stage 2 of the Tewantin Bypass, rectifying the damage to our hinterland roads from heavy haulage, nor scoping for expansion of our Emergency Department at Noosa Hospital, we do have the funding pools announced including the $2 Billion Hospital Fund which to access the funds required. Meetings in the week after Budget will concentrate on these, and during Estimates.

Increased funding statewide in several realms is diverse, including for domestic violence, our businesses and trainees, frontline services and more. However, funding allocations alone is not a panacea. How it is used is vital, and part of the process of estimates. I did say before the devil is in the detail!

Some Noosa specific highlights are listed below, with all papers available at Budget Papers – Queensland Budget 2021-22 for those who would like to trawl with me over the next fortnight?

My Budget Reply speech will be posted up after it is delivered via Facebook and this website under ‘parliament/speeches’ next week.

Note – Those allocations in italics I have announced previously.

Happy reading everyone, and if I have missed something, I will amend in future posts.????

Transport and Main Roads

  • $18,000,000 – Kin Kin Road, Six Mile Creek, replace timber bridge – $500,000 spent in financial year to date, with $5,899 million has been confirmed for this coming financial year.
  • $454,000 – David Low Way (Peregian Beach), rehabilitate pavement
  • $275,000 – Doonella Street and Memorial Avenue intersection (Tewantin), upgrade roundabout
  • $560,000 – Gympie Terrace (Noosaville), James Street to Williams Street, rehabilitate pavement
  • $7,000,000 – Memorial Avenue (Tewantin), Doonella Lake bridge, replace bridge
  • $445,000 – Noosa Drive, Halse Lane to Sunshine Beach Road, design shared path
  • $3,500,000 – Noosa Parade (Noosa Heads), Garth Prowd Bridge, upgrade bridge
  • $4,460,000 – Noosa Parade, Munna Point Bridge to Garth Prowd Bridge, continue construction of active transport facilities
  • $9,810,000 – Tewantin Bypass Stage 1, Cooroy – Noosa Road and Beckmans Road intersection upgrade confirmation of allocated funding to continue

Education, Industrial Relations and Racing

  • Cooran State School – $200,000 of $200,000 – Refurbish Life Skills area including replacement of floor coverings and built-in furniture
  • Maintenance for schools in the Noosa local government area (LGA)- $618,000 allocated across 11 schools for maintenance in schools throughout the 2021-22 financial year
  • Minor Works for schools in the Noosa LGA – $235,000 allocated across 11 schools in the Noosa local government area for minor works in schools throughout the 2021-22 financial year
  • Noosa District State High School – $434,000 of $710,000 – Administration Upgrades
  • Noosa District State High School – $280,000 of $5,750,000 – New hall facility
  • Noosa District State High School – $120,000 of $350,000 – Refurbishment of Block H Learning Spaces
  • Noosa District State High School – $300,000 of $300,000 – Resurface/ Resurface Multipurpose Courts
  • Noosaville State School – $250,000 of $250,000 – Refurbish Resource Centre Block B including replacement of existing outdoor learning area.
  • Noosaville State School – $77,000 of $77,000 – Covered Area and Walkways
  • Sunshine Beach State High School – $400,000 of $400,000 – Refurbish Science Block B including preparation room
  • Sunshine Beach State High School – $165,000 of $165,000 – Basketball Courts Shade Structure
  • Sunshine Beach State School – $100,000 of $250,000 – Rectification to outdoor learning area

Communities and Housing, Digital Economy and Arts

  • Community transport – $10,000 in 2021-22 to assist eligible residents who are aged under 65 years not eligible for NDIS or My Aged Care.
  • $510,000 in 2021-22 to United Synergies Tewantin to deliver specialist homelessness services.
  • $3,142 as part of a $12,568 over four years as a contribution towards the preparation and delivery of meals.
  • $123,781 as part of a $495,124 commitment over four years to provide programs to increase the ability for individuals and community groups to participate positively in their community.
  • $1,982 as part of a $7,928 over four years as a contribution towards the preparation and delivery of meals.
  • $140,941 as part of a $563,764 commitment over four years to provide support and assistance to vulnerable individuals through financial literacy and generalist counselling, public intoxication programs, and emergency relief.

Tourism, Industry Development and Innovation and Sport

  • $25,000 as part of a $75,000 commitment over 4 years to The Powerhouse Hub Ltd towards the Enhanced business development support for regional female-headed start-ups.

Employment and Small Business, Training and Skills Development

  • Continuing the Back to Work Program – $35,000,000 of the $140,000,000 committed, the Noosa break up difficult to ascertain until the take up.
  • $155,140 for maintenance investment through Skilling Queenslanders to begin preparing the former TAFE site in Tewantin for use. Announcement following the EOI process for prospective lessees imminent.
  • Assisting up to 876 people to get job ready skills through $4.672million for Skilling Queenslanders for Work in the Sunshine Coast region.

Environment and the Great Barrier Reef, Science and Youth Affairs

  • $1.5 million this financial year out of $2.5 million total to develop eco-accommodation and guided walks for the Cooloola Great Walk delivered collaboratively with Kabi Kabi People and CABN.
  • Community Sustainability Action Grant – $10,540 as part of a $66,150 commitment for eligible grant projects addressing climate change, built heritage and nature conservation. Part of the Community Sustainability Action Grants.

For more information regarding the 2021-22 budget including the Sunshine Coast Regional Action Plan, please visit https://budget.qld.gov.au/