Even though inflation is down from post COVID-19 highs and there is some interest rate relief, as Sandy said in Parliament, at grass roots, the reality is we have overburdened not-for-profits and volunteers delivering everything from food to accommodation through to counselling and haircuts at ever increasing rates to struggling families. The modest continuation of the $200 ‘Play On!’ vouchers, $100 ‘Back to School Boost’ for primary school students not high school students, and a CPI increase to the power rebate is all we can find so far, and this is nowhere near enough to address what is being experienced, including home insecurity.

Sandy’s full Budget Reply speech in Queensland Parliament is available in the Official Parliamentary Record (Hansard) on page 88 at https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/events/han/2025/2025_06_26_DAILY.pdf#page=88, including on broader Queensland wide issues such as land tax, health, policing and other state matters, with excerpts on specifics for Noosa below.

Confirmed are the funds required for the upgrade of the Lake Macdonald Dam, with the expenditure over the forward accounts now at nearly half a billion, to ensure safety into the future. Please see our latest update on this at www.sandybolton.com/lake-macdonald-dam-improvement-project-heavy-haulage-vehicles-update-june-2025. In addition, as mentioned in our Noosa 360 update at www.sandybolton.com/pomona-pedestrian-crossing-update-june-2025, there was nearly $1 million dollars for that new pedestrian crossing in Pomona, with construction scheduled for 2026-27 is welcomed.

As per our update at www.sandybolton.com/beckmans-road-tewantin-bypass-update-june-2025, within the Sunshine Coast budget snapshot, there is a mention of commencement of the Tewantin Bypass even though it already commenced with Stage one completed in 2022. The $8.5 million committed to fast track the detailed design of the remaining stages is in Queensland Transport and Roads Investment Program (QTRIP), along with the concerning news of construction not beginning until 2028/29, however there was no mention of the $30 million election promise towards that construction. There needs to be clarity on this to avoid the commitment being seen as carrot dangling, and Sandy has requested a meeting with Noosa Council and Transport and Main Roads (TMR) to understand why it will take three years for construction to begin.

The construction of new boating infrastructure in Noosa made it onto QTRIP without dollar amounts, though government has reiterated their $2.5 million commitment, with further information on this available at www.sandybolton.com/boating-infrastructure-noosa-river-navigational-aids-update-june-2025.

Now to the $36 million allocated for a new Sunshine Coast Waterways Authority. This is confusing as it has never been raised as something Noosa sought, so without any specifics we are running blind. The state government must provide details including why this authority is needed, what it will do and why Noosa was included, and after that, undertake intensive community consultations, as this has not occurred, not even with Noosa Council who may be impacted the most based on how other waterways authorities operate. Sandy has asked a Question on Notice in Parliament regarding this on 26 June 2025, which can be read at https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/tableoffice/questionsanswers/2025/840-2025.pdf, with the answer due 28 July 2025.

Whilst on waterways, the $15 million over three years for the ‘Keeping Our Waterways Safe’ (formerly known as the ‘War on Wrecks’ program) is not enough, especially with the roll out of new regulations in the Noosa pilot, that will eventually be rolled out into other waterways and could lead to more vessels that require removal.

The Beerburrum to Nambour rail upgrade stage one has increased to $285 million yet nowhere is any mention for the rail shuttle needed from Gympie to connect with the Nambour timetable. As Sandy has mentioned previously, we need both the infrastructure and services to accommodate current and future demand. Further information on our public transport advocacies can be read on our April 2025 Noosa 360 update at www.sandybolton.com/north-coast-rail-services-including-cooroy-gympie-north-update-april-2025.

For our sports, $15,000 for Noosa Little Athletics, $25,000 for Noosa Pirates Rugby League Club, and $44,000 for Tewantin Noosa Tennis Club. Cooroy Sports Complex is receiving a lighting upgrade of $500,000 and even though outside the Noosa electorate, appreciated as many Noosa residents play there. Noosa Council received $1 million for the all-abilities toilet facility for Gympie Terrace, however nowhere found are funds for a new Noosa Tigers change room, Noosa Dolphins redevelopment or for Councils Aquatic Centre and multi-purpose facility.

Regarding education, with a waitlist in our own community for alternate schooling which includes for our all-abilities students, may there be funds available for when we come to the Minister for Education with a proposal to address this. Whether via this proposal or another, there is a need for special school closer to home for our all-abilities students. Regarding the decommissioned Tewantin TAFE site, with previous updates at www.sandybolton.com/?s=tafe, we continue to seek funds to be reinvested into the drafted Noosa Learning Hub, which given we have neither TAFE, nor University campuses since their closure, is essential. Sandy looks forward to updates on the site as this could potentially provide a base for the Hub, with some funding from government. A big disappointment was a lack of construction funding for the Advanced Manufacturing Centre facility at Sunshine Beach State High School. This is vitally important, as we have students missing out on essential certification for their careers, and this booming industry missing out on staff.

Sadly, there is no indication of fairer funding models for our palliative care hospices. Sandy has fought for our Katie Rose Cottage Hospice over the years, most recently for government to fund 50% of nursing costs instead of the current 25%. With the palliative care strategy coming to an end this year, may the state government see the importance of our community models and increase this funding which is vastly more economical than a hospital bed. Our latest update on these efforts can be found at www.sandybolton.com/katie-rose-cottage-hospice-general-hospice-funding-update-april-2025.

All budget papers are available at https://budget.qld.gov.au, with items so far sourced available in Sandy’s budget reply speech, mentioned earlier. The following is a summary of Noosa state electorate specific allocations found so far mentioned above.

Water & Energy

  • $427.7 million to continue the Lake Macdonald Dam upgrade.

Transport and Main Roads

  • $950,000 for a pedestrian crossing on Factory St, Pomona.
  • $8.5 million for Tewantin Bypass planning.
  • $2.5 million for boating infrastructure for the Noosa Shire.

Tourism, Innovation and Sport

  • $15,000 for Noosa Little Athletics.
  • $25,000 for Noosa Pirates Rugby League Club.
  • $44,000 for Tewantin Noosa Tennis Club.
  • $500,000 to upgrade the light at the Cooroy Sports Complex.
  • $1 million for an all-abilities toilet facility on Gympie Terrace.

If any Noosa Electorate residents have further questions, please feel free to email our office via noosa@parliament.qld.gov.au for us to investigate.

Further information

Updates on many local matters are available on Noosa 360 at www.sandybolton.com/noosa360. To receive information straight to your email inbox, please subscribe to our monthly newsletter via www.sandybolton.com/newsletters. This also ensures you receive any future Noosa related surveys or polls.