Ben Smee and colleagues report in The Guardian (21.6.21) on the release of the Palaszczuk government’s 2022-23 budget, with Treasurer Cameron Dick increasing the state’s tax revenue to fund expanded health and hospital services.
‘Queensland has announced plans to increase royalties on coal companies amid record profits, as surging prices for fossil fuels help fund investment in the state’s healthcare sector.
‘The Queensland treasurer, Cameron Dick, said the state would record an unexpected $1.9bn surplus in 2021-22 off the back of surging prices for fossil fuels, although a small deficit is forecast next financial year.
‘The centrepiece of the budget is a $23.6bn investment in healthcare – an increase of $1.2bn, roughly 6% – that would include measures to hire 9,450 healthcare workers, build three new hospitals and add 2,200 new hospital beds.
‘The state has also set aside $1.6bn for mental health services over five years, to be funded by a payroll tax levy applied to the largest 1% of businesses.’
-
- Queensland state budget increases taxes on miners, big business to fund new hospitals and mental health services »
- Trains, housing and royalties: what we know about the Queensland state budget »
- Queensland budget: Govt to levy more than $1b from big business for mental health »
- Historic $9.8b investment in health building program to fix ‘bottleneck’ »
- Budget eve government wage offer averts public servant protests »
- Queensland plugs funding gaps at integrity bodies stretched by pandemic »
- Queensland budget’s record health spending meaningless without wages boost, unions say »
- ‘Record’ Queensland state budget spend on health really only keeping up with inflation, AMAQ says »
- Queensland and NSW are spending big on health, but will there be enough doctors to go around? »
- Queensland state budget 2022: at a glance »
- Queensland budget 2022: Winners and losers »
- Queensland royalty rises for coal now expected to provide $3bn windfall »
- Queensland’s dam upgrade bill to pour pressure on state budget »
- Thanks a billion (or five): Coal export bonanza will deliver $13b to Queensland coffers
- Treasurer’s pre-budget hand grenade: Miners should ‘show respect’ for battlers
‘Pandora’s box’: experts say Queensland’s windfall from coal royalties could set a precedent
Peter Hannam reports in The Guardian (24.6.22) on the state budget, focusing on the impact of the Palaszczuk government’s increase in coal mining royalties.
‘Queensland’s rewriting of royalty rules could tip billions of dollars more into its coffers this coming year, with an analyst saying it’s a missed opportunity for New South Wales that is still open to other states and the commonwealth to mimic.
‘The Queensland budget this week imposed three trigger points for higher mining royalties, which the Queensland Resources Council (QRC) predicts will deliver an extra $15bn in 2022-23.
‘Others put the take at between $6bn and $20bn, depending mostly on coal prices – far more than the budget forecast of $1.2bn over four years.
‘The director of consultancy Climate Energy Finance, Tim Buckley, said the bold move by the state’s treasurer, Cameron Dick, showed the steps governments could take to share the benefits of soaring commodity prices – driven by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – at a time of rapidly rising costs of living.’
- ‘Pandora’s box’: experts say Queensland’s windfall from coal royalties could set a precedent »
- Queensland increases coal royalties, insists no promise is broken »
- Queensland budget: Big miners cop a royalty hike in Queensland »
- Queensland budget handed down by Treasurer Cameron Dick, health the big winner with coal royalties increasing »
- Five minutes of fiscal sunshine before tax hikes hit to pay for more hospital beds »
- Queensland state budget 2022: modest coal royalty hike delivers little towards energy transition »
- Queensland budget invests in national parks but ‘does nothing’ for climate crisis, critics say »
- On point: Is Palaszczuk’s billion dollar health injection sharpening reform? »
- Tougher than the rest: Queenslanders shine in meeting cost of living challenge »
- Cameron Dick is absolutely right to be casting his net where the big money is »
- Queensland will continue coal exports ‘as long as the market dictates’ despite emissions targets »
- Massive coal windfall delivers a Christmas bonus for the regions »
- How our government got the extra billions, while the rest of us are stuck with the zeros »
- Coal prices slump but remain high enough for Palaszczuk’s ‘golden zone’
- Govt confident the WA precedent means it will keep coal royalty benefit