Queensland budget pledges $545m for water security

The Queensland government will invest $545 million in water security and top up two south-east dams in its second budget.

Treasurer David Janetzki has also ruled out cuts to the public service but has not committed to a return to surplus within the next four years.

Under the funding, North Pine and Lake Macdonald Dams are set to be restored to full-service levels.

"If we run those dams to their capacity, we'll create, effectively, a new dam in Queensland that will be two-and-a-half times the size of the Bjelke-Petersen Dam," Mr Janetzki said.

"There is an opportunity for us to invest in our existing infrastructure to build that water security, obviously for households but also for agriculture."

The Bjelke-Petersen Dam in the South Burnett region has a capacity of 134,000 megalitres.

The North Pine Dam, which stores drinking water for north Brisbane and Moreton Bay, was reduced to 54 per cent capacity last year while it awaits upgrades.

Work is underway on Noosa's Lake McDonald Dam, which had its capacity reduced to 42 per cent last year.

The budget will also include $10 million in the next financial year for Seqwater to continue scouting for potential new dam sites, but a timeline has not been confirmed.

Mr Jantezki said consultation with impacted communities would be "imperative" to allow people to "come along for the journey".

The 2026-27 budget will also include $59.8 million to rebuild Paradise Dam, an LNP election commitment which is slated to cost $4.4 billion.

Mr Janetzki would not be drawn on when work would begin on the 300,000-megalitre Bundaberg dam, instead referring questions to Water Minister Ann Leahy.

The government reiterated its commitment to the project last month after the chair of Sunwater wrote to the government advising that the board had unanimously agreed it was "grossly disproportionate" and should not be considered any further.

'Uncertainty and instability'

In promoting the LNP's second budget, Mr Janetzki has said it will be about "strengthening" the foundations laid last year.

Mr Jantezki has not indicated whether this budget will show a return to surplus within the next four years.

Instead, he said his focus was on targeting "budget improvements".

The state's total debt is forecast to hit $204.89 billion by 2028-29, according to the mid-year budget update released in January, while an operating deficit of $1.04 billion is expected that year.

Mr Janetzki has said no changes will be made to the state's coal royalties regime, but it is understood the budget will show some movement in revenue streams.

Mr Janetzki said he was watching stamp duty revenue and approaches by other states carefully after changes to property and investments were announced in the federal budget.

"There's been a lot of uncertainty and instability around the globe, and that has made the challenges significant," he said.

"Uncertainty in Canberra, volatility in the Middle East, that's made our challenge greater, but we have worked through it very carefully."

The treasurer has stood by his commitment of no cuts to the public service, accusing the opposition of running a "scare campaign".

Opposition Leader Steven Miles said he had heard reports from “across the public service” the government was not renewing temporary contracts that had been rolled over for “many years”.

Treasurer defends ad spend

Advertising by the state government promoting 50-cent fares, hospital staffing and how it is "delivering" for each region has been plastered across billboards, social media platforms and cinema screens.

Mr Jantzki has defended his government's use of taxpayer funds, saying they have committed to spending "less money on advertising than the Labor Party".

Meta's advertising library shows the Queensland government has spent $622,251 from March 21 to June 18 on 198 ads across its Facebook and Instagram accounts.

"It's an entirely normal part of government," Mr Jentzki said.

He said advertising the government's move to make 50-cent fares permanent was important to ensure people are "accessing opportunities to get home faster and sooner", and because the measure was left unfunded by Labor.

Mr Jantzki rejected that the billboards were political advertising but rather "communication of government policies".

When pressed on how much the government was spending on advertising Mr Janetzki said: "Certainly no more than the former Labor government did".

Shadow Treasurer Shannon Fentiman has called in the government to rein in spending on its barrage of ads.

"I don't know how much money they have spent this financial year, but you better believe we will be holding them to account on that because it has exploded," she said.