Queensland Productivity Commission begins work, as hospitals get ‘rescue plan'
Five weeks after passing a bill to reinstate its Productivity Commission, the Queensland government has handed down its first order to the much-anticipated governmental body on Thursday.
Treasurer David Janetzki revealed on Thursday the commission was ready to begin its first task – a review into the Queensland building and construction industry – and delivered the terms of reference for the report.
'This important work by the Productivity Commission will drive up productivity and drive down cost pressures,' he said.
Janetzki also announced Angela Moody – a senior executive with experience in financial and regulatory policy in gas, water, and electricity industries – had been appointed as Productivity Commissioner.
The commission was first established in 2015. In 2021, the then-Labor state government dissolved the commission, integrating it back into the Treasury 'to establish the new Office of Productivity and Red Tape Reduction'.
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The new LNP government promised to reinstate the productivity commission, which it expected would combat blow outs in costs and delivery dates for major state infrastructure builds.
In another governmental review, seen by cabinet on Tuesday, cost blow outs were attributed to poor planning, rather than construction industry turmoil.
The review found a series of health sector upgrades covering 11 existing and three new hospitals, plus the new Queensland Cancer Centre slated for Herston, had been planned over a six-week period in 2022.
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The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Labor vows to slash red tape to turbocharge housing
Breaking ground on delivering 1.2 million homes starts by untangling the maze of bureaucratic approvals, the federal government says. Housing Minister Clare O'Neil has signalled a second-term Labor administration will move quickly to boost construction. "We've just been elected with a really clear mandate to improve our housing system in this country," she told reporters on Saturday. "We've got big reforms to implement, and not a day to waste in getting on with them." The minister vowed to simplify local, state and federal planning regulations by leading a council of planning ministers. "If we are going to address the housing needs of Australians, it is going to require the three levels of government to work together in new ways," she said. She will work with the building sector to implement innovative technologies to move past time consuming and costly methods of construction. Her comments come after an interview with ABC on Friday where she said "builders face a ridiculous thicket of red tape that is preventing them building the homes we need." Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn said the cost of building a home had skyrocketed by 40 per cent over the past five years while construction times had ballooned by 80 per cent over the past decade. "It is critical that we remove the red tape that is hampering our capacity to build homes," she said. Ms Wawn was hopeful the ambitious goal of 1.2 million homes coming onto the market would be achieved, but said the group's projections showed there could be a slight drop-off. She argued that along with the focus on reducing red tape, there was an urgent need to apprenticeships and fast-tracking migration for skilled people. "For the first time, the federal government is leaning in and trying to ensure that there is a focused attention on housing," she said. But opposition housing spokesman Andrew Bragg said the government's plans were a "joke" and described Labor as "red tape champions." "Labor's signature housing policy, the Housing Australia Future Fund has built zero new homes in three years," Senator Bragg said. "Approvals are way down under their watch and their 1.2 million new home target is a dead duck." The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development warned Australia on Tuesday to boost housing supply and address falling affordability. The OECD said easing zoning restrictions would strengthen competition and productivity, as well as raise housing investment to "reverse the long-standing decline in housing affordability". Breaking ground on delivering 1.2 million homes starts by untangling the maze of bureaucratic approvals, the federal government says. Housing Minister Clare O'Neil has signalled a second-term Labor administration will move quickly to boost construction. "We've just been elected with a really clear mandate to improve our housing system in this country," she told reporters on Saturday. "We've got big reforms to implement, and not a day to waste in getting on with them." The minister vowed to simplify local, state and federal planning regulations by leading a council of planning ministers. "If we are going to address the housing needs of Australians, it is going to require the three levels of government to work together in new ways," she said. She will work with the building sector to implement innovative technologies to move past time consuming and costly methods of construction. Her comments come after an interview with ABC on Friday where she said "builders face a ridiculous thicket of red tape that is preventing them building the homes we need." Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn said the cost of building a home had skyrocketed by 40 per cent over the past five years while construction times had ballooned by 80 per cent over the past decade. "It is critical that we remove the red tape that is hampering our capacity to build homes," she said. Ms Wawn was hopeful the ambitious goal of 1.2 million homes coming onto the market would be achieved, but said the group's projections showed there could be a slight drop-off. She argued that along with the focus on reducing red tape, there was an urgent need to apprenticeships and fast-tracking migration for skilled people. "For the first time, the federal government is leaning in and trying to ensure that there is a focused attention on housing," she said. But opposition housing spokesman Andrew Bragg said the government's plans were a "joke" and described Labor as "red tape champions." "Labor's signature housing policy, the Housing Australia Future Fund has built zero new homes in three years," Senator Bragg said. "Approvals are way down under their watch and their 1.2 million new home target is a dead duck." The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development warned Australia on Tuesday to boost housing supply and address falling affordability. The OECD said easing zoning restrictions would strengthen competition and productivity, as well as raise housing investment to "reverse the long-standing decline in housing affordability". Breaking ground on delivering 1.2 million homes starts by untangling the maze of bureaucratic approvals, the federal government says. Housing Minister Clare O'Neil has signalled a second-term Labor administration will move quickly to boost construction. "We've just been elected with a really clear mandate to improve our housing system in this country," she told reporters on Saturday. "We've got big reforms to implement, and not a day to waste in getting on with them." The minister vowed to simplify local, state and federal planning regulations by leading a council of planning ministers. "If we are going to address the housing needs of Australians, it is going to require the three levels of government to work together in new ways," she said. She will work with the building sector to implement innovative technologies to move past time consuming and costly methods of construction. Her comments come after an interview with ABC on Friday where she said "builders face a ridiculous thicket of red tape that is preventing them building the homes we need." Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn said the cost of building a home had skyrocketed by 40 per cent over the past five years while construction times had ballooned by 80 per cent over the past decade. "It is critical that we remove the red tape that is hampering our capacity to build homes," she said. Ms Wawn was hopeful the ambitious goal of 1.2 million homes coming onto the market would be achieved, but said the group's projections showed there could be a slight drop-off. She argued that along with the focus on reducing red tape, there was an urgent need to apprenticeships and fast-tracking migration for skilled people. "For the first time, the federal government is leaning in and trying to ensure that there is a focused attention on housing," she said. But opposition housing spokesman Andrew Bragg said the government's plans were a "joke" and described Labor as "red tape champions." "Labor's signature housing policy, the Housing Australia Future Fund has built zero new homes in three years," Senator Bragg said. "Approvals are way down under their watch and their 1.2 million new home target is a dead duck." The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development warned Australia on Tuesday to boost housing supply and address falling affordability. The OECD said easing zoning restrictions would strengthen competition and productivity, as well as raise housing investment to "reverse the long-standing decline in housing affordability". Breaking ground on delivering 1.2 million homes starts by untangling the maze of bureaucratic approvals, the federal government says. Housing Minister Clare O'Neil has signalled a second-term Labor administration will move quickly to boost construction. "We've just been elected with a really clear mandate to improve our housing system in this country," she told reporters on Saturday. "We've got big reforms to implement, and not a day to waste in getting on with them." The minister vowed to simplify local, state and federal planning regulations by leading a council of planning ministers. "If we are going to address the housing needs of Australians, it is going to require the three levels of government to work together in new ways," she said. She will work with the building sector to implement innovative technologies to move past time consuming and costly methods of construction. Her comments come after an interview with ABC on Friday where she said "builders face a ridiculous thicket of red tape that is preventing them building the homes we need." Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn said the cost of building a home had skyrocketed by 40 per cent over the past five years while construction times had ballooned by 80 per cent over the past decade. "It is critical that we remove the red tape that is hampering our capacity to build homes," she said. Ms Wawn was hopeful the ambitious goal of 1.2 million homes coming onto the market would be achieved, but said the group's projections showed there could be a slight drop-off. She argued that along with the focus on reducing red tape, there was an urgent need to apprenticeships and fast-tracking migration for skilled people. "For the first time, the federal government is leaning in and trying to ensure that there is a focused attention on housing," she said. But opposition housing spokesman Andrew Bragg said the government's plans were a "joke" and described Labor as "red tape champions." "Labor's signature housing policy, the Housing Australia Future Fund has built zero new homes in three years," Senator Bragg said. "Approvals are way down under their watch and their 1.2 million new home target is a dead duck." The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development warned Australia on Tuesday to boost housing supply and address falling affordability. The OECD said easing zoning restrictions would strengthen competition and productivity, as well as raise housing investment to "reverse the long-standing decline in housing affordability".
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Premier ditches privatisations amid political chaos
Repairing Tasmania's public finances does not hinge on selling government assets, the premier has asserted after caving to pressure on his party's privatisation exploration. "Our budget has a sensible pathway to surplus without selling any assets," Jeremy Rockliff told reporters at the Transend substation in Devonport on Saturday. Pressed for details, he spoke of a "right-sized public service" and other efficiencies to save money, and drew a line through new taxes and cuts to infrastructure spending. The premier has ruled out privatisations in an attempt to diffuse opposition attacks, with the possibility of selling some government entities among Labor's reasons for moving a successful vote of no confidence against the state's leader. Prominent economist Saul Eslake had been preparing a report on viable opportunities to sell government-owned businesses to support Tasmania's troubled finances. Mr Rockliff has now put a stop to that work and promised legislation ensuring any sales would need two-thirds majority support in parliament. "Labor has forced this early election on the deceitful campaign that our government intends to divest government-owned businesses - before Mr Eslake's work is even completed," he said on Saturday. But Labor shadow treasurer Josh Willie said privatising government assets was "in their DNA". "They will try to do it again and the only way to stop them is to not vote for them," he told reporters in Hobart on Saturday. Opposition leader Dean Winter moved the motion of no confidence due to the state budget, which included ballooning deficits and debt forecasts. The political ructions look to set send Tasmanians back to the polls for the fourth time in seven years unless the Liberal party opts to remove Mr Rockliff and negotiate a new deal with crossbenchers. An election could be called on Tuesday. Senior Liberal figures, including Senator Jonno Duniam, are calling the prospect of a snap election "nuts". "I would have thought every effort should be put into not going to an election ... the people that lose out most in all this - forget the parliamentarians - it's the people of Tassie," he told ABC Radio. Despite feuding over the state's finances, it's the stadium that looms as the biggest issue. The roofed Macquarie Point proposal is a condition of an AFL licence, with the state government responsible for delivery and cost overruns. Labor and the Liberals support the stadium but recent polls suggest Tasmanians are not sold. Both leaders voiced support for the AFL team when asked if they would give up the stadium to secure backing from crossbenchers opposed to it. Mr Winter said he remained open to all stadium options including the so-called 2.0 proposal on reclaimed land on the River Derwent. Roland Browne, spokesperson for the anti-stadium Our Place group, told AAP they would campaign if there was an election. Firebrand senator Jacqui Lambie, independent federal MP Andrew Wilkie and acclaimed author Richard Flanagan are among well-known Tasmanians to front their cause. Mr Browne said he foresaw a scenario where one or both of the major parties would join the Greens in opposing the project. Stadium supporters remain hopeful the Devils, the planned AFL outfit, can win over stadium opponents. Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff has offered confidence and supply to Mr Winter to form government but the opposition leader has already ruled out a deal with the minor party. Repairing Tasmania's public finances does not hinge on selling government assets, the premier has asserted after caving to pressure on his party's privatisation exploration. "Our budget has a sensible pathway to surplus without selling any assets," Jeremy Rockliff told reporters at the Transend substation in Devonport on Saturday. Pressed for details, he spoke of a "right-sized public service" and other efficiencies to save money, and drew a line through new taxes and cuts to infrastructure spending. The premier has ruled out privatisations in an attempt to diffuse opposition attacks, with the possibility of selling some government entities among Labor's reasons for moving a successful vote of no confidence against the state's leader. Prominent economist Saul Eslake had been preparing a report on viable opportunities to sell government-owned businesses to support Tasmania's troubled finances. Mr Rockliff has now put a stop to that work and promised legislation ensuring any sales would need two-thirds majority support in parliament. "Labor has forced this early election on the deceitful campaign that our government intends to divest government-owned businesses - before Mr Eslake's work is even completed," he said on Saturday. But Labor shadow treasurer Josh Willie said privatising government assets was "in their DNA". "They will try to do it again and the only way to stop them is to not vote for them," he told reporters in Hobart on Saturday. Opposition leader Dean Winter moved the motion of no confidence due to the state budget, which included ballooning deficits and debt forecasts. The political ructions look to set send Tasmanians back to the polls for the fourth time in seven years unless the Liberal party opts to remove Mr Rockliff and negotiate a new deal with crossbenchers. An election could be called on Tuesday. Senior Liberal figures, including Senator Jonno Duniam, are calling the prospect of a snap election "nuts". "I would have thought every effort should be put into not going to an election ... the people that lose out most in all this - forget the parliamentarians - it's the people of Tassie," he told ABC Radio. Despite feuding over the state's finances, it's the stadium that looms as the biggest issue. The roofed Macquarie Point proposal is a condition of an AFL licence, with the state government responsible for delivery and cost overruns. Labor and the Liberals support the stadium but recent polls suggest Tasmanians are not sold. Both leaders voiced support for the AFL team when asked if they would give up the stadium to secure backing from crossbenchers opposed to it. Mr Winter said he remained open to all stadium options including the so-called 2.0 proposal on reclaimed land on the River Derwent. Roland Browne, spokesperson for the anti-stadium Our Place group, told AAP they would campaign if there was an election. Firebrand senator Jacqui Lambie, independent federal MP Andrew Wilkie and acclaimed author Richard Flanagan are among well-known Tasmanians to front their cause. Mr Browne said he foresaw a scenario where one or both of the major parties would join the Greens in opposing the project. Stadium supporters remain hopeful the Devils, the planned AFL outfit, can win over stadium opponents. Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff has offered confidence and supply to Mr Winter to form government but the opposition leader has already ruled out a deal with the minor party. Repairing Tasmania's public finances does not hinge on selling government assets, the premier has asserted after caving to pressure on his party's privatisation exploration. "Our budget has a sensible pathway to surplus without selling any assets," Jeremy Rockliff told reporters at the Transend substation in Devonport on Saturday. Pressed for details, he spoke of a "right-sized public service" and other efficiencies to save money, and drew a line through new taxes and cuts to infrastructure spending. The premier has ruled out privatisations in an attempt to diffuse opposition attacks, with the possibility of selling some government entities among Labor's reasons for moving a successful vote of no confidence against the state's leader. Prominent economist Saul Eslake had been preparing a report on viable opportunities to sell government-owned businesses to support Tasmania's troubled finances. Mr Rockliff has now put a stop to that work and promised legislation ensuring any sales would need two-thirds majority support in parliament. "Labor has forced this early election on the deceitful campaign that our government intends to divest government-owned businesses - before Mr Eslake's work is even completed," he said on Saturday. But Labor shadow treasurer Josh Willie said privatising government assets was "in their DNA". "They will try to do it again and the only way to stop them is to not vote for them," he told reporters in Hobart on Saturday. Opposition leader Dean Winter moved the motion of no confidence due to the state budget, which included ballooning deficits and debt forecasts. The political ructions look to set send Tasmanians back to the polls for the fourth time in seven years unless the Liberal party opts to remove Mr Rockliff and negotiate a new deal with crossbenchers. An election could be called on Tuesday. Senior Liberal figures, including Senator Jonno Duniam, are calling the prospect of a snap election "nuts". "I would have thought every effort should be put into not going to an election ... the people that lose out most in all this - forget the parliamentarians - it's the people of Tassie," he told ABC Radio. Despite feuding over the state's finances, it's the stadium that looms as the biggest issue. The roofed Macquarie Point proposal is a condition of an AFL licence, with the state government responsible for delivery and cost overruns. Labor and the Liberals support the stadium but recent polls suggest Tasmanians are not sold. Both leaders voiced support for the AFL team when asked if they would give up the stadium to secure backing from crossbenchers opposed to it. Mr Winter said he remained open to all stadium options including the so-called 2.0 proposal on reclaimed land on the River Derwent. Roland Browne, spokesperson for the anti-stadium Our Place group, told AAP they would campaign if there was an election. Firebrand senator Jacqui Lambie, independent federal MP Andrew Wilkie and acclaimed author Richard Flanagan are among well-known Tasmanians to front their cause. Mr Browne said he foresaw a scenario where one or both of the major parties would join the Greens in opposing the project. Stadium supporters remain hopeful the Devils, the planned AFL outfit, can win over stadium opponents. Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff has offered confidence and supply to Mr Winter to form government but the opposition leader has already ruled out a deal with the minor party. Repairing Tasmania's public finances does not hinge on selling government assets, the premier has asserted after caving to pressure on his party's privatisation exploration. "Our budget has a sensible pathway to surplus without selling any assets," Jeremy Rockliff told reporters at the Transend substation in Devonport on Saturday. Pressed for details, he spoke of a "right-sized public service" and other efficiencies to save money, and drew a line through new taxes and cuts to infrastructure spending. The premier has ruled out privatisations in an attempt to diffuse opposition attacks, with the possibility of selling some government entities among Labor's reasons for moving a successful vote of no confidence against the state's leader. Prominent economist Saul Eslake had been preparing a report on viable opportunities to sell government-owned businesses to support Tasmania's troubled finances. Mr Rockliff has now put a stop to that work and promised legislation ensuring any sales would need two-thirds majority support in parliament. "Labor has forced this early election on the deceitful campaign that our government intends to divest government-owned businesses - before Mr Eslake's work is even completed," he said on Saturday. But Labor shadow treasurer Josh Willie said privatising government assets was "in their DNA". "They will try to do it again and the only way to stop them is to not vote for them," he told reporters in Hobart on Saturday. Opposition leader Dean Winter moved the motion of no confidence due to the state budget, which included ballooning deficits and debt forecasts. The political ructions look to set send Tasmanians back to the polls for the fourth time in seven years unless the Liberal party opts to remove Mr Rockliff and negotiate a new deal with crossbenchers. An election could be called on Tuesday. Senior Liberal figures, including Senator Jonno Duniam, are calling the prospect of a snap election "nuts". "I would have thought every effort should be put into not going to an election ... the people that lose out most in all this - forget the parliamentarians - it's the people of Tassie," he told ABC Radio. Despite feuding over the state's finances, it's the stadium that looms as the biggest issue. The roofed Macquarie Point proposal is a condition of an AFL licence, with the state government responsible for delivery and cost overruns. Labor and the Liberals support the stadium but recent polls suggest Tasmanians are not sold. Both leaders voiced support for the AFL team when asked if they would give up the stadium to secure backing from crossbenchers opposed to it. Mr Winter said he remained open to all stadium options including the so-called 2.0 proposal on reclaimed land on the River Derwent. Roland Browne, spokesperson for the anti-stadium Our Place group, told AAP they would campaign if there was an election. Firebrand senator Jacqui Lambie, independent federal MP Andrew Wilkie and acclaimed author Richard Flanagan are among well-known Tasmanians to front their cause. Mr Browne said he foresaw a scenario where one or both of the major parties would join the Greens in opposing the project. Stadium supporters remain hopeful the Devils, the planned AFL outfit, can win over stadium opponents. Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff has offered confidence and supply to Mr Winter to form government but the opposition leader has already ruled out a deal with the minor party.
West Australian
an hour ago
- West Australian
Labor vows to slash red tape to turbocharge housing
Breaking ground on delivering 1.2 million homes starts by untangling the maze of bureaucratic approvals, the federal government says. Housing Minister Clare O'Neil has signalled a second-term Labor administration will move quickly to boost construction. "We've just been elected with a really clear mandate to improve our housing system in this country," she told reporters on Saturday. "We've got big reforms to implement, and not a day to waste in getting on with them." The minister vowed to simplify local, state and federal planning regulations by leading a council of planning ministers. "If we are going to address the housing needs of Australians, it is going to require the three levels of government to work together in new ways," she said. She will work with the building sector to implement innovative technologies to move past time consuming and costly methods of construction. Her comments come after an interview with ABC on Friday where she said "builders face a ridiculous thicket of red tape that is preventing them building the homes we need." Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn said the cost of building a home had skyrocketed by 40 per cent over the past five years while construction times had ballooned by 80 per cent over the past decade. "It is critical that we remove the red tape that is hampering our capacity to build homes," she said. Ms Wawn was hopeful the ambitious goal of 1.2 million homes coming onto the market would be achieved, but said the group's projections showed there could be a slight drop-off. She argued that along with the focus on reducing red tape, there was an urgent need to apprenticeships and fast-tracking migration for skilled people. "For the first time, the federal government is leaning in and trying to ensure that there is a focused attention on housing," she said. But opposition housing spokesman Andrew Bragg said the government's plans were a "joke" and described Labor as "red tape champions." "Labor's signature housing policy, the Housing Australia Future Fund has built zero new homes in three years," Senator Bragg said. "Approvals are way down under their watch and their 1.2 million new home target is a dead duck." The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development warned Australia on Tuesday to boost housing supply and address falling affordability. The OECD said easing zoning restrictions would strengthen competition and productivity, as well as raise housing investment to "reverse the long-standing decline in housing affordability".
