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'Temu version': opposition lashes visionless budget

'Temu version': opposition lashes visionless budget

The Advertiser26-06-2025
A state opposition has detailed how it will solve the housing crisis after labelling a government's budget a "sad state of affairs".
Queensland Opposition Leader Steven Miles has taken aim at the Liberal National government's first budget since 2014, claiming it lacks vision and duplicates Labor's ideas.
Mr Miles said Labor's 50-cent fares initiative, health checks for kindergarten kids and sports vouchers were all implemented in the LNP budget unveiled on Tuesday.
"It's just a Temu version of what we had planned," he told parliament in his budget reply on Thursday.
"This budget ... lacks vision, it lacks delivery, and it fails to prepare our state for the future.
"It's a sad state of affairs."
Amid a plethora of jabs criticising the LNP for the record $205 billion debt by 2028/29 while lacking cost-of-living relief, Mr Miles put forward the opposition's plan to solve the housing crisis.
Labor proposed extending its land tax concession indefinitely, matching NSW's recent commitment, if the party won the next state election in 2028.
It means land tax will be reduced by 50 per cent for build-to-rent developments that include at least 10 per cent affordable rental homes.
"By extending the land tax concession here in Queensland, we will further cement the Sunshine State as the place to invest," Mr Miles said.
Queensland Labor introduced the concessions in 2023, ensuring they were available for 20 years.
NSW's land tax concessions were set to end in 2039 but were indefinitely extended in its state budget this week to increase investment and supply.
The LNP committed more than $8 billion in the Queensland budget to improve housing, including its landmark "Boost to Buy" program to provide 1000 first-home buyers 30 per cent equity on new builds and 25 per cent on existing.
Mr Miles slammed the signature policy for being too small to make a difference, saying it helped about one per cent of first homebuyers a year.
"Experts say it won't distort the market, because it is too small to make any measurable difference," he said.
Labor also pledged $10 million to help social organisations scale up their food production and distribution to keep up with the demand on food banks.
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie labelled the opposition's reply "underwhelming", criticising Mr Miles for spending the majority of his speech condemning the LNP.
"It was an embarrassing budget reply speech with no new initiatives," he told parliament.
"They've got no views for the history, for the future of Queensland."
The budget reply came after the state parliament rammed through laws to ensure Brisbane 2032 venues, including the centrepiece Victoria Park stadium, were exempt from local planning laws.
Games infrastructure will not be subject to 15 planning laws, including environmental and heritage protections, with final sign-off given to the state government not local councils.
Mr Bleijie vowed to have major Olympic projects under construction "pretty soon".
"You're going to see a lot of work in a very short period of time," he said on Thursday.
The new laws also mean energy developers will need to undertake community consultation before renewable project approvals.
The passing of the laws earned the ire of activist group Save Victoria Park, which says the government "closed its ears" to community outrage.
A state opposition has detailed how it will solve the housing crisis after labelling a government's budget a "sad state of affairs".
Queensland Opposition Leader Steven Miles has taken aim at the Liberal National government's first budget since 2014, claiming it lacks vision and duplicates Labor's ideas.
Mr Miles said Labor's 50-cent fares initiative, health checks for kindergarten kids and sports vouchers were all implemented in the LNP budget unveiled on Tuesday.
"It's just a Temu version of what we had planned," he told parliament in his budget reply on Thursday.
"This budget ... lacks vision, it lacks delivery, and it fails to prepare our state for the future.
"It's a sad state of affairs."
Amid a plethora of jabs criticising the LNP for the record $205 billion debt by 2028/29 while lacking cost-of-living relief, Mr Miles put forward the opposition's plan to solve the housing crisis.
Labor proposed extending its land tax concession indefinitely, matching NSW's recent commitment, if the party won the next state election in 2028.
It means land tax will be reduced by 50 per cent for build-to-rent developments that include at least 10 per cent affordable rental homes.
"By extending the land tax concession here in Queensland, we will further cement the Sunshine State as the place to invest," Mr Miles said.
Queensland Labor introduced the concessions in 2023, ensuring they were available for 20 years.
NSW's land tax concessions were set to end in 2039 but were indefinitely extended in its state budget this week to increase investment and supply.
The LNP committed more than $8 billion in the Queensland budget to improve housing, including its landmark "Boost to Buy" program to provide 1000 first-home buyers 30 per cent equity on new builds and 25 per cent on existing.
Mr Miles slammed the signature policy for being too small to make a difference, saying it helped about one per cent of first homebuyers a year.
"Experts say it won't distort the market, because it is too small to make any measurable difference," he said.
Labor also pledged $10 million to help social organisations scale up their food production and distribution to keep up with the demand on food banks.
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie labelled the opposition's reply "underwhelming", criticising Mr Miles for spending the majority of his speech condemning the LNP.
"It was an embarrassing budget reply speech with no new initiatives," he told parliament.
"They've got no views for the history, for the future of Queensland."
The budget reply came after the state parliament rammed through laws to ensure Brisbane 2032 venues, including the centrepiece Victoria Park stadium, were exempt from local planning laws.
Games infrastructure will not be subject to 15 planning laws, including environmental and heritage protections, with final sign-off given to the state government not local councils.
Mr Bleijie vowed to have major Olympic projects under construction "pretty soon".
"You're going to see a lot of work in a very short period of time," he said on Thursday.
The new laws also mean energy developers will need to undertake community consultation before renewable project approvals.
The passing of the laws earned the ire of activist group Save Victoria Park, which says the government "closed its ears" to community outrage.
A state opposition has detailed how it will solve the housing crisis after labelling a government's budget a "sad state of affairs".
Queensland Opposition Leader Steven Miles has taken aim at the Liberal National government's first budget since 2014, claiming it lacks vision and duplicates Labor's ideas.
Mr Miles said Labor's 50-cent fares initiative, health checks for kindergarten kids and sports vouchers were all implemented in the LNP budget unveiled on Tuesday.
"It's just a Temu version of what we had planned," he told parliament in his budget reply on Thursday.
"This budget ... lacks vision, it lacks delivery, and it fails to prepare our state for the future.
"It's a sad state of affairs."
Amid a plethora of jabs criticising the LNP for the record $205 billion debt by 2028/29 while lacking cost-of-living relief, Mr Miles put forward the opposition's plan to solve the housing crisis.
Labor proposed extending its land tax concession indefinitely, matching NSW's recent commitment, if the party won the next state election in 2028.
It means land tax will be reduced by 50 per cent for build-to-rent developments that include at least 10 per cent affordable rental homes.
"By extending the land tax concession here in Queensland, we will further cement the Sunshine State as the place to invest," Mr Miles said.
Queensland Labor introduced the concessions in 2023, ensuring they were available for 20 years.
NSW's land tax concessions were set to end in 2039 but were indefinitely extended in its state budget this week to increase investment and supply.
The LNP committed more than $8 billion in the Queensland budget to improve housing, including its landmark "Boost to Buy" program to provide 1000 first-home buyers 30 per cent equity on new builds and 25 per cent on existing.
Mr Miles slammed the signature policy for being too small to make a difference, saying it helped about one per cent of first homebuyers a year.
"Experts say it won't distort the market, because it is too small to make any measurable difference," he said.
Labor also pledged $10 million to help social organisations scale up their food production and distribution to keep up with the demand on food banks.
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie labelled the opposition's reply "underwhelming", criticising Mr Miles for spending the majority of his speech condemning the LNP.
"It was an embarrassing budget reply speech with no new initiatives," he told parliament.
"They've got no views for the history, for the future of Queensland."
The budget reply came after the state parliament rammed through laws to ensure Brisbane 2032 venues, including the centrepiece Victoria Park stadium, were exempt from local planning laws.
Games infrastructure will not be subject to 15 planning laws, including environmental and heritage protections, with final sign-off given to the state government not local councils.
Mr Bleijie vowed to have major Olympic projects under construction "pretty soon".
"You're going to see a lot of work in a very short period of time," he said on Thursday.
The new laws also mean energy developers will need to undertake community consultation before renewable project approvals.
The passing of the laws earned the ire of activist group Save Victoria Park, which says the government "closed its ears" to community outrage.
A state opposition has detailed how it will solve the housing crisis after labelling a government's budget a "sad state of affairs".
Queensland Opposition Leader Steven Miles has taken aim at the Liberal National government's first budget since 2014, claiming it lacks vision and duplicates Labor's ideas.
Mr Miles said Labor's 50-cent fares initiative, health checks for kindergarten kids and sports vouchers were all implemented in the LNP budget unveiled on Tuesday.
"It's just a Temu version of what we had planned," he told parliament in his budget reply on Thursday.
"This budget ... lacks vision, it lacks delivery, and it fails to prepare our state for the future.
"It's a sad state of affairs."
Amid a plethora of jabs criticising the LNP for the record $205 billion debt by 2028/29 while lacking cost-of-living relief, Mr Miles put forward the opposition's plan to solve the housing crisis.
Labor proposed extending its land tax concession indefinitely, matching NSW's recent commitment, if the party won the next state election in 2028.
It means land tax will be reduced by 50 per cent for build-to-rent developments that include at least 10 per cent affordable rental homes.
"By extending the land tax concession here in Queensland, we will further cement the Sunshine State as the place to invest," Mr Miles said.
Queensland Labor introduced the concessions in 2023, ensuring they were available for 20 years.
NSW's land tax concessions were set to end in 2039 but were indefinitely extended in its state budget this week to increase investment and supply.
The LNP committed more than $8 billion in the Queensland budget to improve housing, including its landmark "Boost to Buy" program to provide 1000 first-home buyers 30 per cent equity on new builds and 25 per cent on existing.
Mr Miles slammed the signature policy for being too small to make a difference, saying it helped about one per cent of first homebuyers a year.
"Experts say it won't distort the market, because it is too small to make any measurable difference," he said.
Labor also pledged $10 million to help social organisations scale up their food production and distribution to keep up with the demand on food banks.
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie labelled the opposition's reply "underwhelming", criticising Mr Miles for spending the majority of his speech condemning the LNP.
"It was an embarrassing budget reply speech with no new initiatives," he told parliament.
"They've got no views for the history, for the future of Queensland."
The budget reply came after the state parliament rammed through laws to ensure Brisbane 2032 venues, including the centrepiece Victoria Park stadium, were exempt from local planning laws.
Games infrastructure will not be subject to 15 planning laws, including environmental and heritage protections, with final sign-off given to the state government not local councils.
Mr Bleijie vowed to have major Olympic projects under construction "pretty soon".
"You're going to see a lot of work in a very short period of time," he said on Thursday.
The new laws also mean energy developers will need to undertake community consultation before renewable project approvals.
The passing of the laws earned the ire of activist group Save Victoria Park, which says the government "closed its ears" to community outrage.
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Global volatility reflected in the mood of the nation is giving the federal government the necessary social licence to push on with the AUKUS submarine project, the defence minister says. Public trust has been achieved in communities across the nation but it's an ongoing job that requires "constant nurturing", Richard Marles told the Submarine Institute of Australia conference in Perth on Wednesday. "People's heads are in the right place," he said. "People do have a sense of anxiety that the world is a pretty complex and volatile place. "That is how I would describe the mood of the nation, and that does give a basis upon which you can then provide a narrative about why we would be spending a very considerable amount of money on this particular platform." Mr Marles said Australia was providing submissions for the US AUKUS review and was "fully across" its process and timing. The review should "pull no punches" about areas where improvement could be achieved, he said. "Obviously there are areas where we would like to be going faster than we are," he said. "It would be extraordinary to be standing up here and saying everything is tickety-boo. "Things are pretty good, like I really think the glass is more than half full, but there is absolutely room for improvement." Australia continues to take significant, groundbreaking steps in preparation to receive, build and operate nuclear submarines, but the timeline was tight, he said. "I'm acutely aware that a milestone missed now cascades into other milestones becoming much further delayed down the track," Mr Marles said. "So there's a relentless focus right now to make sure we are not letting any milestones slip." The trilateral security pact between Australia, the UK and the US to supply nuclear submarines at an estimated cost of $368 billion has been slammed since it was announced in March 2023. Former prime ministers Malcolm Turnbull and Paul Keating and former Labor foreign minister Gareth Evans are among those who have criticised the deal amid ongoing protest across the nation. The Australian Greens also oppose the pact, along with the members of the Australian Anti-AUKUS Coalition, which is made up of peace, community, environment, social justice, independence, faith and socialist organisations and unions. Global volatility reflected in the mood of the nation is giving the federal government the necessary social licence to push on with the AUKUS submarine project, the defence minister says. Public trust has been achieved in communities across the nation but it's an ongoing job that requires "constant nurturing", Richard Marles told the Submarine Institute of Australia conference in Perth on Wednesday. "People's heads are in the right place," he said. "People do have a sense of anxiety that the world is a pretty complex and volatile place. 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