The budget promised “no frills” and “fiscal responsibility” but what’s in it for us?

Unfortunately not much if you live in Queensland.

Bridget Backhaus reports.

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TRANSCRIPT

It may have been a triumph for Labor’s “economic conservative” image, but this year’s budget has won them no friends in the Sunshine State.

Opposition leader John Paul Langbroek says Canberra’s tightening of the purse strings will put the state in a stranglehold.

With the huge new taxes for the resource sector tipped to outweigh any benefits of the skills training package.

John-Paul Langbroek, Queensland Opposition Leader: “This was supposedly a close relationship between a Queensland Prime Minister, a Queensland treasurer and a Queensland Premier Anna Bligh where they would work together closely for the sake of Queensland.”

The budget was made even more boring for Queensland commuters with key infrastructure projects, like the Northern Link Tunnel and Kingsford Smith Drive, missing out on extra federal funding.

Gary Fites, RACQ Spokesman: “There wasn’t any genuinely new funding for roads in Queensland. This was a belt-tightening budget for the federal Government and I’m afraid Queensland motorists feel the squeeze.”

But Queensland’s Treasurer found a positive spin at this morning’s post-budget breakfast the predicted early return to surplus is expected to have a knock-on effect on our own state budget.

Andrew Fraser, Queensland Treasurer: “I think what we’ve got is a pretty responsible budget and for a Government that is interested in responsible economic management, we can give it a tick.”

We’ll have to wait until June to see if OUR state budget is more generous.

Bridget Backhaus, QUT News