Federal Opposition leader Bill Shorten will deliver his budget reply in Canberra tonight.

Small business has given the budget a thumbs up, but the Queensland Government fears funding cuts to health and education will put pressure on our state’s economy.

Edwina Seselja reports.

TRANSCRIPT

Queensland Health is bracing itself for a budget back lash, with speculation that jobs will go.

But the government wants to restore confidence and set the record straight.

The Premier says no health workers will lose their jobs, however the Treasurer warns Federal funding cuts won’t go unnoticed.

Curtis Pitt, Queensland Treasurer: “It will mean that we will not be able to hire the number of nurses and doctors and provide the same kinds of services if we see an $11 billion cut from the Federal Government.”

While the state will have to tighten its belt, pensioners are assured their electricity rebates won’t be touched.

Curtis Pitt, Queensland Treasurer: “We will be bringing forward the same figures that were in the previous government’s budget.”

And education is in the firing line with six billion dollars to be cut across Queensland schools.

Kate Jones, Education Minister: “Schools will have to make the tough decisions about cutting speech and drama courses, cutting their musical programs, cutting back their sports programs.

The budget promises $1.1 billion for infrastructure, but the Premier says she’ll believe it when she sees it.

The Opposition Leader says the government’s hiding behind the budget.

John-Paul Langbrock, Qld Opposition Leader: “It’s obvious that the Palaszczuk- Gordon government is just playing politics with the Federal Budget because they don’t have a plan of their own.”

There’s fears of how the budget will impact the arts, but to the delight of Queensland writers, the Premier has restored the State’s Literary Awards which were axed by the previous government.

Edwina Seselja QUT News.