A future Liberal National Party government will expedite infrastructure projects to cope with interstate migration and reform the public service to drive economic growth and cut debt in Queensland.
Opposition Leader David Crisafulli scolded the government's plan to borrow almost $28 billion more to mostly fund day-to-day operations over the next four years.
He says borrowing to fund the deficit won't drive growth or trim the state's 7.7 per cent unemployment rate.
Mr Crisafulli says debt should instead be used to accelerate major projects like roads and dams, to help cope with the 86,000 people forecast to move to Queensland from interstate over the forward estimates.
"This is Queensland's hour of need and it is up to us to answer the call," he told parliament on Thursday.
"Fast-tracking our capital expenditure and partnering with other levels of government is the only cure for a stubbornly high unemployment rate."
Treasurer Cameron Dick said the opposition leader wasn't in a position to lecture anyone about infrastructure.
He said the LNP didn't commit to fast-tracking any of their infrastructure pledges during the October election campaign.
"What an absolute embarrassment for David Crisafulli to say he wants accelerated infrastructure," Mr Dick told reporters.
"This is the crew that said that 'we're going to build that we're going to build the new Bradfield scheme and it was ready to go'.
Mr Crisafulli promised to cut debt by making the public service more decentralised, efficient and focused on delivering customer service.
At the same time, the opposition leader sought to head-off criticism about his role in the former Newman government, which sacked 14,000 public servants.
"Bereft of a plan to manage their finances, this government will attack the decisions of an administration that will be 10 years in the wilderness by the time of the next election, to scare the hard-working men and women of the Queensland public service into not supporting values and beliefs," he said.
Deputy Premier Steven Miles accused the LNP of having learned nothing from the Newman government's election defeat and to be dusting off the "ideology of austerity".
"I reckon that speech was more Campbell Newman than even Campbell Newman could have been," he said.
Mr Crisafulli promised to "unshackle the mining industry" and boost public-private investment in education, training and technology.
He said a future LNP government would promote regional cities as headquarters for mining, tourism or agriculture firms
"While we continue to face trying times, we must prepare for the time when a vaccine against COVID-19 will be rolled out," Mr Crisafulli said.
"We must begin preparing the groundwork now for the construction of necessary infrastructure, the investigation of incentives to promote business growth and the possibility of industry relocation to accommodate changing patterns of work."
"This fresh approach is vital to ensure that we are able to capitalise on changing circumstances."
Australian Associated Press
