Ongoing investment to improve liveability and sustainability of our communities and support our great Queensland lifestyle.

The Queensland Government is continuing to deliver the economic and social infrastructure needed to support a growing Queensland.  

By keeping Queenslanders connected, unlocking development, and making it easier to do business, investments in infrastructure are boosting Queensland’s productivity and competitiveness and supporting job creation and industry development across the state.

This includes significant investments to support the transformation of the state’s energy system and deliver infrastructure projects across Queensland’s regions. These investments are strengthening the resilience of our communities, supporting growth, and improving liveability.

$89 billion record 4 year capital program

The Queensland Government is in the midst of a building boom, with a record 4-year capital program of $88.729 billion. 

In 2023–24, the government’s capital program will directly support around 58,000 jobs, creating generational change and providing first-class facilities for all Queenslanders.

This Budget continues to deliver on the Queensland Government’s $50 billion Infrastructure Guarantee, and is investing in new and ongoing projects, including:

• the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan and supporting investments across renewables, storage and network infrastructure to achieve renewable energy targets of 50 per cent by 2030, 70 per cent by 2032 and 80 per cent by 2035 and deliver clean, reliable and affordable power for generations
• vital water projects, such as the $983 million Fitzroy to Gladstone water pipeline to deliver water security to the Gladstone region to support current and future industries
• the infrastructure required to deliver a world-class Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, including redevelopment of the Brisbane Cricket Ground – the Gabba
• boosting the QuickStarts Queensland program target by 500 homes, to increase the pipeline to 3,265 social housing commencements by 30 June 2025
• provision of schools and facilities to help our children succeed, including $968 million over 10 years to establish a strategic land acquisition fund, $358 million over 4 years for new general and specialist learning spaces, and increased funding of $259 million over 3 years to expand the school halls program, which provides for new or upgrade hall facilities, covered outdoor areas and performing arts facilities.

Supporting the regions

This Budget will invest $13.308 billion in 2023–24 in projects outside of the Greater Brisbane region, supporting around 38,500 jobs.

In the 2022–23 Budget Update, the government committed to utilise the uplift in royalty revenue to fund $4 billion in productivity-enhancing investments across regional Queensland. This will support investments across energy, water, and port sectors for projects which will underpin Queensland’s future economic prosperity. In this Budget, the government is providing an additional $6 billion in funding for the Borumba Pumped Hydro Energy Storage project. This brings the government’s total commitment to regional investments to $10 billion, and includes:

• $1.06 billion towards CopperString 2032, which will support the construction of the 1,100‑kilometre transmission line from Townsville to Mount Isa
• $7 billion for state-owned, large scale, long-duration pumped hydro, including $6 billion for the Borumba project over the construction period and $1 billion for the Pioneer-Burdekin project
• $550 million towards the Fitzroy to Gladstone water pipeline, enabling long-term water security to the region
• $500 million for CleanCo to support a 2.3-gigawatt portfolio of wind and solar projects in Central Queensland
• $440 million towards Sunwater’s Burdekin Falls Dam Improvement and Raising Project, improving and raising the dam by 2 metres to further support water security, noting this is on top of the existing $100 million commitment towards the project
• $300 million for CS Energy to pursue investments in new wind projects and energy firming options to support future industrial decarbonisation in Central Queensland
• $100 million for Gladstone Port Corporation’s Northern Land Expansion project, subject to approvals, supporting the release of additional land at Gladstone Port and the development of renewable energy and other industries
• $50 million for the replacement of North Queensland Bulk Ports’ Bowen Wharf, with the plans, designs and approvals subject to further consultation with stakeholders.

As well as the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan, key projects in rural and regional Queensland include continued construction of the Rookwood Weir and Mount Crosby Flood Resilience Program, delivery of the Toowoomba to Warwick Pipeline project, building new regional hospitals and schools, courthouse upgrades, continued delivery of the Port of Townsville Channel Capacity Upgrade, and expansion of the Cairns Marine Precinct.

Providing a strong transport network

Given the geographical size of Queensland, a strong transport network is vital to supporting our communities and industries.  

Key regional transport projects supported by the 2023–24 Budget include:

• the ongoing Bruce Highway Upgrade Program, which includes $1 billion to construct Cooroy to Curra (Section D), $662.5 million to upgrade the Bruce Highway between Caboolture−Bribie Island Road and Steve Irwin Way, $350 million to construct a new road to connect the Bruce Highway with Mackay−Slade Point Road, and $336 million towards a bypass of Tiaro
• construction of Stage 3 of the Gold Coast Light Rail, which will connect to the existing Gold Coast Light Rail network (from Helensvale to Broadbeach South), delivering a 6.7-kilometre extension from Broadbeach South to Burleigh Heads and providing 8 additional stations
• providing for the Logan and Gold Coast Faster Rail (Kuraby to Beenleigh) upgrade, with a plan to increase the number of tracks between Kuraby and Beenleigh from 2 to 4 tracks, with modernised rail systems, station upgrades and level crossing removals along this 20-kilometre corridor
• establishing the Queensland Train Manufacturing Program (QTMP), which will build 65 new 6-car passenger trains at a purpose-built manufacturing facility at Torbanlea, in the Maryborough region, as well as construct a new rail facility at Ormeau, in the Gold Coast region.  The QTMP will support South East Queensland’s population and economic growth, as well as Cross River Rail and the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The Queensland Transport and Roads Investment Program (QTRIP) is a 4-year program, released annually, outlining current and planned investments in transport infrastructure. QTRIP spans road, rail, bus, cycling and marine infrastructure on freight, commuter and recreational networks.  The program of works detailed in QTRIP represents a $32.1 billion investment over the 4 years from 2023−24 to 2026−27.

Further details on QTRIP are available at www.tmr.qld.gov.au by searching for QTRIP.

Building better – Disaster recovery and resilience

Queensland has experienced a significant number of natural disasters in recent years, including devastating floods and cyclones.  Queenslanders are resilient.  We rally together and recover from these challenging events.  The Queensland Government is supporting communities with their recovery, but also investing to reduce the impacts of future events.

With the number of disasters experienced in Queensland each year predicted to rise, the focus of the Queensland Betterment Fund is on creating stronger, more resilient Queensland communities, and reducing future rebuilding costs. Jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments, the Queensland Betterment Fund was established in 2013 following Severe Tropical Cyclone Oswald.  Since 2013, more than 520 projects valued at over $263 million across 70 local government areas have been approved.

The South East Queensland floods in 2021–22 caused damage to almost 7,000 homes and was one of the state’s most devastating disasters.  In response, the Australian and Queensland Governments have established the Resilient Homes Fund, which now totals $761.6 million following a $20.6 million boost in this budget jointly funded by the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements Efficiencies.  Under this program, Queenslanders whose homes were damaged by flooding can register to be considered for 3 program options: Resilient Retrofit, Home Raising or Voluntary Home Buy-Back. To date, over 100 flood-impacted home settlements have now been finalised, allowing homeowners who were affected by the floods to sell their home for pre‑flood value and move to safer ground.

The Queensland Government, in partnership with the Australian Government, is continuing to support impacted communities in the 2023–24 Budget with $152 million, including $60 million held centrally, from the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements committed to deliver a suite of initiatives to enhance Queensland’s disaster recovery and resilience, including the Bundaberg Levee and uplift to the Resilience Homes Fund.