SNAP POLL: Queensland Government $1250 one-off bonus

[ozbob]

Couriermail.com.au------> Two important infrastructure projects could have gotten the go-ahead.

$250m Qld public servant bonuses could have funded major rail projects

It's not only farmers who could have benefited from the $250 million doled out as bonuses to public servants — two important infrastructure projects could have gotten the go-ahead.

Farmers slam Qld govt's cash bonus scheme

A NEW congestion-busting and job-creating rail line could have been built for southeast Queensland with $250 million instead being splashed on public servant bonuses.

As anger builds over the $1250 payments to public servants earning up to $122,000, The Courier-Mail can reveal two rail lines labelled as "priority projects" by Infrastructure Australia could have been funded with the money.

The next stage of Gold Coast light rail and the Sunshine Coast rail duplication are both stalled due to a funding fight between the state and federal governments.

But either shovel-ready project could have broken ground for the same amount being doled out to public servants.

Despite state and federal funding commitments, light rail stage 3A from Broadbeach to Burleigh Heads is short by $270 million and the Beerburrum to Nambour line needs $230 million to go ahead.

The State Government is arguing the Commonwealth has short-changed the state and needs to tip in the shortfall.

It comes as Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk defended the taxpayer-funded handouts — which come on top of a "responsible" 2.5 per cent pay boost — after Treasurer Jackie Trad insisting the move was about driving economic growth.

She said the pay rise was in line with other states and the bonuses were factored into the Budget.

"Let's be very clear here, we're talking about our nurses, our fireys, our teachers," she said.

"Are people saying that the fireys don't deserve this?"

The Government maintains 91.4 per cent of its workforce are in "frontline and frontline support roles", but there is no list of jobs defined as "frontline support".

The Courier-Mail revealed this year that of 4391 public servants expected to join the ranks in 2019-20, only 61 per cent are in what the Government lists as key frontline positions - teachers, teacher aids, nurses, health practitioners, doctors, paramedics and police officers.

Infrastructure Association of Queensland chief executive Priscilla Radice said building infrastructure was a real economic stimulus.

"As a principle, I would like to see money going into infrastructure more broadly," she said.

"We believe investment in economic-enabling infrastructure stimulates the economy.

"It provides jobs ... (and) ensures that we can deliver on population growth and it's population growth that drives economic growth."

"It keeps companies working in Queensland and people in jobs and we have to support private sector jobs."

She said both rail lines were key projects that must go ahead as southeast Queensland was "rail light" and poorly connected, but road networks also needed upgrading.

Public servants earning up to $122,000 will be paid a $1250 bonus.
Meanwhile, pensioners joined the chorus of farmers, builders and economists who suggested the money could have been better spent.

Australian Pensioners and Superannuants League state secretary Cherith Weis said her members would have preferred to see rego rises capped or utility subsidies increased.

"I mean the first I knew about it was when I grabbed the paper on Sunday on the way home from church," she said.

"I think it's outlandish, I really do."

She said she didn't see how the money would boost the economy, as claimed.

"I can't see how and I've been around for a while and I just can't see the reasoning," she said.

^ Looks like CM picked up on our release. Good.

It's not a stimulus - the money would have been spent anyway.

And on something that has a positive BCR and benefits for everyone, not just members of the Retail Association / Lobby.

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 25th September 2019 page 17

Aghast over bonuses

[ozbob]

TransLink are keen to do bus service improvements but keep getting stymied by a Government that has lost the plot. I am pleased the comment about funding TransLink for bus service improvements made the cut! They deserve and will get our support.

This (bus service improvement) will have a good effect on the everyday battler and actually help politically. 

I think some of the present crop of staffers/advisers and the like are in different place from you and me. Dumber then dumb!!

[#Metro]

I think some of the present crop of staffers/advisers and the like are in different place from you and me. Dumber then dumb!!

It's good we said something. We are not the only ones it seems!

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Jeffrey_Addison/status/1176988133558083584

[James]

Absolute disgraceful to be giving away money like this.

What would actually help the economy is investing the $250m in infrastructure. Not only does it provide economic stimulus, jobs and ease congestion, but it has positive economic benefits post-spend. $250m to public servants simply washes through the economy and doesn't have any significant long-term impact. Sure, it is a short-term sugar hit to the economy, but it is better to be giving the long-term boost which infrastructure projects provide.

If, for whatever reason, the government was concerned about 'crowding out' the infrastructure sphere with another project, there are plenty of small front-line investments - including more BUZ services - which would have been incredibly welcome. $50m over 5 years would have had a much better impact than $250m over 3 months.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Opinion: Public service bonus scheme a political disadvantage

Aside from being economically reckless, it's hard to pinpoint why the Palaszczuk Government might think a $1250 bonus for the state's public servants is politically advantageous, writes Steven Wardill.

IT says much about the Palaszczuk Government's $1250 bonus for public servants that Jackie Trad announced it just as she was jetting out on another international trade mission.

Even the Queensland Treasurer is sheepish about this extraordinarily irresponsible approach towards spending public monies, it seems.

The Government originally claimed the handouts were in response to recent comments from Reserve Bank Governor Philip Lowe about the need to stimulate the economy through better public sector wage outcomes.

However, to fend off claims it would have to siphon off the cash from other areas, the Government insisted this wasn't true because the spending was secreted in the budget a few months back, before Lowe's comments.

The Government did not mention how much the bonus scheme would cost Queenslanders in its initial media release and went onto claim a precise calculation was impossible.

However, surely a figure similar to the amount supposedly budgeted for would suffice?

The bonuses will be paid to every non-executive public servant whose wage agreement rolls over between March 31 last year and March 30, 2021.

So given every agreement rolls over in that period and the current public sector headcount is somewhere in the vicinity of 272,000, that means the policy could cost Queenslanders about $340 million.

Aside from being epically reckless, it's hard to pinpoint why the Palaszczuk Government might think this handout is politically advantageous.

Every time a minister whines about how Queensland needs more federal funds, the question will be asked why did you waste so much money on handouts?

Other workers aren't exactly going to be impressed.

As one Labor figure put it, the scheme is "another piece of arrogance from Trad that creates haves and have nots". "My neighbour drivers a courier van and hasn't had a pay rise in seven years but no $1250 for him," they said.

That hardly seem fair.

And for the Palaszczuk administration that's the biggest problem.

[Stillwater]

Hey Jacki Trad, stop the bonus to public servants and give firefighters $4000 each.  Many volunteers have gone without pay to protect property and lives.