2022/23 Queensland Budget delivers for sport, tourism and environment

June 22, 2022

The Queensland Government’s 2022-23 budget has allocated more than $408.5 million for tourism, innovation and sport; $262.5 million to expand the state’s network of environemental protected areas; and more than $190 million to prepare for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Queensland Tourism, Innovation and Sport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe notes “the 2022-23 Budget will fund immediate measures to start future-proofing Queensland’s visitor economy, including $4 million over two years for First Nations Tourism and $20 million over three years for Queensland Music Trails.

“Visitors come to Queensland to enjoy our great lifestyle and the 2022-23 Budget will help protect and enhance our iconic assets while building a stronger, post-pandemic tourism industry, including $15 million over two years for the Tourism Experience Development Fund.”

A two-year, $22 million investment in the budget will support priority ecotourism and cultural attractions, including support to rebuild Binna Burra Lodge.

The Act Eco initiative receives $5 million to activate low-impact ecotourism infrastructure near state forests, timber reserves and national parks.

Minister Hinchliffe adds “we’ll also enhance tourism opportunities near Lamington National Park and support the expansion of Caboolture’s Abbey Museum and the Abbey Medieval Festival (pictured above).

The 2022-23 Budget will support Queenslanders to leverage opportunity and legacy from the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“Queensland’s two golden decades of unrivalled opportunity before and after the 2032 Games have started and are transforming the state before our eyes,” Minister Hinchliffe said.

“We’re investing in sport, from community club infrastructure and gameday support to building games legacies, developing sport-tech, and discovering and nurturing elite Queensland athletes with You For 2032.”

The 2022-23 Budget commits an extra $80.2 million over three years to Activate! Queensland 2019-2029, bringing the total allocation to $394 million to help Queenslanders stay active more often.

Environment a key pillar in the Queensland Budget

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said her government would make the single largest investment ever, $262.5 million, to expand the state’s network of protected areas with the investment going towards creating new national parks and supporting the 17,000 jobs that rely on the tourism our protected areas generate.

QLD Environment and Great Barrier Reef Minister Meaghan Scanlon added “This funding will allow us to buy more land and improve visitor infrastructure that will support our nature-based tourism industry, especially with the Olympics just around the corner.

Minister Scanlon said the injection for national parks and protected areas joins ongoing funding announced in last year’s budget like $270.1 million for the Great Barrier Reef, as well as $60 million for round two of the Land Restoration Fund.

It builds on close to $40 million announced earlier this month for the protection of threatened species, including the koala.

As part of the war on waste, Minister Scanlon said $291 million had been allocated in the first tranche of its broader 10-year, $1.1 billion Recycling and Jobs Fund, while $672 million would be provided to councils to ensure no direct cost to households from the waste levy.

Together with ongoing investments like the $2 billion Renewable Energy Fund, Minister Scanlon said the budget would also see an additional $32 million allocated towards community-focused climate action.

“More than $10 billion has been invested in Queensland renewables since 2015,” she said.

“That’s driven dozens of major projects like the Macintyre Wind Farm, the country’s largest wind farm.

“But communities want to play their part too, which is why we’re locking in more than $30 million to deliver local emission reduction projects.

“That funding will also help drive better science and modelling so we can seize the opportunities in Queensland to accelerate emissions reduction and more jobs in more industries.

“Together with more renewable energy and this new investment, we’re taking action on climate.”

Brisbane 2032 planning and investment underway

Queensland’s preparation for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games is progressing with more than $190 million in State Budget funding for infrastructure planning and development, and a targeted strategy to improve sports performance.

Premier Palaszczuk said $100 million would be allocated over four years to enhance and build new high-performance sports infrastructure in schools through the Go for Gold Fund.

"We see thousands of kids running around in Queensland high schools every day that could be Olympic champions one day, and this funding will go a long way to make their Brisbane 2032 dreams come true,” the Premier said.

The Premier said around $59 million would also be allocated to staff, supplies and services, including for the newly formed Olympic Infrastructure and Precincts Office.

“The more time we have to adequately plan for Brisbane 2032, the bigger the pay-off for Queensland,” she said.

“This funding will help us effectively progress planning, design and delivery of critical infrastructure which will support south-east Queensland’s long-term growth.”

The budget also invests $31.4 million in the Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS) to ensure Queensland athletes will be able to compete with the best in the world.

QLD Education Minister Grace Grace said thousands of students would have access to first-rate sporting infrastructure as part of the Go for Gold Fund.

“We know active kids are happy kids, and we want to encourage as many students as possible to get involved in sport at their school,” Minister Grace said.

“Our students of today will be the Olympians of 2032, and we’re going to be behind them every step of the way.

“This program is going to be great for communities too, as we will prioritise investment to encourage community use of school facilities.”

Other 2022-23 Budget highlights include:

$186.1 million over four years for Stadium Queensland’s day-to-day operations and ongoing maintenance expenses, and $68.1 million to maintain its $2.9 billion facilities portfolio ahead of Brisbane 2032
Funding to support the delivery of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023
$3.5 million over three years for the highly successful Great Barrier Reef Education Experience for Queensland school students

For more information about the Queensland Budget visit budget.qld.gov.au.

Images from top: Sleeman Sports Complex.$186.1 million over four years for Stadium Queensland’s day-to-day operations and ongoing maintenance expenses, and $68.1 million to maintain its $2.9 billion facilities portfolio ahead of Brisbane 2032. Credit: Stadiums Queensland via Activate! Queensland 2019-2029; Abbey Medieval Festival Credit: Visit Brisbane. The Budget enhances tourism opportunities near Lamington National Park and support the expansion of Caboolture’s Abbey Museum and the Abbey Medieval Festival; The Budget builds on close to $40 million announced earlier this month for the protection of threatened species, including the koala; Gold Coast Aquatic Centre -the budget also invests $31.4 million in the Queensland Academy of Sport

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