{"id":35407,"date":"2013-06-05T02:25:12","date_gmt":"2013-06-04T16:25:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=35407"},"modified":"2020-12-18T11:59:38","modified_gmt":"2020-12-18T01:59:38","slug":"whats-in-it-for-the-south-burnett","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2013\/06\/05\/whats-in-it-for-the-south-burnett\/","title":{"rendered":"What’s In It For The South Burnett"},"content":{"rendered":"

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June 5, 2013<\/strong><\/p>\n

The South Burnett has enjoyed a few wins from the 2013 Queensland State Budget.<\/p>\n

As expected, $2 million was allocated for the completion of the Kingaroy Ambulance Station project, however a bonus was the announcement of $2.791 million for the construction of new classrooms at Kingaroy State High School.<\/p>\n

Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington said the classrooms were needed as the school was “over-populated”.<\/p>\n

She said that with the number of prep students in the area, this situation would continue unless new classrooms were made available.<\/p>\n

On November 12 last year, southburnett.com.au<\/strong> reported that on Day 8 of the 2012 school year Kingaroy State High School was at 101 per cent capacity, one of 40 Queensland schools “over capacity”.<\/p>\n

Also in the Budget, just over $1.7 million has been allocated to Kingaroy Hospital to upgrade facilities, and $612,000 for an upgrade of the Gordonbrook Dam water treatment plant.<\/p>\n

And allocations for major roads projects throughout the region – many of them previously announced – were confirmed.<\/p>\n

Mrs Frecklington said there was also more assistance announced for indigenous and public rental housing within the Nanango electorate.<\/p>\n

Yallakool Tourist Park would benefit from $100,000 set aside for a new amenities block.<\/p>\n

Mrs Frecklington said the local economy should also receive a boost from the allocation of funds for overhauls of Unit 1 at Tarong North and Unit 3 at Tarong power stations.<\/p>\n

Some of the Budget highlights for the South Burnett included:
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‘A No-Frills Budget’<\/h3>\n

Treasurer Tim Nicholls, above, described the Budget as a “no-frills, no-nonsense” Budget which would foster economic growth.
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\nThe Budget forecast growth for the State of 3 per cent in 2013-14.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s second only, in state terms, to Western Australia and above the national average of 2.75 per cent,\u201d Mr Nicholls said.<\/p>\n

Mr Nicholls said there had been many hard decisions.<\/p>\n

\u201cRevenue forecasts have fallen by $5.3 billion since the government was elected last year,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis Budget includes a write-down in general taxation and royalties of $1.9 billion and a decrease of more than $695 million in GST payments over the forward estimates. For the 2013-14 year the government will record a fiscal deficit of $7.7 billion.<\/p>\n

\u201cGiven the loss of revenue, the current deficit, the rebuilding task and the need to fund new services we\u2019ve made a balanced decision to delay reaching a fiscal surplus in 2014-15.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr Nicholls said the decline in revenue meant the government had to look at some increases in revenue measures.<\/p>\n

These included:<\/strong><\/p>\n