2026-27 State Budget report
This week we attended State Parliament as Treasurer David Janetzki handed down the 2026-27 Queensland Budget. We’ve identified some key positives and negatives, and we’ll expand the detail as more becomes available. You can read our longer analysis of funding for protected areas and the Great Barrier Reef below.
The Crisafulli Government continues to pour money into our state’s ageing coal fired power station fleet, with around $1.8 billion earmarked to keep them running. The Queensland Critical Minerals Fund will receive an additional $100 million in this financial year, and the unnecessary and reckless plan to encourage oil production in the Taroom Trough will be funded with $19 million.
It appears there is no new money in this budget for renewable energy, but Queensland will continue to receive income from mining royalties.
- Read the full budget papers
- Read the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation’s Service Delivery Statement (PDF 1.4mb)
Positives
$111.3 million over 2 years for protected area acquisition in a new program called Growing World Class Protected Areas and Ecotourism, with $57.8 million to be spent in 2026-27. This is welcome and necessary to help the government reach its own target of 1.8 million hectares of new protected areas in its first term.
$330.5 million in total has been allocated for the Queensland Reef and Catchment Water Quality Program. This program will manage pollutant and sediment run-off, improving water quality on the Great Barrier Reef.
Queensland will continue to receive income from mining royalties - $4.8 billion this financial year - despite industry attempts to rip them up. Our view is these royalties are important to ensure Qld communities get their fair share from mining, but should be invested in assisting the state in a transition to renewable energy, as well as community resilience to cope with the impact of climate change.
Negatives
An additional $100 million this financial year for The Queensland Critical Minerals Fund, and the government will invest $46 million over three years to bring minerals projects online sooner.
$19 million to encourage oil exploration and drilling, particularly in the Taroom Trough and Cooper-Eromanga Basin, and expand local capacity for more drilling, refining, and storage.
$1.8 billion for continued operation of Queensland’s increasingly unreliable coal fired power stations, and no new money in this budget for renewable energy.
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