by Ashleigh Nikolich | Jun 29, 2026 | Industry News, Quantity Surveying
Queensland Budget 2026–27 – A Record Capital Program Reshaping the State’s Built Environment
The Queensland Government has handed down its 2026–27 Budget, and for those of us in construction, infrastructure and development, the scale of investment is unprecedented. This year’s program is centred on capacity, resilience, population growth and long term economic productivity — and it sets a clear direction for the next decade of work across the state.
Below is a concise summary of the major capital works shaping Queensland’s pipeline.
A Record Capital Program
- $119.241B invested over four years — the largest capital program in Queensland’s history.
- $29.616B in 2026–27 alone, supporting 71,500 jobs.
- 69.3% of capital investment directed outside Greater Brisbane, supporting 48,500 regional jobs.
This is a deliberate shift toward statewide economic resilience and regional capacity building.
Health Infrastructure – Record $4.04B
A historic investment to expand frontline services and deliver the Hospital Rescue Plan, including:
- New and expanded hospitals across growth regions.
- Major upgrades to critical care, emergency and specialist facilities.
- Strengthening rural and regional health infrastructure to improve service access and reduce patient travel.
This is the largest single‑year health capital investment Queensland has ever made.
Transport & Mobility – $11.165B
Transport remains the backbone of the capital program, with investment spanning roads, rail and 2032‑related infrastructure:
- The $9B Bruce Highway Targeted Safety Program.
- Continued delivery of Cross River Rail.
- Major population‑growth projects including:
- The Wave
- Mooloolah River Interchange (Sunshine Coast)
- Faster Rail to the Gold Coast
- Coomera Connector
- Gold Coast Transport Plan
- Significant upgrades across the state’s road network to improve safety, freight efficiency and regional connectivity.
Education Infrastructure – $1.457B
Investment to meet enrolment growth and modern learning requirements:
- New schools in high‑growth corridors.
- Upgrades and expansions to existing schools.
- Continued rollout of the $325M TAFE Centres of Excellence program
Energy & Decarbonisation – Over $5B
State‑owned energy businesses are investing heavily to deliver the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan, including:
- $420M to progress CopperString.
- $501.1M for the Gladstone Project.
- $1.8B over five years under the Electricity Maintenance Guarantee to maintain generation assets.
This is a major step toward a more reliable, renewable and resilient energy system.
Ports, Water & Resilience
- $164.5M invested by state‑owned ports to support trade and economic growth.
- $276.2M for dam improvement programs (Sunwater, Seqwater, Gladstone Area Water Board).
- $20.7M to progress planning for the Barlil and Cooranga Weirs.
- $1.523B for disaster reconstruction and betterment works through the Queensland Reconstruction Authority.
These investments strengthen water security, flood resilience and long‑term asset reliability.
Housing & Social Infrastructure
To address ongoing housing pressures, the Government has committed:
- $1.024B over five years to expand the Housing Investment Pipeline.
- A record $5.725B four‑year capital program for social and community housing.
- Delivery of 53,500 social and community homes by 2044, including youth foyers, domestic violence shelters and remote community housing.
2032 Delivery Plan – $765M
Investment in world‑class venues, precincts, villages and legacy infrastructure to support the 2032 Olympic Games — with a focus on long‑term community benefit and urban renewal.
Safety, Justice & Community Infrastructure
- New and upgraded police facilities.
- Delivery of the Woodford Youth Detention Centre.
- $67.9M Domestic & Family Violence Courthouse Improvements Program.
- $2.387B for additional adult prison capacity.
What this means for Queensland’s built environment
The 2026–27 Budget sets the stage for one of the most significant infrastructure delivery periods in Queensland’s history. For builders, consultants, engineers and developers, this means:
- A sustained, multi‑sector pipeline across health, transport, energy, housing and justice.
- Strong regional demand and workforce mobilisation.
- Increased pressure on supply chains, capability and delivery certainty.
- A premium on organisations that can scale, collaborate and innovate.
- Commencement of the infrastructure spend on Games Venues and associated infrastructure
- Increased pressure on construction resources as the projects move in to construction phase
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by Ashleigh Nikolich | Jun 29, 2026 | Industry News, Quantity Surveying
The government positions this as the most ambitious tax and savings reform package in decades, aiming to rebalance the system toward workers while tightening concessions for property investors.
Five Budget Themes
- Major Tax Reform
- $250 tax offset for 13m workers
- CGT discount replaced with indexation + 30% minimum tax
- Negative gearing restricted to new builds
- 30% minimum tax on discretionary trusts CCM: These changes risk reducing rental supply and increasing rents by up to 30% over 3 years
- Record Savings Package
- $63.8B gross savings
- Real spending growth capped at 1.5%
- $37.8B NDIS sustainability reforms CCM: Savings are gross, not net; long‑term debt still rises. Vulnerable groups risk being left behind
- Cost‑of‑Living Relief
- $250 offset
- Cheaper medicines
- Fuel excise relief CCM: Relief is modest and largely offsets inflation rather than improving affordability
- Housing Affordability & Supply
- 65,000 homes unlocked via enabling infrastructure
- Tax settings favour new supply CCM: 65,000 homes over 10 years is insufficient; delivery impact won’t be felt for 4–5 years
- Resilience in a Volatile World
- $14.8B fuel resilience
- Gas reservation
- Critical minerals support
Productivity & Freight Efficiency
“Freight and commuter bottlenecks are a hard cap on non‑inflationary growth.”
Key Investments
- $1.75B freight rail upgrades + ARTC $2.8B
- Inland Rail reset (Melbourne–Parkes by 2027)
- $812.5M Bruce Highway Stage 2 (QLD)
- $552M Anketell Road (WA)
- $50M Sydney–Canberra rail + business case
Property Market Impacts
- Industrial land uplift along freight corridors
- Stronger logistics demand (double‑stack freight Melbourne–Perth)
- SEQ growth strengthened ahead of 2032
- WA export chain efficiency boosts industrial precincts
- Canberra corridor gains long‑term strategic value
CCM Commentary
- Inland Rail reset improves fiscal discipline but reduces long‑term national freight capacity.
- Rail transport remains critical; partial cancellation weakens future supply chain resilience.
Defence Infrastructure — A Structural Growth Sector
Key Investments
- $53B increase over 10 years
- $12B Henderson shipyard (WA)
- $6.8B National Defence Strategy & IIP
Property Impacts
- Industrial land demand in WA, SA, NT, QLD
- Workforce housing pressure in defence regions
- Long‑term precinct development around shipbuilding and sustainment
CCM Commentary
- Defence spending is expected to rise further due to global instability and AUKUS commitments.
Fuel Security & Energy Transition Realism
Key Investments
- $10B fuel security package
- 1B litre government‑owned reserve
- 50‑day minimum stockholding
- $1.1B Cleaner Fuels Program
Property Impacts
- Port‑adjacent industrial land becomes more strategic
- Tank farms, storage, and pipelines drive specialised construction demand
CCM Commentary
- A reactive response to the Middle East conflict highlights Australia’s vulnerability without local refineries.
Housing‑Enabling Infrastructure
Key Investments
- $2B enabling infrastructure to unlock 65,000 homes
- $500M environmental approvals streamlining
- 25% of funding reserved for regional Australia
Property Impacts
- Supports medium‑density and greenfield feasibility
- Reduces holding costs
- Unlocks stalled projects (power, water, sewer, roads, drainage)
CCM Commentary
- $2B over 10 years is modest; impact will take 4–5 years to materialise.
- Does not meaningfully address current supply shortages or workforce constraints.
Local Infrastructure & Active Transport
Key Investments
- $750M Thriving Suburbs & Growing Regions
- $2.9B Financial Assistance Grants (brought forward)
- $500M Active Transport Fund expansion
Property Impacts
- Supports density and mixed‑use precincts
- Enhances walkability and liveability
- Accelerates council‑led infrastructure delivery
CCM Commentary
- Positive for urban design, cycling infrastructure, and public realm specialists.
- Councils gain earlier cashflow, improving project sequencing.
Roads & Skills
Key Investments
- $8.87B road investment (2026–27)
- $954M Roads to Recovery
- $250M Safer Local Roads
- $325M TAFE Centres of Excellence
Property Impacts
- Supports regional growth corridors
- Reduces congestion for new communities
- Skills shortages remain a binding constraint
CCM Commentary
- Labour scarcity will continue to drive escalation and delivery delays.
Market Outlook for Property Professionals
Industrial & Logistics
- Strongest beneficiary
- Freight, defence, fuel security = multi‑cycle demand
- Yields likely to tighten in strategic corridors
Residential
- Feasibility improves where enabling infrastructure is funded
- Tax reform pushes investors toward new builds
- Regional markets strengthened
Commercial
- Indirect uplift via transport and workforce access
- Defence precincts create niche demand
Regional Markets
- WA, QLD, SA, NT major winners
- Freight and defence corridors drive decentralisation
Risks & Watchpoints
- Labour scarcity (high)
- Cost escalation (high)
- Procurement congestion (medium)
- Political durability (medium)
- Utilities sequencing (high)
- Supply chain volatility (medium)
Strategic Takeaways
- Industrial is the standout asset class
- Housing feasibility improves where infrastructure is funded
- Regional markets gain structural tailwinds
- Developers should reassess staging
- Construction cost pressures will persist
- Precinct‑based planning will outperform
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by Ashleigh Nikolich | May 11, 2026 | Industry News, Quantity Surveying
This Budget acknowledges the real challenges that Victorians are facing.
- Making healthcare easier to get by opening a new community hospital and supporting services at 3 others, and providing young families with better paediatric and maternity services.
- Investing in our kids’ future by continuing to fund kinder and building schools for a great education closer to home.
- Keeping communities safe with increased resources for Victoria Police and more PSOs, delivering serious consequences for violent crime, and boosting the Violence Reduction Unit to stop crime before it starts.
This Budget confirms a budget surplus of more than $700 million for 2025-26 and maintains operating surpluses over the forward estimates.
In the last 6 years, business investment is up 44%, with 123,000 new businesses opening in Victoria and more than 646,000 jobs created. Amid global economic challenges and unrest, the Victorian economy will continue to grow. That growth will be supported by the rapid rise of cutting-edge technologies creating new solutions to old ways of working.
This Budget continues to build for the future, with $4.4 billion total estimated investment (TEI) added to the Government’s infrastructure program.
Government Infrastructure Investment (GII) is projected to be $21.4 billion in 2025-26 before averaging $16.5 billion over the budget and forward estimates.
Property
This Budget also extends concessions for buying off-the-plan, which saves home buyers money and supports housing supply.
This Budget also invests $97 million to continue delivering housing reform and improving confidence in the building industry. This includes $16 million to protect consumers and raise standards in the building industry through the implementation of registration and licensing requirements.
Public Transport
- $318 million for maintenance and safety upgrades that will help the regional passenger rail network run more reliably
- $92 million to improve train services, including running up to nine daily services on the Shepparton Line, increasing capacity on the Wyndham Vale Line with larger trains, and uplift services along the six lines that run through Clifton Hill and Burnley
- $76 million to take the next steps towards electrification of the Melton Line
- $7.5 million to make the public transport network, cycling facilities and walking paths safer and more accessible.
Healthcare
This Budget also invests $284 million to open and operate hospitals – making it easier to get free public healthcare in your community – as well as supporting and expanding emergency departments. This includes:
- $95 million for Werribee Mercy Hospital emergency department expansion
- $45 million to open expanded acute care capacity at Angliss Hospital
- $35 million to uplift Cranbourne Community Hospital
- $34 million to uplift Craigieburn Community Hospital
- $20 million to uplift University Hospital Geelong paediatric emergency department
- $19 million to open Pakenham Community Hospital
- $7.1 million to operate the new PET scanner at Goulburn Valley Health
- $2.8 million for services at Mernda Community Hospital, building on the recent $25 million investment to open it
- $2 million to support early transition work at the New Melton Hospital.
Regional Health
- $75 million for the Regional Health Infrastructure Fund, for projects ranging from operating theatre refurbishments to equipment upgrades
- $35 million for new and upgraded medical equipment in operating theatres, emergency departments, surgical wards, intensive care units and neonatal and maternity services across our public hospitals
- $20 million to continue upgrading and replacing engineering infrastructure at hospitals across Victoria
- $15 million to upgrade equipment and renew, reconfigure and refurbish metropolitan health services’ infrastructure.
Aged Care
- $36 million to sustain public sector residential aged care services
- $17 million to deliver hospital care at residential aged care facilities, allowing older Victorians to be cared for in their own home and reducing annual hospital presentations by almost 30,000
- $15 million to support changes requiring nurses to administer medication in non-government aged care, delivering higher-quality care
- $7.5 million to upgrade Victoria’s public sector residential aged care facilities
- $5.1 million to continue reducing delays in hospital discharge for older patients without decision-making capacity.
Mental Health
- $30 million for new and existing mental health Hospital in the Home beds to enable more people to access home-based acute inpatient mental health care
- $6.5 million for the prevention of suicide initiatives
- $5.4 million to continue the Youth Outreach and Recovery Service, Victoria’s dedicated statewide outreach service for young people with complex mental health challenges
- $4.9 million to support Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals and Hubs so they can keep delivering free care for anyone who needs it.
Education
- $552 million for school building maintenance and compliance, delivering high-quality spaces for learning, including to make school buildings more accessible for students and staff with disabilities
- $295 million to upgrade 31 schools across Victoria, including upgrades to visual and performing arts spaces, sports facilities and learning spaces
- $217 million for modular classrooms to provide flexible spaces for learning at schools where they’re needed including at Broadford Secondary College
- $104 million to acquire land for new schools and new campuses, including in Cardinia, Greater Geelong, Melbourne, Hume, Mitchell and Wyndham
- $25 million for minor works such as upgrading bathrooms and fixing roofs
- $22 million to begin planning for future new schools.
- $95 million to upgrade nine schools across Regional Victoria.
Police / Correction Centres and Court Services
- $229 million to increase capacity in the corrections system, including youth justice, ensuring we have the facilities to hold offenders accountable and keep the community safe
- $125 million for 40 new forensic mental health beds at Thomas Embling Hospital
- $117 million for a specialised, fast-tracked youth court list in the County Court, meaning alleged youth crime matters will be heard faster
- $11 million for maintenance, repair and renewal works of courts across the state
CFA
- $26 million to build new Country Fire Authority (CFA) stations at Charlton and Woodvale, in Central Victoria, Mirboo North, in South Gippsland, and Kingston, in the Central Highlands.
Sports & Cultural
- $29 million to continue the delivery of the Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation project, including Arts Centre Melbourne and the National Gallery of Victoria
- $27 million to attract new international productions, digital games and visual effects through the new Victorian Screen Incentive stream of the Victorian Investment Fund
- $23 million to continue to attract business events to Melbourne and regional Victoria, including attracting events to the new Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre
- $12 million for Hamer Hall upgrades to support our outstanding music events
- $92 million to the State Sport Centres Trust and the Kardinia Park Stadium Trust to continue community access to sporting facilities, including the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre
- $13 million to operationalise the Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre and for the Victorian Convention and Exhibition Trust
Victorian Budget 2026-27
by Ashleigh Nikolich | Mar 25, 2025 | Industry News
At the end of the 100 day review by the current QLD State Government, we now have direction as to a number of the venues for the 2032 Olympic Games.
With the Premier committing to deliver the projects on time and on budget, this is a big call. With delays in the past few years, a large component of work needs to be delivered in the next 6 years.
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At the end of the 100-day review by the current QLD State Government, we have direction as to a number of the venues for the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane.
Some of the key announcement points are as follows:
- A New 63,000 Seat Arena at Victoria Park
- A New 25,000 Seat Games Mode National Aquatic Facility at Centenary Pool Spring Hill
- A New 20,000 Seat Outdoor Arena at the RNA Showgrounds
- The Games Village at Bowen Hills adjacent to the RNA Showgrounds
- Investment in Suncorp Stadium
- Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast Arenas
- Major upgrades to the Pat Rafter Arena including 12 new Courts and an additional 3,000 Seat Show court
- Redland Whitewater centre
- Demolition of the Gabba grounds in the long term after being used for Cricket for the Games. With the site to become a housing and entertainment precinct in the longer term
- New Large Indoor Sports Facilities at Logan and Moreton Bay
- Para Olympics specialist venue at Chandler
- A revised location for Brisbane Live and an alternative method to deliver this through private funding of the new vending at the Go Print Site adjacent to The Gabba
- More regional Venues to host sports including Cairns, Maryborough, Hervey Bay, Rockhampton, Townsville and the Whitsundays.
- Plus a number of Road and Transport options including extending the proposed Rail line from Caloundra to Birtinya and Metro through to Maroochydore and Sunshine Coast Airport including the Mooloolah River interchange
- Substantial Funding to grassroots clubs through the Games on Program delivering $250m in upgrades to local sporting facilities
With the Premier committing to deliver the projects on time and on budget, we believe that this is a big call. With delays in the past few years there is now a large component of work that needs to be delivered in the next 6 years.
With the catchphrase “to get on with it” we believe that the State Government needs to work quickly to ensure that these venues will be delivered.
We believe that they will need to make a number of changes to traditional policy to deliver these projects in the time left and in line with budgets including:
- Review their procurement models with Alliance and negotiated contracts for key projects
- Different risk models to share risks
- Incentivise interstate workers to come to Queensland
- Incentives for Regional Workers to come to South East Queensland
- Manage productivity and look at ways to improve productivity. We need to improve the 3.1 Days a week average productivity on large projects to closer to 4 days average
- Manage industrial relations and delays on ley projects
- Look at QBCC licensing requirements and financial licensing for larger Tier 1 contractor to reduce the financial ratios requirement to increase the pool of Tier 1 contractors willing to bid on larger projects
- Rapid training options to upskill and get tradespeople qualified in a shorter period than the tradition 4 year apprenticeship.
- Incentives for retired tradespeople to return to the work force
- Rapid Training for construction professionals and incentives for companies to train new staff
- Better co-ordination of State Government spend over the next 6 years
The opportunities for the next 6 years to showcase Brisbane and Queensland on the international stage are fantastic as well as leaving a lasting legacy for generations to come if we get it right.
Time will tell so let’s get on with it.
by Ashleigh Nikolich | Dec 30, 2024 | Industry News, Quantity Surveying
The 2024 budget is slated as being the budget with something for everyone. It appears to be a budget that tries to walk the fine line of reducing some of the cost of living pressures whilst still not trying to poke inflation upwards and force the hand of the Reserve Bank to increase interest rates.
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by Ashleigh Nikolich | May 10, 2023 | Industry News, Quantity Surveying
Whilst the 2023 budget was marketed as the budget to reduce the cost of living pressures, it is clear that it was also about reducing government expenditure with the first surplus in 15 years targeted. This is being driven by lower unemployment rates than forecast and higher returns from royalties out of the mining companies.
So are the Reserve Bank and the Federal Government finally on the same page to reduce inflationary pressures, and what effect will the budget have on the construction industry, which is buoyed under the pressure of supply shortages and labour shortages leading to a number of builders experiencing losses and a number of contractors across the country going into receivership.
“Relief, repair, restraint.” All three are at the heart of May’s Federal Budget, according to Treasurer Jim Chalmers. This equates to cost-of-living relief, repair of supply chains and (perhaps above all) spending restraint.
It appears that the Federal budget is walking the tightrope of addressing many of the cost-of-living pressures whilst also not spending big and fuelling escalation.
The key aspects affecting the construction, depreciation and renewables sectors are summarised below:
There are a number of ways the government is trying to increase housing supplies that, include:
BUILD TO RENT
- Increasing the capital works depreciation rate from 2.5% to 4% for eligible new BTR projects where construction commences after 9 May 2023
- Reducing the withholding tax rate from 30% to 15% for eligible fund payments made from 1 July 2024 by management investment trusts (MITs) to foreign residents on income from newly constructed residential build-to[1]rent (BTR) properties.
- These concessional measures are proposed to apply to BTR projects that: Consist of 50 or more apartments or dwellings made available for rent to the general public, are held under single ownership for at least ten years before being sold, and Offer a lease term of at least three years for each dwelling.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
- Increasing the government-guaranteed liability cap of the National Housing and Finance Investment Corporation (NHFIC) to enable the NHFIC to increase its support for social and affordable housing through loans from the Affordable Housing Bond Aggregator
- Requiring the NHFIC to allocate a minimum of 1,200 homes to be delivered to each state and territory within five years of the Housing Australia Future Fund commencing operation
- Expanding the eligibility of the Home Guarantee Scheme to allow individuals who are not spouses or de-facto partners to access the scheme. These individuals include any two eligible people as joint applicants, non-first home buyers who have not owned a property in Australia for at least ten years to access the guarantee, the single legal guardian of children, and Australian permanent residents X Redirecting interest earnings on unallocated NHFIC funds to support social and affordable housing.
HOUSING -CHANGES TO THE HOME GUARANTEE SCHEME
- Starting July 2023, joint applications for friends, siblings, and other family members will be allowed under the First Home Guarantee and the Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee.
- Meanwhile, non-first-home buyers who have not owned a property in Australia in the last 10 years will be eligible to apply for First Home Guarantee and the Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee. This will provide support to those who are planning to re-enter the property market.
- The Family Home Guarantee will also be extended to include single legal guardians of children such as aunts, uncles, and grandparents.
FOR SMALL BUSINESSES SUPPORT IS PROVIDED THROUGH:
- Continuation of the instant Asset write off at the higher level of $20,000 for the 2023/2024 financial year for businesses with an aggregated turnover of less than $10M per year
- Small business Energy incentives Under this program, businesses with an annual turnover less than $50 million will be able to access an additional 20% deduction on spending that supports electrification and more efficient use of energy. Total expenditures up to $100,000 will be eligible for this incentive, with the maximum additional tax deduction being $20,000 per business. Eligible assets or upgrades must be first used or installed and ready for use between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024.
RENEWABLES SPENDING
“This budget allocates $4 billion to realising our future as a renewable energy superpower — bringing the government’s total investment to more than $40 billion,” Jim Chalmers said.
- This includes part of our $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund to support the development of green industries, manufacturing and more.
- A new Capacity Investment Scheme will unlock over $10 billion of investment in firmed-up renewable energy projects up and down our east coast.
However, much of the investment is off-balance sheet and does not show up in the budget papers.
- For example, the only new spending in this budget for that $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund was $61.4 million to “support the establishment and operation” of it.
- The budget includes for an investment of $2 billion in a new Hydrogen Headstart program, so Australia can be a world leader in producing and exporting hydrogen power.
- Although Budget Paper 2 notes that funding for this program will be held in the Contingency Reserve, effectively, the government’s spare cash is set aside for a rainy day.
INFRASTRUCTURE SPENDING
- Infrastructure spending will be subject to further review, and the federal government has committed to a $120Billion 10 year rolling pipeline. The 90-day independent review will allow the government time to consider the projects’ actual priorities and assess their cost and deliverability in the current environment.
- An additional $200M has been committed to replenish the Major Business Case Fund
- $200M has been committed over two years for merit-based locally driven grants that address community infrastructure
- $150M in Urban Precincts and Partnership Programs
- $2.5B for the Brisbane Arena Development
- $935M in contributions for a further 16 venues to be jointly funded with the Queensland Government for the 2032 Games
- $65M in funding for upgrades to the UTAS Stadium in Launceston
- No new funding is provided in the budget for any significant investment in rail projects for the next three years
It appears that little has been done to address the issues in the construction industry with the changes to the First home owners grants, providing additional access to first home buyers grants and placing further pressure on the construction supply chain shortages. There is no specific expenditure to address the future skills shortages in the construction industry and reduced productivity in the industry. In addition, the government has proposed an increase for heavy vehicle road users leading to increased transport costs for materials and goods. It appears that the Federal Government is finally on the same page as the Reserve Bank and has produced a budget to reduce inflation. Whilst a surplus is proposed, the forecast is that it will be short-lived, with substantial additional expenditure required for the government to service its debt requirements, large Defence spending and the NDIS program, which continues to grow.
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