In the second tranche of Estimates hearings on Tuesday, Treasurer David Janetzki and Under Treasurer Paul Williams face questions about the budget, where the government failed to explain how Treasury saved $6.8bn.
It comes after Cameron Dick took centre stage in the morning, grilling the government over the appointment of a new Special Commissioner on more than $392,000 a year.
FOLLOW LIVE IN OUR BLOG BELOW
LNP’s in-house firm under spotlight
3.20PM: The performance of Queensland Government Consulting Services – the LNP’s in-house firm set up to help save $6.8bn on external consultants – is under the spotlight.
Queensland Treasury Corporation Chief Executive Officer Simon Ling was asked four times for the valuation of services delivered by Queensland Government Consulting Services.
He said it was not within his remit, but acknowledged the in-house consulting service had invoiced clients.
Asked to provide the valuation of the invoices Mr Ling, who earns $500,000, told Mr de Brenni he could read it in the annual report when it’s tabled in September.
Mr de Brenni noted other chief executives sometimes provided an indicative figure during Estimates hearings.
He said: “Often they’ll provide us a figure as of March 2026, are you able to do that?”
Mr Ling was unable to say how many programs QGCS had undertaken.
He revealed QGCS had drawn $2.7m from a $50m budget allocation, but it aims to recoup funds through invoices and be cost neutral.
Govt tight-lipped on $6.8bn saving
2.36PM: Under Treasurer Paul Williams says he cannot explain or detail how the government saved $6.8 billion to meet its commitment to slash consultancy spending.
Shadow Treasurer Shannon Fentiman grilled Mr Williams over how Treasury saved $6.8bn in the December 2025 MYFER.
This masthead revealed Mr Janetzki now considers his election commitment to slash billions in consultancy spending over four years fulfilled due to the sudden savings.
The government did not declare this milestone at the time and Mr Janetzki has not been able to explain where the savings came from.
Earlier this year, the Queensland Audit Office forecast consultancy and contractor spending to hit $4.2bn in 2025-26.
This was $1.7bn more than Mr Janetzki’s self-imposed spending cap for the financial year, in line with his $6.8bn savings target over four years.
“What’s gone wrong here,” Mr Fentiman asked.
“If you are saying, Under Treasurer, that you’ve already made those savings, could you tell us where those savings have been made and provide a breakdown to the committee? Because $6.8 billion is a lot of money.”
Mr Williams could not detail where the money was saved.
He said due to cabinet confidentiality rules he was “limited” in answering the question.
“Treasury will appropriately consider any reforms put before government, but as I said before, any modelling or analysis that we do submit to those forums in terms of decision-making process, I’m very limited to what I (can) say,” he said.
Total spend on consultancy and contractors for 2025-26 was $8.1m – an increase of $600,000 compared to 2024-25.
Govt grilled over veterans’ funding
1.49PM: Premier David Crisafulli, who faced questions over a $500,000 underspend in veterans’ funding, revealed the RSL was stepping in to rescue a shuttered North Queensland support hub.
Department of Premier and Cabinet Director-General Damien Walker confirmed in Estimates the $500,000 allocated to the Premier’s Veterans Fund for the 2025–26 financial year was unspent and carried over into 2026-27.
Labor MP Bart Mellish grilled the government over why dedicated funds failed to reach grassroots programs over the past 12 months.
Mr Mellish targeted the December 2025 closure of Oasis Townsville – a vital veterans’ support hub – and asked whether the unspent $500,000 could have been used to keep it open.
Mr Crisafulli argued the decision to defer the cash to create a $1m pool in 2026-27 ensured funding supported Queensland’s whole-of-government veterans strategy.
“The money didn’t expire,” he said.
“It’s come across, and as we roll out the veterans strategy, money gets there now.”
Mr Crisafulli insisted the funding pool represented unprecedented support for former service personnel.
He also revealed the Townsville RSL had agreed to partner with the state to ensure the Oasis facility remained operational for service personnel after federal funding was withdrawn.
“My commitment is that the facility was built for veterans, it must remain for veterans,” he said.
The Premier also addressed the permanent June closure of the 58-bed Toowong Private Hospital, which previously provided crucial psychiatric care for veterans.
Mr Crisafulli said all 38 patients had been safely transitioned to alternative private facilities.
He blasted the Commonwealth’s handling of defence health services, heavily criticising a $5000 medical cap imposed on former service personnel.
Crisafulli, Miles in tit for tat
1.15PM: The Department of Premier and Cabinet has reduced its consultancy spend by 91 per cent, Director-General Damien Walker claims.
Mr Walker was asked how much the department had spent on consultancy services and whether it was using the newly formed Queensland Government Consultancy Service – an in-house service that now sits within Treasury.
“We’ve actually had a 91 per cent reduction in our consultancy spend within DPC,” he said.
“So it’s been a rather substantial reduction, and I’m very pleased to say no impact whatsoever on the advice that we provide government. We are increasingly doing more of that internally.”
Premier David Crisafulli has used the end of the first session to answer questions on notice.
He has clarified that DPC does not chair the Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Interdepartmental working group, as claimed by Sandgate MP Bisma Asif.
“So that will be a question for the department about its meeting schedule,” Mr Crisafulli said.
He also said the scrapping of the Housing Connect Pilot program under DFV was a matter for the department.
Opposition Leader Steven Miles pressed Mr Walker on a question on notice from his earlier questioning around public advertising campaigns for road safety.
“I’m getting there,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“We’ll get there,” Mr Miles shot back.
The Premier revealed the government’s current advertising cap is $50m.
“We’ve done that and maintained that cap, and I’ve ensured that the head of DPC does ensure that is the case,” he said.
A total $8.8m was spent on road safety campaigns, compared to $4.7m in 24-25, $5.5m in 23-24, $4.5m in 22-23, and $4.9 in 21-22, Mr Crisafulli said.
The government spent $1.2m on health and safety advertising, including flu placements, this year.
This was less than last year’s $1.85m.
Claims of sexism in fiery Estimates exchange
12.22PM: Claims of sexism rocked a fiery Estimates session where the employment of ministerial staff and Laura Gerber’s Directors-General came under the spotlight.
Labor MP Bisma Asif was asking Public Sector Commissioner David Mackie about Youth Justice Minister Laura Gerber’s “revolving door” of staff, which prompted government MPs to ask her to rephrase the question again without an imputation.
Coomera MP Michael Crandon said Ms Asif “almost got a question right”.
The repeated niggling prompted Ms Asif to say: “It would be really helpful if the chair stopped making sexist comments towards me.”
Ms Asif questioned why the appointment of Ms Gerber’s Director-General Michael Drane had not gone through a national or international recruitment process.
Mr Mackie said appointing Directors-General was the Premier’s prerogative and noted Mr Drane had been a long-serving executive.
Separately, sixteen ministerial staff were paid $411,617 in termination payments during the 12 months to June 30.
There were 66 ministerial staff movements in the 12 months to June 30, which is in line with staff movements under the former Labor government.
The total full-time ministerial workforce is 264, which is also unchanged from the previous government.
Termination payments totalling $411,618 were made to 16 staff, but the details of the payments were not revealed.
$392k? Govt grilled over hand-picked Commissioner
11.51AM: Deputy Opposition Leader Cameron Dick has launched a scathing attack on freshly appointed Special Commissioner Andrew Cripps.
Mr Cripps, personally appointed by Premier David Crisafulli to the newly created role of Special Commissioner for Rural and Regional Queensland, is being paid at a level five salary band, which is worth up to $392,711 a year.
Mr Dick fired a series of questions at Department of Premier and Cabinet Director-General Damien Walker about Mr Cripps role and responsibilities.
He asked if Mr Cripps had been appointed to help the government decentralise the public service, including relocating departments and public servants from Brisbane and Southeast Queensland to regional Queensland.
Mr Walker said the government was “certainly looking” at ways to better coordinate the public service but would not say if this included decentralisation.
“There are a number of things that have been raised by departments, by key stakeholders, by ministers around what they would like him to focus on,” he said.
“We’ll finalise that (plan) in the very short term.”
Mr Walker would also not confirm if the plan outlining Mr Cripps’ strategy would be released publicly.
Premier David Crisafulli, seated beside Mr Walker, grew increasingly frustrated over not being able to answer questions about his government’s plans for the public service.
Mr Dick also revealed Mr Cripps has been using his personal hotmail account for his job, despite public servants being prohibited from using personal accounts for work.
Mr Walker said the issue of Mr Cripps using a private email address came to the government’s attention days ago.
Mr Cripps has not been directed to stop using his personal email address for work.
“When officials from the department had a conversation with the Special Commissioner, the explanation simply was that when he was appointed, there was much contact that took place before we were able to furnish him with a business government email,” Mr Walker said.
“ I certainly will take some advice internally on how best to manage this.”
It was then revealed that Mr Cripps sought integrity advice upon being appointed Special Commissioner due to his existing role as a director of Front Row Advisory.
Front Row is a consultancy and advisory firm that specialises in regional and primary industries.
Mr Walker could not say whether he was aware that Mr Cripps had stepped down as Director when appointed to the high-level government role.
“One assumes he has appropriately dealt with this matter,” he said.
“I’m indeed aware of he he’s received the integrity advice.
“He’s provided the necessary documentation.
“I’m happy to go away and re-examine that material.”
Govt axes election promise tracker website
10.54AM: Department of Premier and Cabinet quietly axed a website that was supposed to update Queenslanders about the government’s election commitments.
Opposition Leader Steven Miles tabled a screenshot of a DPC website from February 2025 which promised to upload progress reports on government election commitments “once available”.
However, by June 2026 all reference to progress reports on government election commitments had been removed.
Director-General Damien Walker was unable to say who removed the reference, or where the direction came from.
“I would not be able to advise who,” he said.
“We have a number of staff, professional staff, who are actually engaged to do … web design, update our website.”
Mr Walker said the government was making good progress on implementing election commitments.
“I have a Premier who regularly tests me with how the public service is going,” he said.
Mr Miles also grilled Mr Walker about DPC’s strategic communications unit and whether Queensland Health was now forced to submit its communications for review and approval.
“I’m not aware that we review and approve,” Mr Walker said.
However, he said there was “heightened coordination” between DPC and other agencies.
Department of Premier, Cabinet’s crack team
10.25AM: The Department of Premier and Cabinet recruited key communications experts from various departments to form a crack team to help push government messaging.
Opposition Leader Steven Miles asked DPC Director-General Damien Walker whether the team had increased from 51 staff in 2024 to 60 staff in 2026.
Mr Walker said there were officially 53 people on the communications team, but that DPC had seconded staff across government.
“The Premier’s tasked DPC with heightening the level of coordinated media and communications across government, with a view to getting better communication to the people of Queensland,” Mr Walker said.
“In doing so, we’ve sought to second staff from key agencies … health, I think TMR, etc.”
Mr Walker argued this was not an official increase in staff as they were still paid and on the books of their own departments.
“But they’ve certainly been joining us for this period of focus in terms of increasing and improving our coordination of media and comms,” he said.
“It’s worth noting they have a there are a variety of professions with regard to that 53 (total staff).
“So, you know, we will have people with media expertise, but equally, as we’ve been talking about campaigns, we’ve got a number of campaign experts, people with marketing focuses, people with evaluation and statistical expertise.
“We have a number of staff that also manage our events.
“I think we are currently in possession of six additional staff that are on the books of their line agencies and have not been backfilled, so again, no net increase.”
Crisafulli’s open door comms policy
10.10AM: Director-General of the Department of Premier and Cabinet, Damian Walker has not been able to say whether his department advised against abolishing a key Domestic and Family Violence Prevention role.
The government in February 2025 axed the role of the independent supervisor overseeing the implementation of the Women’s Safety and Justice Task Force recommendations.
Mr Walker said he would need to see advice on whether DPC advised on this.
“When it gets to very specific operational elements, DPC doesn’t always provide specific advice, and so in this instance, I’m not aware of anything with regard to that particular matter,” he said.
“That doesn’t mean, of course, that we don’t play a role with regard to a more strategic policy with regard to DFV.”
Opposition Leader Steven Miles then asked Premier David Crisafulli whether DFV Minister Amanda Camm had requested strategic communications support.
Ms Camm has faced increased scrutiny across both her main portfolios – Child Safety and DFV Prevention.
Mr Crisafulli said he would back any minister who seeks his help with communication.
“I pride myself on my relationship with the ministers,” he said.
“I have very much an open door policy where they can come and seek counsel at any time.
Mr Crisafulli said he genuinely believed that the last two years of DFV funding had improved under his government.
But he has continued to compare 2023-24 funding with 2025-26 funding, skipping over the 2024-25 budget.
“In the 24-25 financial year, so that’s prior to government changing, the figure in that budget for the prevention of domestic family violence was $234 million. This year’s budget is $340 million,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“But I make this point: any minister who comes to me looking to assist the clear and concise communication about what we are doing as a government will receive my backing, particularly when there are those who seek to weaponise and use mistruths in an area that’s really important to me, important to the government, and I do believe important to all members of the House.”
Taxpayers’ $48m bill for LNP govt ads
9.40AM: Taxpayers were slugged $48.8m to advertise Premier David Crisafulli’s government on billboards and toilet doors across the state.
It is slightly lower than the $50m bill Labor accrued in the year leading up to the 2024 state election.
However, Labor argues its advertising spend focused on road safety and preventive health compared to the LNP.
Its blue Delivering for Queensland advertising has largely focused on permanent 50c fares and the youth crime crackdown.
Opposition Leader Steven Miles opened Mr Crisafulli’s Estimates appearance on Tuesday morning to pepper Department of Premier and Cabinet Director-General Damien Walker about the advertising spend in the 2025-26 financial year.
Mr Walker said the spend was $48.8m, which was “in line with a very firm cap that the Premier has placed upon us”.
However, Mr Walker was unable to breakdown the spend on preventive health and road safety advertising campaigns.
Mr Miles questioned how much was spent on domestic and family violence prevention campaign and coercive control laws in 2025-26.
Mr Walker said some $3m was spent in 2024-25 to explain the new laws and about $400,000 spent in 2025-26.
He noted it was higher than the historical average of near $200,000.
The state government has also spent $248,573 on market research informing the advertising campaign.