2025-2026 Queensland State Budget: What It Means for You

The Crisafulli Government has delivered its first State Budget, with a clear focus on tackling housing and workforce shortages.

From major investments in infrastructure and residential development to expanded training opportunities and support for apprentices, the 2025–26 Budget outlines a strategic approach to boosting supply and getting more skilled workers on the tools. 

For plumbing business owners, this budget brings opportunities to grow your workforce, access new support for apprentices, and benefit from increased construction activity across the state.

MPAQ has been actively advocating for greater support to help businesses take on apprentices, and we welcome the announcement of $19 million over four years to assist small and family businesses with apprentice wage costs as a positive result of our efforts. MPAQ looks forward to government providing more details about this initiative and will pass it on to members when we have more information.

We've summarised the key announcements most relevant to you below.

Small Business Support

• $44.7 million over 5 years to boost productivity with a suite of initiatives including a Business Concierge for small business accessing government services, two new grant programs and regional innovation and start-up hubs. This funding also includes a refocus on the Small Business Commissioner on red tape reduction and dispute resolution, and to simplify small business procurement processes, standardise contracts and support smaller tenders, including delivering a 5-business day On Time, Every Time Payment Guarantee for small businesses and immediate payments for invoices under $10,000.
• $19 million over 4 years to support small and family businesses with the cost of apprentice wages.
• $16.8 million increased funding over 3 years for small business wellness coaches and financial counsellors and the Small Business Support Services Fund.
• In delivering its election commitment, the government is providing additional funding of $11.5 million over 4 years to provide micro-credential courses, both face to face and online, to small business owner-managers to improve their planning and processes, in partnership with the University of the Sunshine Coast.

Construction Industry Initiatives

• Progressing the government’s election commitment to deliver 1 million homes by 2044 by:
  • accelerating the Residential Activation Fund following the overwhelming support in applications for the Government’s $2 billion program, by bringing forward funding to support a first-round of up to $1 billion of shovel-ready projects to unlock new residential developments;
  • providing increased funding of $151.9 million over 4 years for Economic Development Queensland’s Catalyst Infrastructure Fund loan program to bring forward delivery of infrastructure targeting the Waraba Priority Development Area to unlock 11,500 housing lots;
  • providing increased funding of $31.3 million over 4 years to lead development of 13 new regional plans which cover every corner of the State, protecting the lifestyle of our communities and appropriately catering for housing and economic growth, in partnership with local governments.
• Delivering on the 2032 Delivery Plan, which puts Queensland on track to deliver a successful 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games and legacy by:
  • approved investment of $847 million to fund the decisions to proceed with Sunshine Coast Stadium, Sunshine Coast Mountain Bike Centre, Moreton Bay Indoor Sports Centre, Barlow Park Stadium, and Logan Indoor Sports Centre projects;
  • provision of $3.8 billion over the forward estimates for the total venues program, including the new main stadium at Victoria Park, out of the total $7.1 billion funding envelope, to be delivered in partnership with the Australian Government;
  • providing increased funding of $308.5 million over 4 years for the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority to deliver, on behalf of government, new and upgraded venues to be used during the 2032 Games that form the $7.1 billion Venues Program;
  • provision of $950 million over 4 years out of a total State investment of $3.5 billion for the privately developed Athletes Villages, including the Brisbane Athletes Village and RNA showground upgrade, the Sunshine Coast Athletes Village incorporating the Sunshine Coast arena, and the Gold Coast and Rockhampton Athletes Villages;
  • providing additional funding of $79.6 million over 4 years, with $45.4 million held centrally, for the delivery of the Games Village Program, infrastructure portfolio coordination, monitoring and reporting on the Games infrastructure program including venues, villages and transport programs;
  • providing additional funding of $9.4 million over 3 years, with $1.8 million held centrally, for the Arena. The Arena program will lead a competitive market process with the private sector for the delivery of an Arena on the former GoPrint site in the Gabba precinct, including future housing and placemaking opportunities for the private sector on the Gabba site (when demolished).
• $1.967 billion over 4 years, and $500 million per annum ongoing thereafter, to support Queensland’s Housing Investment Pipeline to deliver 53,500 social and community homes by 2044, including youth foyers, domestic violence shelters, and social homes in remote and discrete First Nations communities.
• $152.6 million in 2025–26, as part of total program funding of $380.1 million over 5 years, to deliver crisis accommodation initiatives and support the delivery of frontline housing and homelessness services.
• $64.2 million over 5 years for state owned and operated Sport and Recreation Venues. This includes upgrades at the Gold Coast Performance Centre ($20 million), the Townsville Sports Precinct ($4 million), the Toowoomba Sports Ground ($3.6 million), the Sunshine Coast Recreation Precinct ($2.4 million) and the Gold Coast Recreation Precinct ($2 million). With the remaining $20 million for capital maintenance for state owned, operated and/or leased venues and $12.2 million for operational support.
• $9 billion Bruce Highway upgrades confirmed, locking in a historic 80:20 funding deal with the Australian Government, with $1.8 billion additional funding to deliver safety improvements up the spine of our State.

Apprenticeship and Training Support

• Funding of $61.1 million over 3 years for a new state-of-the-art Rockhampton TAFE Excellence Precinct to put more tradies on tools, allowing Rockhampton Hospital to benefit from expanded facilities at the existing Canning Street site, and unlock surplus land for 200 additional homes.
• Funding of $78 million over 4 years to deliver a new Caloundra TAFE Centre of Excellence on the Sunshine Coast to address labour skills shortages focusing on construction and manufacturing.
• Funding of $60 million over 3 years to construct the new Moreton Bay TAFE Centre of Excellence which will include an Advanced Manufacturing Hub.
• Up to $50 million held centrally, to support National Skills Agreement priorities for Queensland, including actions to build the VET workforce, initiatives to Close the Gap, and support best practice at TAFE.
• Additional funding of $40 million to increase training opportunities for apprentices and trainees to meet growing workforce demand in critical sectors such as housing, healthcare and construction and prepare the workforce for the opportunities of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
• $10 million over 2 years to extend the delivery of the Free Apprentices for under 25s initiative, removing tuition fees for employers.
• A guaranteed 336 FTEs within TAFE Queensland whose positions were ceasing 30 June 2025, to ensure continued delivery of TAFE courses in Queensland.
• The government is extending the 50 per cent payroll tax rebate on wages of apprentices and trainees (already exempt from payroll tax) until 30 June 2026, at an estimated cost of $58.1 million in 2025–26. The extension provides additional support for businesses with annual Australian taxable wages of $1.3 million and above who employ trainees and apprentices, and forms part of the government's efforts to prepare young Queenslanders for the future and secure a pipeline of skilled workers. The change is subject to the passage of legislative amendments.

Click here to view the budget