The staged rollout of yet-to-be detailed mental health service beds — including for perinatal and eating disorders — 1400 new staff and capital investments through the program will form part of the state’s broader health budget,worth $23.6 billion in the coming financial year.
A recent parliamentary committee inquiry into mental health had urged the government to increase funding and expenditure for mental health and drug and alcohol services,and create a dedicated funding stream,after finding the state had the lowest national per capita spend in 2019-20.
As a result,the budget papers include a new five-year plan for the sector with $1.64 billion in operating funding and an extra $28.5 million capital spend. The committee had heard Queensland Health spent an estimated $1.48 billion on mental health,alcohol and drug services across the 2020-21 financial year.
“But in order to deliver this funding,we must have a sustainable funding model,” Treasurer Cameron Dick told parliament in his budget speech which also revealed a huge revenue windfall this year anda further planned lift to coal royalties as prices and profits soar.
To do this,the government will introduce new payroll tax levies for some businesses,which from 2023 will pay 0.25 per cent on the portion an annual taxable wage bill of more than $10 million,and an additional 0.5 per cent on the portion of those wages bills of more than $100 million.
Treasury estimates the levy would apply to about one per cent of all businesses in the state,scaling up to generate an annual $425 million by 2025-26. WhileWoolworths andColes have recently reported rising sales figures,these have been partially offset by the tandem costs of inflation.