A fresh start for Central Queensland in 2025-26 Budget

• Budget delivers the foundation for a fresh start for Central Queensland in health, education and training for the community.
• Regional Reset program and Crime Prevention School in Rockhampton to help restore safety where you live.
• Delivery of a Step Up, Step Down youth mental health facility and a cardiac hybrid theatre at the Rockhampton Hospital to help restore health services when you need them. 
• $47 million for Rockhampton Sports Precinct Stage 1, to build a new home for netball. 
• $4.5 million to support Beef Week.
• New Gracemere high school, Health Sciences Academy and a new TAFE Centre of Excellence to deliver generational infrastructure and plan for Queensland’s future.   

The Crisafulli Government is delivering for Central Queensland with construction of three new schools and a TAFE Excellence Precinct for Rockhampton, as well as major investment in the Rockhampton Hospital, in the 2025-26 Budget. 

Central Queensland will also benefit from the Crisafulli Government’s $100 Back to School Boost, the $200 Play On! Sports Vouchers program, more frontline health workers more police on the beat and new social and community housing. 

2025-26 Budget lays the foundation for the fresh start Queenslanders voted for, addressing Labor’s youth crime, health, housing and cost of living crises. 

The Budget focuses on making Queensland safer, delivering a place to call home for more Queenslanders, driving down cost of living pressures for families, providing more free healthcare and building generational infrastructure for our growing State. 

In a boost for education in the region, three new schools will be delivered including a new high school in Gracemere, a Health Sciences Academy in Rockhampton and a Crime Prevention School.  

Motorists will benefit from the investment of $1.98 billion to construct the Rockhampton Ring Road, delivered in partnership with the Federal Government. 

Additional investment is also being made in training and skills with $61.1 million for a new TAFE precinct to put more tradies on tools, allow expanded facilities for Rockhampton Hospital and unlock surplus land for 200 additional homes. 

The Step Up, Step Down youth mental health service, funded by the Mental Health levy, will support vulnerable young Queenslanders in need of assistance. 

As part of the Crisafulli Government’s Hospital Rescue Plan, $36.9 million will be invested to deliver a cardiac hybrid theatre at Rockhampton Hospital to support a wide range of cardiovascular procedures in the region, with master planning for the redevelopment of Rockhampton Hospital.  

Central Queensland’s Hospital and Health service will receive a boost with additional funding to grow the workforce to 3,736 full time employees. 

Grassroots sports funding is also flowing through the Crisafulli Government’s Games On! program with $47 million for Rockhampton Sports Precinct Stage 1 to build a new home for netball. 

Premier David Crisafulli said the Budget delivered the foundation for a fresh start for Central Queensland, just as promised.  

“Today’s Budget delivers the fresh start Queensland needs and Queenslanders voted for, to address the crises in youth crime, health, housing and cost of living,” Premier Crisafulli said. 

“We are delivering to restore safety where you live, health services when you need them, a better lifestyle through a stronger economy and a plan for Queensland’s future.  

“This Budget delivers cost of living relief with the $100 Back to School Boost and the $200 Play On! Sports Vouchers Program, a fully-funded Hospital Rescue Plan, a new nation-leading home ownership program to reduce the deposit gap, as well more police and early intervention to make Queensland safer.” 

Member for Rockhampton Donna Kirkland said Crisafulli Government was delivering for Central Queensland. 

“In addition to the new cardiac hybrid theatre at the Rockhampton Hospital, our community will benefit from a Step Up Step Down youth mental health facility and we are delivering $91.9 million to refurbish the Rockhampton Hospital Mental Health Ward, to restore health services when you need them,” Mrs Kirkland said. 

“Our Government is delivering the Gracemere High School, Stage 1 of the Rockhampton Sports Precinct and a new Health Sciences Academy.” 

Member for Keppel Nigel Hutton said the Crisafulli Government was delivering to restore safety where you live. 

“We’re restoring safety where you live with a Regional Reset program and Crime Prevention School; we’re delivering more new homes and a TAFE Centre of Excellence to support the skills for our growing regions future,” Mr Hutton said.  

Member for Mirani Glen Kelly said the region would benefit from more support for producers. 

“Rockhampton’s iconic Beef Week will continue with $4.5 million to deliver a bigger and better Beef Week as well as a major investment into upgrading unsealed country roads with Country Roads Connect,” Mr Kelly said. 

“Mount Morgan is a town with incredible heritage and untapped tourism potential. This $50,000 investment will help the community shape a sustainable future beyond mining, creating new opportunities for local business, jobs, and growth. I’m proud to support this hardworking community as they build for the future.”  

Member for Callide Bryson Head said the Government was delivering easier access to health services.  

“We will reopen maternity services at Biloela Hospital so families can give birth closer to home, deliver new staff accommodation for the Biloela Hospital, and build the Moura Aged Care Extension,” Mr Head said. 

“That’s in addition to more support for Calliope State School with a $300,000 upgrade to the drop off and pick up zone.” 

ENDS 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:  

• Biloela Hospital - Progression of the planning stage for the Biloela Hospital as part of the Hospital Rescue Plan, and reopening maternity services at Biloela Hospital.
• Biloela Staff Accommodation Replacement - Staff accommodation will be replaced in Biloela providing appropriate, safe, and fit-for-purpose accommodation, as part of the Hospital Rescue Plan.
• Browne Park - Delivering the Browne Park redevelopment to provide a modern, fit-for-purpose, major facility to service the region.
• Calliope State School pick up/drop off - $300,000 for Calliope State School towards upgrading the pick up/drop off zone.
• Emerald Hospital Central Sterilising Services Compliance Upgrade - $9.3 million to upgrade the Emerald Hospital Central Sterilising Services.
• Emu Park - Purchasing land for a future high school at Emu Park, in partnership with Livingstone Shire Council.
• Floodway upgrade on Jambin Goovigen Road - $300,000 to rehabilitate and widen the concrete floodway to improve flood immunity on Jambin Goovigen Road, Banana Shire. 
• Games On! Emerald All Sports - $75,000 to deliver a business case for a new All Sports Facility in Emerald, as part of the $250 million Games On! Grassroots Infrastructure Program.
• Greater safety for domestic and family violence victims - Delivering infrastructure upgrades at Rockhampton Courthouse to improve security and safety for victims of domestic and family violence.
• Mount Morgan Tourism - Delivering a Future Directions Feasibility Study into tourism development opportunities in Mount Morgan.
• Moura Multipurpose Healthcare Service - $33.9 million to deliver an additional 7 residential aged care beds, increasing capacity to a total of 8 beds, as part of the Hospital Rescue Plan.
• Our Space Programs – Rockhampton - $150,000 to provide young people with a safe environment and an opportunity to foster positive relationships with staff, volunteers, mentors, and each other.
• Renal Dialysis - Emerald - Delivering 3 renal dialysis chairs for Emerald.
• Rockhampton Community Child and Youth Mental Health Facility Fitout - $2.2 million for the refurbishment of the building for delivery of community Mental health alcohol and other drugs (MHAOD) services.
• Rockhampton Neighbourhood Centre - $6.4 million to complete the construction of a new neighbourhood centre in Rockhampton.
• Walk n Talk - $200,000 to support Rockhampton men's health charity Walk n Talk to create a hub for their mental health support services. 
• Woorabinda Multipurpose Health Service - $22.9 million to increase from 4 residential aged care beds to 14 in a new facility, including upgraded/new laundry facilities and kitchen. 
• Yeppoon Landfill expansion - $4.2 million to construct Stage 3 of the Yeppoon landfill to provide an additional 12 years of waste capacity and support long-term regional waste management needs.