REGIONS CRITIQUE PANNED

A BRISBANE economist has come under fire for claiming regional centres received an “excessive” amount of funding at the State Budget compared with the southeast corner.

In an article published by the Brisbane Times on Thursday, economist Gene Tunny said a “strong case” could be made for considering that some areas in the southeast were underfunded.

More than $ 20 billion was allocated to the regions during May’s 2017- 18 Budget for the next four financial years. Mayor Jenny Hill hit back. Cr Hill said Mr Tunny, who is Adept Economics’ principal, had made calculations off a one- time snapshot.

“I don’t know why they’re saying they get nothing,” she said.

“I could do an interesting one ( story) based around three years ago when we hardly saw any money spent outside the southeast corner,” she said.

“Don’t show me one year’s budget, show me 10 years.”

Treasurer Curtis Pitt said the Palaszczuk Government had always supported regional communities not transitioning to a post- mining boom economy as strongly as others.

“I make no apology for that, it’s what any responsible government would do and puts Labor in stark contrast to the hack and slash ideology of the LNP that pushed our economy to the precipice,” he said.

“As a government we have been implementing an economic plan with a single- minded focus on creating jobs that’s been reflected in the three state budgets I have delivered.

“But in no way are we ignoring the needs of southeast Queensland.”

Mr Tunny said he had made his calculations on what was published in this year’s Budget for particular regions.

“I’ve been basing it on the Australian Bureau of Statistics regions – Townsville was above the average,” he said.

“I’ve taken the number and divided it by population.

“On the basis of that data it would seem excessive.”