- Budget is strengthening the foundations for a fresh start with new critical minerals projects, new TAFE Centres of Excellence, and securing skilled workers.
- Kick-starting new critical minerals projects by driving an additional $100 million investment into the Queensland Critical Minerals Fund.
- Delivering four new TAFE Centres of Excellence in 2026-27 with $68.9 million.
- Providing an additional $44.2 million to meet demand for skills in the economy.
- Free Nursing to continue in 2027 with new placements available to Queenslanders under continued funding.
The Crisafulli Government is delivering for Queensland by kick-starting new critical minerals projects, building new TAFE Centres of Excellence, and securing a pipeline of skilled workers to build Queensland’s future, in the 2026-27 Budget.
The $1.6 billion Trade, Employment and Training Budget is strengthening the foundations for a fresh start with better services through a stronger economy.
The Budget will also help unlock Queensland’s critical minerals, with a plan to extract, process and export to the world, using the Queensland Investment Corporation $250 million Queensland Critical Minerals Fund to kick-start new projects.
Queensland has some of the most sought-after critical minerals in the world, and the Crisafulli Government’s Open for Business approach will continue to attract more investment into this growing sector.
The Budget will secure a pipeline of skilled workers to build Queensland’s future, with delivery to continue on four new TAFE Centres of Excellence in Rockhampton, Caloundra, Petrie and the Southern Moreton Bay Islands, upskilling Queensland’s workforce.
The Crisafulli Government is expanding TAFE with more teachers, more Centres of Excellence and free TAFE, to fix the skilled workers shortage it inherited, after Labor’s decade of decline.
The Budget continues to support Free Nursing in 2027, with funding to support more places, opening the door to more Queenslanders to become enrolled nurses and strengthening Queensland’s health frontline.
The Crisafulli Government is continuing to fight for Queensland’s fair share of Fee-Free TAFE funding after the Albanese Labor Government proposed cuts in a new agreement which would leave the State $208 million worse off.
Small businesses will continue to be supported to hire and train apprentices, boosting the skilled workforce, with funding to continue covering the cost of wages for apprentices during offsite training under the Small Business Apprenticeship Pilot Program.
The Crisafulli Government is also providing increased funding of $2.8 million to continue support for the international education and training sector.
Treasurer David Janetzki said the 2026-27 Budget was about delivering for Queensland with better services through a stronger economy.
“We are delivering on our promises, with relief you can rely on through responsible decisions for now and the future, and no new or increased taxes,” Treasurer Janetzki said.
“This Budget strengthens the foundations we’ve laid in making Queensland safer, restoring health services, delivering a place to call home for more Queenslanders, building generational infrastructure, getting the Games back on track, as well as playing our part to ease national cost of living pressures.”
Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training, Ros Bates, said the Budget was securing the skilled workers needed to build Queensland’s future.
“This Budget continues backing new projects to extract, process and export Queensland’s critical minerals, while investing in new TAFE Centres of Excellence in Rockhampton, Caloundra, Petrie and the Southern Moreton Bay Islands to give Queenslanders the skills industry needs,” Minister Bates said.
“Labor failed to capitalise on our critical minerals opportunities and left our international relationships in tatters.
“They failed to build a single new TAFE campus in their entire decade of decline, and the Crisafulli Government inherited Labor’s Skills Crisis which had a predicted peak shortfall of 50,000 workers.
“This Budget will continue to deliver investment opportunities for the State and build on the progress the Crisafulli Government is making in overcoming those workforce shortages we inherited.
“We are stepping up where Labor continues to fail, including by supporting small businesses who have been victim to the Albanese Government’s new cuts to the federal apprenticeships incentive.
“Only the Crisafulli Government is supporting small businesses in Queensland to keep apprentices on the job by helping cover wage costs during offsite training, strengthening the pipeline of skilled workers Queensland needs for our future.”
