Treasury reports on a productive 2004-05

Queensland Treasury's 2004-05 Annual Report gives the community and the Queensland Parliament information on our performance and financial position over the 2004-05 financial year. It links with our corporate plan, Ministerial Portfolio Statement and the Queensland Government's priorities and outcomes.

Some of our performance highlights in 2004-05 include:

• managing the 2004-05 State Budget, delivering a higher than forecast surplus
• participating in the development of the South East Queensland Infrastructure Plan and Program
• completing our online revenue management system for pay-roll tax
• investing $1.3 million in the Responsible Gambling Community Awareness Campaign.

Special Fiscal and Economic Statement October 2005

The Beattie Government presented a Special Fiscal and Economic Statement on 25 October 2005, announcing a suite of measures that will transform the provision of public health services in Queensland.

This statement also announced a range of other initiatives, including a continuation of our economic and public sector reforms.

Visit the State Budget 2005-06 website for more information.

2004-05 Annual Economic Report

The 2004-05 Annual Economic Report highlights the continuing strength of the Queensland economy.

Queensland recorded economic growth of 4.0% in 2004-05, outperforming growth in the rest of Australia (2.0%) for the ninth consecutive year.

Queensland also created more than 100,000 jobs in one financial year for the first time in 2004-05, reducing the State's unemployment rate to a 30-year low of 4.9%.

QSuper employee wins national award

Ritu Pathak, a staff member of QSuper, which is one of Australia's largest superannuation funds, has won the Australian Team Leader of the Year Award at the 11th Australian Teleservices Association (ATA) national awards held on 16 September.

The ATA national awards are considered to be pre-eminent within the call centre industry.

Ritu previously took out the Team Leader of the Year Award in the ATA Queensland Contact Centre Industry Awards held in July this year.

Ritu is the Team Leader for Member Services in the QSuper Contact Centre which is managed by John Sawtell-Rickson.

New funding round for the Gambling Community Benefit Fund

Thousands of Queensland not-for-profit community groups have benefited over the years from the State Government’s Gambling Community Benefit Fund. The Fund distributes grants of up to $30,000 to community groups for a broad range of projects.

Applications for the 31 December 2005 closing date are now being accepted. A new funding application package is available, making the process more user-friendly and easier to access.

For copies of the new funding application package or for further information, visit the Gambling Community Benefit Fund website or telephone 1800 633 619.

Whiplash injury recovery booklet online

The Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC) has published the Whiplash Injury Recovery - a Self-Management Guide booklet to aid the recovery of people with a whiplash injury and to supplement care provided by a health professional.

Professor Gwendolen Jull, Director of the Cervical Spine and Whiplash Research Unit in the Division of Physiotherapy at the University of Queensland, is the author of this booklet. The self-management advice and exercise program in the booklet are based on the research and clinical experience of Professor Jull.

To download a PDF of the booklet or to order hard copies online, visit the MAIC website.

The Golden Casket Foundation calls for medical research applications

Queensland's thriving medical research fraternity will receive a boost as financial grants become available from the State Government's new Golden Casket Foundation for the first time. A host of media research and health organisations are eligible for the grants, available through a unique partnership between the Golden Casket Lottery Corporation and Treasury Department.

Applicants from eligible organisations can apply for grants up to $250,000 to either undertake medical research or purchase vital research equipment. All eligible organisations are encouraged to submit applications that will further improve the capacity, competitiveness and reputation of the medical research section in the Smart State.

The Golden Casket Foundation Funding application packages can obtained on the Gambling Community Benefit Fund website or by contacting the Foundation Secretariat on telephone (07) 3224 2724. Applications close 17 October 2005.

New Ministerial arrangements

New Ministerial arrangements will apply to Queensland Treasury following the resignation of Mr Terry Mackenroth as Queensland Treasurer on Monday, 25 July 2005.

Read the Queensland Premier's Ministerial media release to find out more about the new arrangements. A full list of the State Parliament's current members and Ministerial responsibilities is available on the Queensland Parliament website.

The Treasury website will be updated to reflect the new Ministerial arrangements in the near future.

QSuper ranked as one of Australia's best performing super funds

QSuper's accumulation account balanced option returned 15.38% for the year ending 30 June 2005. This placed QSuper a close second according to information released by independent researcher SuperRatings, outperforming the average balanced fund.

That's good news for QSuper's 430,000 members.

QSuper wins call centre award

QSuper staff member, Ritu Pathak, took out the award for Best Call Centre Team Leader in Queensland at the recent 2005 Australian Teleservices Association (ATA) Queensland Contact Centre industry awards.

QSuper received nominations in four award categories – more than any of the 120 organisations represented at the event: Best Tele-professional; Best Call Centre Team Leader; Best Call Centre Manager; and Best Call Centre with over fifty full-time employees.

The awards cover the various roles found in a Contact Centre and recognise outstanding achievement.

Budget surplus boost

Since the 2005-06 Budget delivery in June, Queensland's budgeted surplus for the 2004-05 financial year has grown by an estimated $580 million.

Strongly performing equity markets are expected to boost the surplus from $2.725 billion to more than $3 billion for the 2004-05 financial year. The final budget result will not be available until the 2004-05 Report on State Finances is released in October.

Read the Treasurer's Ministerial media release for more information. Visit the State Budget 2005-06 website to learn more about the 2005-06 Queensland State Budget.

Online pay-roll tax lodgement... smarter for business

The Office of State Revenue has launched a new online pay-roll tax lodgement system for Queensland business to make lodging returns with the office faster and easier. The new lodgement system took effect from 1 July 2005 and will become the way of doing business with OSR.

Pay-roll tax is the first for which returns can be lodged through a secure online facility, and plans are underway to make this option available for all taxes over the next few years.

The Queensland business community has embraced the new system, already making 700 e-lodgements a day and providing positive feedback. The system incorporates online help, smart form technology to present only relevant information to users, auto-calculate tax facilities and a variety of payment options including BPAY or EFT.

QSuper celebrates 15 successful years

On 23 June the Queensland Government's superannuation fund, QSuper and its 430,000 members celebrated the organisation's 15th birthday, and $15 billion in funds under management.

To celebrate these milestones, a cake cutting ceremony was held in Brisbane and was attended by the Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Sport, Mr Terry Mackenroth, and QSuper staff and members, including former rugby league star Steve Renouf.

The QSuper story began in 1990, and since then the fund has maintained a tradition of providing its members with low fees, real service, better knowledge and solid returns.

2005-06 State Budget - tax reform delivers relief

The 2005-06 State Budget reinforces Queensland's competitive tax structure with a number of tax reform initiatives announced by the Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Sport.

A land tax relief package will simplify the land tax structure and reduce effective tax rates for all taxpayers, saving them $847 million over four years.

Over the next seven years, seven State taxes will be abolished, saving taxpayers around $3.5 billion. This includes debits tax which will be abolished from 1 July 2005.

2005-06 State Budget

The State Budget was handed down on Tuesday 7 June 2005.

This Budget will help shape the future of Queensland and will be delivered without jeopardising the State's strong financial position.

The Budget focuses on tax reform, improving service delivery, a South East Queensland Regional Plan and long-term infrastructure plan, and the 10-year Smart State Strategy.

Visit the State Budget 2005-06 website for more information.