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Posted: 2024-06-07 23:32:02

Queenslanders will get 20 per cent off their rego for 12 months in the government's latest cost of living sweetener ahead of the state budget.

The discount applies to all light vehicle registrations — including trailers and motorbikes — which Premier Steven Miles said will save up to $127 per motorist, from September 16. 

Mr Miles has promised a cost of living budget but it'll come with a $3 billion deficit — a deliberate move the government says will help people who are struggling. 

Just last month Mr Miles announced a six-month trial of 50 cent public transport fares, to start just shy of two months out from the October election, and a $1,000 power bill rebate for all households.

Cars stalled in morning peak hour traffic in Annerley, Brisbane

The budget promise is expected to save motorists hundreds of dollars.(ABC News: Chris Gillette)

"Everywhere I go in this state, people tell me the cost of everything seems to keep going up," the premier told media on Saturday.

"This initiative will save the 5.7 million light car owners here in Queensland hundreds of dollars over the 12 months – dollars that could be spent on groceries, rent, the mortgage, or put into savings."

Mr Miles said the announcement should come as no surprise after he froze increases in the price of registration when he first took over as premier.

"I've said consistently since then that what I've heard from Queenslanders is that they want us to focus on their cost of living," he said.

When questioned about why the measures are only short-term — 12 months for the rego cut and just six for the public transport fare trail — the premier spoke on the "cyclic" nature of major financial impacts such as interest rates.

"What we want to see, over time, is interest rates come down — and when they do, that will relieve a lot of the pressure," Mr Miles said. 

"In the meantime, we are doing what we can to both address the cost of living and bring down inflation."

A person holds a phone looking at the TMR rego renewal website.

Queenslanders will be able to register their cars for a fraction of the price as a result of the budget commitment.(ABC News: Craig Andrews)

The initiative is costed at $435 million.

The budget will also predict back-to-back deficits over the next two years with a $3 billion deficit for 2024-25, followed by less than $1 billion the next year. 

Treasurer and Deputy Premier Cameron Dick put the deficit down to spending on health, housing and cost-of-living relief in Tuesday's budget.

"If our budget has to go into deficit to keep your household budget in surplus, then that is what we will do," he told parliament last month.

In response to questions about the debt Queensland will be saddled with in the wake of such initiatives, Mr Dick said "we are streets ahead" of New South Wales and Victoria.

"In every one of my budgets — except [my] first, which was in the depths of COVID — we have reduced debt," he said.

"If David Crisafulli wants to cut debt, which he's said he's going to do [if the LNP wins government], he needs to say by how much, by when, and what are the cuts."

Earlier this week, Opposition Leader David Crisafulli said "anything" in the government's yet-to-be-announced budget would be "honoured". 

He later clarified his party would support projects that were "fully funded and underway", adding that "good governments and oppositions honour those commitments". 

Speaking from the Gold Coast on Saturday, Mudgeeraba MP Ros Bates said the cost-of-living pledges should be viewed with "cynicism" but confirmed the LNP would support the measures.

Bianca Stone and Ros Bates smiling at the camera.

At Bianca Stone's preselection announcement on Saturday, Ros Bates reaffirmed the LNP's support for the upcoming budget.(ABC News: Mackenzie Colahan)

"We will support the measures in the budget, anything that will help everyday Queenslanders with cost of living," she said.

"The LNP will continue to focus on driving down electricity prices, water, for insurances rising we're seeing rising because of youth crime."

The state heads to the polls on October 26. 

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