Our vision and purpose
Queensland Treasury drives government priorities through our expert advice and services to support our vision of a strong economy for all Queenslanders.
How we began
The Treasury Department came into existence in 1859 with the separation of Queensland from the Colony of New South Wales. The first Colonial Treasurer, Robert Ramsay Mackenzie, was appointed in the same year.
Our services
Treasury drives the government’s plan to grow the Queensland economy and create jobs in line with the government’s economic growth priorities and longer-term economic strategy. Our role involves providing trusted, impartial and influential advice to the government about the economy and state finances and expert advice about government policies and strategies. We deliver fiscal sustainability while maintaining and continuing to improve the state’s revenue base through best practice revenue collection and penalty debt management.
We influence and incentivise private sector investment to improve competitiveness and productivity with a focus on attracting and stimulating investment and creating jobs in priority industries. Our services aim to further the productivity and sustainability of a vibrant Queensland economy while enhancing Queensland’s policy influence and position through effective intergovernmental relations.
As a central agency, we partner with agencies to plan and prepare for the successful delivery of Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games within agreed funding parameters. Additional responsibilities include driving improvements and innovation in government businesses and services, as well as demonstrating the state’s commitment to environmental, social and governance sustainability.
Our strategic objectives
In 2022–23, we delivered various services to meet our objectives:
- Grow the Queensland economy and create jobs
- Deliver fiscal sustainability
- Drive public sector reform.
This is detailed in the Service performance section of this report. We also continued to deliver on our commitment to empower our workforce for the future.
The Queensland Treasury Strategic Plan 2022–2026 details how we measure our performance. Our services support the Queensland Government’s objectives for the community.
Our operating environment
In a rapidly changing environment, Treasury continues to manage risks and realise opportunities by:
- driving economic growth through delivering high-quality analysis and advice to key stakeholders
- responding to or leading effective reform across the public sector to realise the government’s ambition with respect to fiscal strategy and core services
- managing revenues and expenses to enable the government to fund and support priority services and initiatives
- designing, overseeing and influencing the delivery of external, community-focused program and service delivery responsibilities as they arise
- developing our people, processes and technology and providing a healthy and safe workplace to deliver on increased expectations and advice on government priorities
- optimising the state’s revenue base through best practice revenue collection, grants management and fine administration and penalty debt management
- managing our systems against cyber-security attacks
- maintaining a strong culture to mitigate integrity issues or the mismanagement of information.
Machinery of government changes
On 1 June 2023, the Queensland Housing Investment Growth Initiative function was transferred to the Department of Housing. Financial statements for 1 June – 30 June 2023 can be found in the annual report for Department of Housing.
On 1 December 2022, the mobile phone and seatbelt offences function from the Department of Transport and Main Roads was transitioned to Queensland Treasury. This transition continues the successful consolidation of government fine administration and management resources into a single agency, with the aim to streamline the fine and penalty debt system and enhance overall efficiency for Queensland. Improving end-to-end fine and penalty debt management in the Queensland Government will better support road safety initiatives as well as other infrastructure and services for the community.
The government’s fiscal strategy
The government’s 2023–24 Queensland Budget prioritised tackling the cost of living, and delivering improved services in health, housing, and community safety. Queensland has benefited from the coal royalty tiers introduced in the 2022–23 Budget. This has provided the opportunity to support investment in the biggest infrastructure build ever undertaken by a Queensland Government, including significant investment in new energy infrastructure.
These investments will leverage Queensland’s natural endowments, productive capacity and competitive advantages to deliver good jobs, better services and a great lifestyle for Queenslanders.
The state’s finances are managed in line with the government’s fiscal principles set out in the Charter of Fiscal Responsibility.
The Charter guides fiscal management in the medium-term, addressing key areas including debt burden, affordable expenditure growth, funding of capital expenditure, competitive taxation, and retaining the long-standing commitment to targeting full funding of superannuation and workers’ compensation liabilities.
The Queensland economy has strengthened since the 2022–23 Queensland Budget and is well-positioned to take advantage of future economic and fiscal opportunities.
Our contribution to the Queensland Government’s objectives for the community
In 2022–23, Treasury continued to contribute to all the government’s objectives through our strategic plan, our services and support for major government programs and initiatives. The department’s role in delivering on the government priorities is detailed throughout this report.
The Queensland Government’s objectives for the community are:
Good, secure jobs in our traditional and emerging industries
- Supporting jobs
- Backing small business
- Making it for Queensland
- Investing in skills
Deliver even better services right across Queensland
- Backing our frontline services
- Keeping Queenslanders safe
- Connecting Queensland
- Educating for the future
Protect and enhance our Queensland lifestyle as we grow
- Protecting the environment
- Growing our regions
- Building Queensland
- Honouring and embracing our rich and ancient cultural history
They are underpinned by our strategic objectives:
- Grow the Queensland economy and create jobs
- Empower our workforce for the future
- Deliver fiscal sustainability
- Drive public sector improvement