QUEENSLAND treasurer Tim Nicholls has consulted with Toowoomba community leaders on the government’s strategies to reduce debt.
Mr Nicholls said the state’s debt level was forecast to reach $80 billion in the 2014-15 financial year.
In order to have some resilience, he said, that level had to be brought back to between $50b and $55b.
A selection of MPs, as well as local mayors and businesses were in attendance at the round table meeting on Wednesday.
Mr Nicholls presented attendees with three alternatives for how to reduce the debt.
“Certainly we are not being knocked out in a rush for increasing taxes and charges,” he said.
“A consideration, whether the government can operate more efficiently, and the reduction of services have come up a bit.
“There have also been a lot of questions about if we were to go down the path of selling government business, how would that happen?
“How would we ensure we got value for money? A lot of people are saying don’t just sell something and use it to meet your operating expenses but invest it back into productive infrastructure.”
The Toowoomba round table was the 14th meeting Mr Nicholls has held so far and will be followed by community consultation later in the year.
Mr Nicholls said the issue would be taken to the election to seek a mandate for asset sales.
There was some positive news, with the Queensland economy growing by 3.6pc in the 2012-13 financial year.
Outsourcing grassroots community services to non-governmental social service providers was also discussed.
Mr Nicholls said there would be an opportunity to invest in long term infrastructure, once the debt is under control.
He mentioned building dams to support agriculture as one potential form of investment.
“Dams for agriculture might pay off over 50 years but they increase employment and economic productivity.”