NEWMAN VOWS CUTS TO PAYROLL TAX OVER THREE YEARS

THE Newman Government, buoyed by a drop in Queensland's employment figures, has vowed to further ease payroll tax if it is elected to another term later this month.

The government has also affirmed its commitment to no new taxes should it be re-elected.

Premier Campbell Newman, in a bid to ramp up the LNP's credentials as a political party for the business sector, says the government understands that small and medium businesses create the majority of jobs for Queenslanders.

"The LNP has been working hard to make it easier to do business in Queensland, so we can create jobs and drive economic growth," Newman says.

"Labor gave up on business, hiking up taxes and charges year after year, stacking up red tape and regulation and failing to provide the proper training to make sure business could employ people with the right skills.

"By contrast, we immediately moved to reduce payroll tax, meaning Queensland now enjoys the best payroll tax system in the nation.

"We've delivered on our promise to reduce onerous regulation, with businesses and the community now saving $425 million a year thanks to our red tape cuts. We also abolished Labor's $373 million waste tax on business.

"By keeping taxes low and not introducing any new taxes, we are making Queensland the best place to do business in Australia."

Newman says, if re-elected, his Government plans to increase the payroll tax threshold by $100,000 a year over the next term.

"This will mean thousands of businesses will not pay payroll tax, and will save many more small businesses on their bills," says Newman.

The move comes on the heels of an improved employment landscape in Queensland with the latest unemployment figures falling 0.7 percentage points to 6.1 per cent, bringing the State back to the national average.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics says Queensland reported one of the largest increases in seasonally adjusted employment in December, up 22,500. Newman says the jobs figures reveal that Queensland accounted for 80 per cent of all full-time jobs created across Australia in December.

"While the future looks encouraging, it is important to remember that only the LNP has a strong plan to secure this future," he says.

"The LNP is the only party that can deliver fully costed job creation programs that will drive employment growth into the future.

"Our Strong Choices plan will support 33,600 full-time jobs here in Queensland. Our $91 million Jobs of Tomorrow package will create an additional 26,000 job and training places to for young Queenslanders.

"Only a strong and stable LNP Government can guarantee Queensland small business that there won't be any new taxes, and that payroll tax will be cut over the next three years."