Qld recession claim is political: CCIQ

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland says the state treasurer's recession claim relies on data often used for political purposes.

Queensland Treasurer Curtis Pitt

Queensland Treasurer Curtis Pitt says the state is officially in an economic recession. (AAP)

Queensland's business community says it doesn't trust Treasurer Curtis Pitt's claim of a recession.

Using Queensland State Accounts figures, Mr Pitt told parliament on Thursday the gross state product fell by 0.2 per cent in the July-September quarter, followed by another fall of 0.6 per cent in the December quarter.

But Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland (CCIQ) spokesman Nick Behrens said the Australian Bureau of Statistics was the "official umpire" on whether the state was in recession.

"Our view is that Queensland treasury numbers typically are used for political purposes rather than an accurate data set on the performance of the economy," he said.

"They are often used by the treasurer to paint a picture that that treasurer would prefer."

Mr Behrens said ABS figures released on June 3 would definitively say whether the state's economy was in recession.

He indicated Mr Pitt likely released the figures in preparation for the state's budget, which he'll hand down on July 14.

Mr Pitt blamed Queensland's third recession in 24 years on bad decisions made by the former Liberal National Party government, including wasteful spending and mass sackings.

"Their legacy is three years' of economic mismanagement underscored by mass sackings, rising unemployment, bumbling policies and subdued business conditions," he said.

"The difference between the contractions in growth of the early 90s and the global financial crisis, Mr Speaker, is this is the slowdown that Queensland didn't have to have."

The LNP has also accused Mr Pitt of using "rubbery figures".

Shadow treasurer John-Paul Langbroek said Mr Pitt had used "some clever concocted figures" instead of relying on official ABS data.


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Source: AAP


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