Treasurer Cameron Dick has defended Queensland’s growing public service wages bill after handing down his first budget.

The public sector’s wages will increase to almost $29 billion by 2023/2024.

The debt is forecast to reach $130 billion in the next few years.

Scott Emerson questioned why the public service is growing at a faster rate than the population rate.

“We don’t apologise for putting on teachers, doctors, healthcare workers and other frontline public servants that Queensland needs,” Mr Dick said.

“More than 90 per cent of the public service is on the frontline.”

Scott pressed the Treasurer to compare the unemployment rate between NSW and Queensland, per capita debt and growth.

“I am not playing the gotcha game,” Mr Dick responded.

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Image: Nine News