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AAP
AAP
National
Laine Clark

Police budget blowout won't affect front line: premier

Queensland police signed a lease for a station before money was reportedly allocated to the project. (Jason O'BRIEN/AAP PHOTOS)

A bungled lease has caused a $116 million Queensland Police budget blowout, sparking an investigation ahead of the state election.

But Premier Steven Miles says the "unacceptable" gaffe will not affect frontline services amid what the opposition has called a youth crime "crisis".

Queensland police signed a $116 million, 15-year lease to set up a new station at Stones Corner, in Brisbane's inner south, with an option to extend it for a total of $240 million.

However, the contract was reportedly signed before money was allocated for the major project.

A 5.6 per cent adjustment would need to be applied across all budget allocations as Queensland Police try to fill the $116 million black hole, the Nine Network said.

Queensland Premier Steven Miles at a presser on the Sunshine Coast
The blowout would "in now way" affect frontline policing, Premier Steven Miles said. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS)

But Mr Miles insisted there would be no impact on existing operational expenses as he wound down an election campaign in which youth crime has been a key issue.

"There is no way that this should impact on frontline policing," he told reporters ahead of Saturday's poll.

"I'm advised that the police commissioner has ordered an investigation into exactly what has happened, and I'm as interested as you are to get the answers."

Asked who should take the fall, Mr Miles said: "That will depend on what the outcome of the investigation is.

"But clearly it's unacceptable and I want to see what the outcome of that investigation is."

The opposition set their sights on Police Minister Mark Ryan, with Liberal National Party leader David Crisafulli saying it "doesn't stack up" that government decision-makers were unaware of the gaffe.

Mr Crisafulli then claimed he would sack a minister responsible for a budget blowout if elected as premier before back tracking.

"If ministers aren't delivering what they have been tasked to deliver, then someone else will be responsible for delivering it," he told reporters.

Asked if he would sack them, the opposition leader said: "Yep ... but can I just be clearer on that - it won't be musical chairs."

Mr Ryan said the decision by police to enter into the lease agreement was "entirely operational" and backed the commissioner's decision to launch an audit into the process.

"The LNP's baseless attacks show they lack any understanding of the independence of the Queensland Police Service, and would simply gut funding and resources from them like they did last time (when in government)," he said in a statement.

"The Miles Labor government will never reduce the operational funding of the Queensland Police Service."

Mr Ryan said police had "significant" unallocated funds in their accommodation budget, including an expected $40 million saving on a youth remand project at Wacol.

"This funding would easily address these pressures," he said.

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