Queensland's chief number-cruncher has given the green light to a government plan to dip into the public service super fund to build infrastructure and pay down debt.
The State Actuary's report found the government's plan to take around $4 billion out of the $10 billion available in "overpayments" from the defined benefit scheme should continue, as the scheme was in a "very healthy position".
The plan last year attracted harsh criticism from the Liberal National Party opposition, which labelled it a "raid" on public servants' superannuation.
But Queensland Treasurer Curtis Pitt said the Actuary's report vindicated the move.
"The surplus is not members' funds but excess contributions by the government as employer," Mr Pitt said in a statement.
"The surplus belongs to taxpayers and it is appropriate to make better use of such surplus capital to generate jobs and pay down debt given the strong position of the scheme, the fully funded nature of Queensland's public sector super, and the legislative guarantee of payouts."
Shadow Treasurer Scott Emerson kept up the criticism on Friday, saying the report also identified the overall surplus had dropped a billion dollars to around $9 billion in the year since the plan was first proposed.
"The Actuary actually finds there is now a one in three chance the fund will go into deficit in the future, and that's using the most optimistic assumptions possible," Mr Emerson said in a statement.
"The surplus in the super scheme has reduced, and the risk of the fund going into deficit has increased."
Queensland's public sector union Together said they were happy with the Actuary's report because their super contributions are protected in legislation, so any surplus should be put to good use.
"Clearly, especially in regional Queensland, there is a need for increased economic activity and jobs, and if the surplus can be used for that in a way that doesn't affect our benefits then that's a good thing for Queensland," Together secretary Alex Scott told AAP.
The government plans to use $2 billion of the over-contributions for infrastructure projects and a further $2 billion to pay down debt over the forward estimates.
The review's release comes as Mr Pitt prepares to hand down his third state budget in June, which has taken a heavy hit from the billion-dollar damage bill from Cyclone Debbie.
AAP