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NSW coach Brad Fittler insists there is a path back to the State of Origin arena for Nicho Hynes and defended his call to drop the Cronulla captain for the must-win second game of the series.

Fittler made five changes for next Wednesday's clash at Suncorp Stadium, with Game I debutants Hynes and Tevita Pangai Jr axed in favour of the uncapped Reece Robson and Stefano Utoikamanu, respectively.

Latrell Mitchell returns from the calf niggle that ruled him out of the series opener, while Mitch Moses and Damien Cook come in for the injured Nathan Cleary and Api Koroisau.

After swinging the axe following the Game I loss last year, Fittler was determined not to follow suit this time around.

"The whole idea was it was the least amount of changes," Fittler said.

"At the end of the day, we changed front-rowers. And we brought a hooker in instead of Nicho."

With one game of prior Origin experience, Moses is tasked with orchestrating the Blues' attack as Cleary's replacement at halfback.

Fittler has also reverted to previous plans of carrying a hooker on the bench, leaving no room for Hynes, one of the NRL's form players of the past two seasons.

The omission loomed as particularly harsh given Hynes was only afforded 12 minutes of game time to prove himself from the bench in the series opener.

While picking Moses has Hynes third or lower in Fittler's halfback rankings, the coach believed the Sharks captain would add to his maiden Origin cap.

"Without a doubt," he said.

"He's had such an incredible year really, on and off the field.

"We just felt after the weekend rounds and the way we wanted to play, there's just more certainly taking a second hooker around and getting a versatile player on.

"When you've got an outside back, you're looking for ways to get him into the game."

Fittler said Hynes would likely have been chosen in the extended squad as 19th man if the Sharks had a bye this weekend.

Instead, he has picked uncapped Keaon Koloamatangi, whose Rabbitohs have the weekend off.

"The Sharks where they are at the moment, they're great some weeks and not great other weeks," Fittler said.

"I think it's best, especially this week and next week, to give him some time to go back to Cronulla and get it right."

Utoikamanu was in camp for the series opener as 19th man and having coached him as a teenager, Fittler has long seen him as a star of the future.

"We spoke about a lot of front-rowers," Fittler said.

"I've always had a read that (Utoikamanu) is not intimidated. There's big names on the other side, he doesn't run away from it.

"I'm interested and nervous and all of it for him because I think he's definitely part of the future."

NSW Blues: James Tedesco (capt), Brian To'o, Latrell Mitchell, Tom Trbojevic, Josh Addo-Carr, Jarome Luai, Mitchell Moses, Junior Paulo, Damien Cook, Payne Haas, Tyson Frizell, Hudson Young, Isaah Yeo. Reserves: Stefano Utoikamanu, Cameron Murray, Liam Martin, Reece Robson, Stephen Crichton, Keaon Koloamatangi.

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Queenslanders are being promised a state budget that is "absolutely focused" on cost-of-living pressures.

The Palaszczuk government has signalled various rebates to ease the pain of rising bills and interest rates in the measures Treasurer Cameron Dick will hand down on Tuesday.

Among them is expected to be an increase in the existing $175 energy rebate, previously announced by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, to help people struggling with power bills.

The measure will be welcome in regional Queensland after residents last week were hit with the highest electricity increase in the country at 29 per cent.

Parents will also be given a budget boost, with kindergarten free for all Queensland families from 1 January 2024.

The $645 million investment means more than 50,000 extra children across the state will be able to attend kindergarten for free in the year before they start school.

The figure is in addition to an estimated 14,000 families, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, who can already access kindergarten at no cost.

The premier on Monday said billions of dollars would be allocated towards cost-of-living relief measures.

Mr Dick also promised funding boosts for health, housing and police.

"This budget will be all about housing, health and of course delivering better community safety and improving the cost of living," he said.

Mr Dick said the budget needed to balance helping with the cost of living and ensuring government spending did not make inflation worse.

The government has been under pressure over problems in the health system such as gaps in maternity services and ambulance delays.

It has faced criticism over the state's shortage of social housing and its handling of youth crime.

The opposition on Monday said the government had made a lot of announcements during the past eight years but had not delivered much.

"Annastacia Palaszczuk has failed Queenslanders on housing, she has failed people on crime and she has failed people on the costs of living and health crisis that we have in the state," LNP deputy leader Jarrod Bleijie said.

The cost-of-living measures come as the government is flush with money from higher coal and petroleum royalties, with the budget update six months ago forecasting a $5.2 billion surplus for 2022/23.

Government debt is set to reach $14.5b at the end of the financial year.

Economic growth is forecast to continue, but it will be limited by rising interest rates and a weaker global outlook.

Higher coal prices and controversial changes last year to the state's royalties regime could net the government even more revenue than forecast, with the Queensland Resources Council predicting coal companies will deliver $13b for the state's coffers.

The council on Monday renewed its campaign against the progressive three-tier royalties system introduced last year, saying it would cost jobs and investment.

But the treasurer hit back, saying the mining lobby should show some respect to Queenslanders struggling with the cost of living and not complain about paying a little more tax.

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Queenslanders are being showered with electricity bill relief, free kindy and a raft of other cost of living measures as soaring coal royalties powered the state budget to a historic surplus.

Treasurer Cameron Dick said the $12.3 billion surplus for 2022/23 was the largest ever for any state or territory, while declaring "help is on the way" for people struggling with rising inflation and interest rates.

"In this budget, our government will deliver greater and more widespread cost-of-living relief than any other government in Australia, state or federal," he said as he handed down the budget on Tuesday.

Mr Dick said the largesse was possible thanks to the government's progressive royalties regime introduced last year, which brought in an extra $10.5b amid high coal and gas prices.

"We can deliver our state's biggest cost of living program, our state's biggest building program and deliver lower debt because of one simple reason - progressive coal royalties," the treasurer said.

"Our decision, to take on the mining lobby, to stand our ground, and to fight for the people of our state, has delivered a rich reward for Queenslanders."

Mr Dick announced $1.6b in new and expanded cost of living relief, including an increase in the electricity bill rebate to $550 for all households - up from $175 - and more than $1000 for eligible concession holders.

He said the rebates meant low-income households, such as pensioners, might pay nothing for electricity in the next financial year.

The other big-ticket item was $645m over four years to provide 15 hours a week of free kindergarten for all four-year-olds.

"Over the course of a year, that means an average saving of $4600 for many Queensland families," Mr Dick said.

With the government under pressure over the state's health system, the treasurer announced a boost of more than nine per cent to bring 2023/24's funding to $25.8b.

The money includes more than $7640m to reduce ambulance ramping and emergency department wait times.

A $1.1b increase for social housing as the state continues to deal with a shortage of affordable housing, including $322m for an additional 500 social homes.

Mr Dick touted the state's infrastructure spending which is forecast to be $89 billion over four years, including including $20b in 2023/24 new and ongoing projects including infrastructure for the 2032 Olympics,the Fitzroy to Gladstone water pipeline, the Borumba Pumped Hydro project, and Stage 1 of the Coomera Connector motorway.

The royalties bonanza is not expected to continue and revenue is forecast to fall sharply in 2023/24, as the temporary surge in coal and other commodity prices unwinds, according to the budget papers.

This will result in a forecast deficit of $2b in 2023/24.

Queensland's economy is forecast to grow two per cent in 2022/23 then increase to three per cent over the next two years.

Inflation is expected to drop from 7.25 per cent in 2022/23 to 3.75 per cent in 2023/24, while unemployment is expected to edge higher to 4.25 per cent in 2023/24.

The state's population is forecast to increase two per cent in 2022/23, then increase 1.75 per cent in 2023/24.

STATE OF QUEENSLAND BUDGET IN 2022/23

* Surplus: $12.3b surplus

* Revenue: $87.6b

* Expenditure: $75.3b

* Net debt: $5.8b

* GST revenue: $17.8b

* Unemployment: 3.75 per cent

* Economic growth: 2.0 per cent

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Queenslanders are being showered with electricity bill relief, free kindy and a raft of other cost of living measures as soaring coal royalties powered the state budget to a historic surplus.

Treasurer Cameron Dick said the $12.3 billion surplus for 2022/23 was the largest for any state or territory and declared help is on the way for people struggling with rising inflation and interest rates.

"In this budget, our government will deliver greater and more widespread cost of living relief than any other government in Australia, state or federal," he said as he handed down the budget on Tuesday.

Mr Dick said the largesse was possible because of the government's progressive royalties regime introduced last year, which brought in an extra $10.5b amid high coal and gas prices.

"We can deliver our state's biggest cost of living program, our state's biggest building program and deliver lower debt because of one simple reason - progressive coal royalties," the treasurer said.

"Our decision to take on the mining lobby, to stand our ground and to fight for the people of our state, has delivered a rich reward for Queenslanders."

Mr Dick announced $1.6b in expanded cost of living relief, including an increase in the electricity bill rebate to $550 for all households - up from $175 - and more than $1000 for eligible concession holders.

The rebates mean low-income households, such as pensioners, might pay nothing for electricity in the next financial year.

The other big-ticket item was $645 million over four years to provide 15 hours a week of free kindergarten for all four-year-olds.

"Over the course of a year, that means an average saving of $4600 for many Queensland families," Mr Dick said.

With the government under pressure over the state's health system, the treasurer announced a boost of more than nine per cent to bring 2023/24's funding to $25.8b.

The money includes more than $7640m to reduce ambulance ramping and emergency department wait times.

There is a $1.1b increase for social housing as the state continues to deal with a shortage of affordable housing, including $322m for an extra 500 social homes.

Mr Dick touted the state's infrastructure spend, forecast to be $89b over four years.

This includes $20b in 2023/24 for projects such as infrastructure for the 2032 Olympics, the Fitzroy to Gladstone water pipeline, the Borumba Pumped Hydro project and stage one of the Coomera Connector motorway.

The opposition said the treasurer's rivers of gold failed to repair frontline services or deliver long-term cost of living relief.

"Treasurer Dick has pocketed an extra $60b than he forecast in his first budget less than three years ago, but the state has nothing to show for it," treasury spokesman David Janetski said.

"After the rivers of gold dry up, Queensland will have nothing to show but the highest debt in our state's history, the highest taxes and failing front-line services."

The royalties bonanza is not expected to continue and revenue is forecast to fall sharply in 2023/24, as the surge in coal and other commodity prices unwinds, according to the budget papers.

This will result in a forecast deficit of $2b in 2023/24.

Queensland's economy is forecast to grow two per cent in 2022/23 and increase to three per cent over the next two years.

Inflation is expected to drop from 7.25 per cent in 2022/23 to 3.75 per cent in 2023/24 and unemployment is expected to edge higher to 4.25 per cent in 2023/24.

STATE OF QUEENSLAND BUDGET IN 2022/23

* Surplus: $12.3b

* Revenue: $87.6b

* Expenditure: $75.3b

* Net debt: $5.8b

* GST revenue: $17.8b

* Unemployment: 3.75 per cent

* Economic growth: 2.0 per cent

© AAP 2023