Queensland can afford to spend $100 million to support taxi owners affected by the shift to legal ride-sharing despite the budget's unhealthy state, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk insists.  The government this week revealed ride-sharing services like Uber would be legal from September 5, but to soften the blow for disgruntled taxi drivers a $100 million transitional package was announced.  Cabbies will have access to a hardship fund and receive one-off payments of $20,000 for existing licenses when taxis, limousines, hire cars and Ubers all fall into the one "booked service" category.  Ms Palaszczuk on Friday said the money was coming from consolidated revenue and Treasury had assured her it was available over two years.  "It's the right thing to do, it's the fair thing to do," she said.  "You cannot advance Queensland if you are not embracing innovation."  In this year's budget, Treasurer Curtis Pitt resorted to a $4 billion raid on QSuper's defined benefit scheme, raising questions about how $100 million had suddenly been found.  Ms Palaszczuk said the government was always conscious of making savings.  "Whether it's the way people travel, whether it's accommodation, these are all things we can look at in terms of making savings, but the money is there," she said.  The premier insisted it was fair to compensate "mums and dads" who had invested thousands in existing licenses.  "It's not their fault that the world is changing, that there is now a new, modern economy that's here in Queensland," she said.  The Liberal National Party opposition is yet to fully reveal its stance on the reforms and transport minister Stirling Hinchliffe now has the tough job at convincing cross-benchers to support them.  Katter's Australian Party MP Rob Katter has already voiced his dissatisfaction.  "I want to make sure the whole parliament embraces these changes," Ms Palaszczuk said.  Minister Hinchliffe has said the first tranche of the reforms can be dealt with by the government through regulation.  It remains to be seen whether the government will be able to get the remaining sections through the state's hung parliament.
Queensland cabbies are unhappy about Uber becoming legal next month, despite compensation of $20,000 for taxi licence holders.