Liberal National Party (LNP) Leader David Crisafulli will become the 41st premier of Queensland, even after Labor’s late-term campaign strategies successfully staved off the predicted “blue wave.”
While Labor did not suffer as crushing a defeat as initially predicted, the LNP will still be able to form a majority government.
As of 11 p.m. on Oct. 26, the LNP had scored 49 seats—crossing the threshold of 47 to form government—compared with Labor on 31.
Overall, the LNP gained a 6 percent swing with numerous seats in Brisbane recording swings of about 10 percent against sitting Labor MPs.
However, it was the crucial coastal electorates that swung in favour of LNP and its eventual victory with three electorates in the northern city of Townsville all likely falling to the LNP out of Labor’s hands.
In one of the more surprising elements of the election, the Greens appear to have lost their only two seats in the Legislative Assembly.
The LNP’s Natasha Winters is in a tight tussle with Greens’ incumbent Michael Berkman, and Labor appears to have wrestled back the inner city electorate of South Brisbane (with assistance from LNP preferences).
One Nation did not win any seats, despite running a large number of candidates, with its main hope of Keppel likely going to the LNP.
Crisafulli Talking Second Term
Incoming Premier Crisafulli wasted no time looking to the future, saying he was aiming for a second term.If he can pull it off, it would be the first time an LNP leader would have pulled off such a feat since 1986.
“Well ladies and gentlemen, tonight Queenslanders have voted for hope over fear,” he told a crowd of supporters on election night.
“They have voted for a fresh start and they have voted for a majority LNP government.”
Crisafulli thanked outgoing Premier Steven Miles for his service and hard work, and paid homage to the Labor MPs who had lost their seats.
He also made it clear that Queenslanders would not have to wait to see the results of a new government at work.
“We are determined to make sure that this state returns to the powerhouse that we all know it can be,” he said.
Crisafulli deemed the win the “biggest achievement for the LNP in over a decade.”
“By Christmas, adult crime, adult time will be law,” he said.
The incoming leader has also vowed to slash the state’s 45 percent rate of ambulance ramping in hospitals, and to return decision-making to doctors and nurses.
Crisafulli said that in addition to his core election pillars of crime, health, housing and the cost of living, he would work on building a state that was rich in infrastructure including roads, dams and hospitals.
Crisafulli briefly mentioned Labor’s campaign around abortion, which led many voters to think abortion access would be scaled back under conservative government.
“That scare campaign won’t be able to be run in four years’ time,” he said.
“When all of those allegations and when all of the scam and all of the fear doesn’t come to fruition, we'll then look to deliver a second term of LNP government,” he said.
“Because friends, this isn’t America, we don’t pander to extremes, we deliver extremely good outcomes for everyday people.”
Miles Promises to Hold LNP Accountable
Outgoing Premier Steven Miles beamed to riotous cheers as he gave a speech to his supporters.Miles received loud cries of joy when he said he didn’t believe the LNP could form a majority government, although it later became clear they would.
“If you consider what we were up against, this was an extraordinary result,” he said.
“It was always going to be a challenging election for Labor, but I have no regrets at my campaign or indeed my last 10 months as premier.”
Miles congratulated outgoing MPs while thanking those who had lost seats.
“I gave this election everything I had,” he said.
The outgoing premier focused his comments mostly on Labor’s use of strategy, door-knocking and policy to stave off a more severe defeat in the state.
Treasurer Cameron Dick had told ABC that the party door-knocked or contacted nearly 250,000 voters during the campaign, with Labor’s Aged Care Minister Anika Wells saying in the seat of Sandgate, the local Labor candidate door knocked on 8,000 homes.
“I have not seen a state Labor campaign as well organised as this one is, I want to thank my Deputy Premier Cameron Dick,” Miles said, before giving praise to the Queensland Trade Union for its support.
“I said at the beginning of this I wasn’t going to die wondering and I stand by that tonight,” Miles said.
“I have put forward and policy agenda that I am very proud of.”
Miles spoke of some of the measures he had introduced or pledged to introduce as premier, including $1,000 power bill credits, cheaper car registration, kids’ sports vouchers, 50 cent fares, and free school lunches.
It was the “biggest cost of living relief package put forward by any state ever paid for by billionaire multinational coal companies” he told the crowd.
Rather than congratulating his predecessor on achieving victory, Miles said Crisafulli had “tucked himself into the tiniest small target Queensland has ever seen”—a reference to LNP candidates avoiding discussion on topics outside of key talking points.
“Queenslanders know what I believe and what I stand for,” he said.
“Will he [Crisafulli] have a conscience vote on the Katters abortion bill and allow that right to be stripped from Queensland women?”
In a nod to suggestions that Miles would remain the state’s Labor and opposition leader, he promised to keep a watchful eye on the new government.
“No matter the final number of seats, I will keep doing what matters for Queensland, I will never stop fighting for our Labor agenda,” he said.
“And I will never stop holding the LNP to account.”
