Liberal National Party Queensland leader David Crisafulli has wasted little time after the party claimed victory in state elections and ended Labor’s nine-year reign. Source: SBS News.
The LNP has narrowly formed a majority government, ending the night with 48 seats – one more than the 47 needed for a majority.
Mr Crisafulli summoned senior staff at Queensland parliament yesterday morning after a 7.30am call from Labor’s outgoing Labor premier Steven Miles to concede defeat.
Mr Crisafulli gathered colleagues to discuss the policies he promised to implement during a rollercoaster election campaign. Top of the list will be youth crime.
Mr Crisafulli promised to legislate his controversial “adult time for adult crime” policy by Christmas, in which juveniles face lengthy sentences for serious offences.
“It’s the defining issue and ultimately it’s the one Queenslanders across the board wanted to see in action,” he told Nine Network’s Today show on Sunday.
“We will not go to Christmas with the same laws we’ve got now,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“We will have adult crime, adult time and we’re also going to do early intervention and give kids hope and the ability to turn their life around.”
Labor has governed Queensland for 30 of the past 35 years, and Mr Crisafulli is LNP’s first premier since Campbell Newman’s 2012-2015 stint.
Counting is continuing, but it projected an LNP majority along with three Katter’s Australian Party members and independent Sandy Bolton retaining her seat of Noosa.
Both leaders campaigned hard on key election issues of youth crime, housing, health and cost-of-living pressures.
But abortion emerged as a major talking point in the past fortnight after a crossbencher vowed to repeal the legislation if elected.
Abortion was decriminalised in Queensland in 2018.
Mr Crisafulli has been under enormous pressure in the past two weeks, repeatedly refusing to explain how he would guarantee abortion laws would not change.
FULL STORY
Queensland election: David Crisafulli claims victory for LNP, ending Labor’s nine-year reign (SBS News)
