Analysis: Steven’s miles behind and the petrol light is flickering

Steven Miles responded to successive dire opinion polls as premier by pledging to work harder. Though the writing might be on the wall after this latest blow, writes Hayden Johnson.

Latest polling has revealed Steven Miles is in a world of pain. Brisbane. pic: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

Forget the boost for David Crisafulli – this poll spells disaster for Steven Miles.

It will plant seeds of uncertainty within Queensland Labor about whether Mr Miles really has the drive to chip away at this popular premier for three years.

Short of Mr Crisafulli selfdestructing, dinting his popularity will likely take months and years rather than days.

Does Mr Miles have the stamina?

As RedBridge director Tony Barry points out, Queenslanders are seeking a remedy from Labor, not a replay.

Labor has fallen further behind the LNP on a two-party vote and has lost strength in the inner and outer metropolitan heartland that, in October, probably saved Mr Miles from being dumped as party leader.

Short of waiting for the government to blow itself up, the opposition doesn’t seem to know how to inflict a blow.

Does Steven Miles have enough left in the tank to turn it around? (Image/Josh Woning)

Mr Crisafulli has barely put a foot wrong as Premier, but has had hiccups.

The Premier should have treated Indigenous Queenslanders with the respect promised when he tore up Path to Treaty and excluding attempted murder from December’s Making Queensland Safer Laws was an error.

His broken promise on stadiums was straight from the Beattie playbook – accept, apologise and get building.

The opposition will argue Queensland Health projects are being cut and delayed under this government.

While true, Labor’s strategy is seemingly trying to justify the baseless claims it made during the state election – that hospitals would be privatised and 17,000 public servant jobs would be lost.

Mr Crisafulli’s mould is closer to the risk-averse style of Annastacia Palaszczuk than Campbell Newman’s crash or crash through approach.

The problem for Labor now is where it could turn should Mr Miles decide to exit, or be pushed.

Cameron Dick, although likely Labor’s best option in opposition, doesn’t have the numbers.

Deep concern remains whether Jackie Trad’s protégé, the Left-aligned Shannon Fentiman, can win back regional Queensland.

Shadow Attorney-General Meaghan Scanlon can’t be discounted, but her elevation to the leadership would indicate Labor is looking towards the 2032 election rather than 2028.

As Premier, Mr Miles responded to successive dire opinion polls by pledging to work harder.

He needs to do that again, not for months this time, but years.

Originally published as Analysis: Steven’s miles behind and the petrol light is flickering