Analysis: Devil is in the detail of premier’s plan to get tough on kid crims

Steven Miles’ move to axe detention as a last resort could become a core moment in the election battle, writes state political editor Hayden Johnson.

Far from a mere rewrite, this move to axe detention as a last resort could become a core moment in the election battle.

A chaotic day in parliament culminated in Premier Steven Miles convening a late-night Labor caucus meeting and attempted to please the progressives and crime victims.

He danced the Macarena by insisting removing detention as a last resort was a simple rewrite to clarify the expectation of the judiciary.

Tired of the LNP shaving votes and confidence off his MPs, the premier ate his peas and decided to replace the principle with a new clause.

It was done to placate those regional MPs spooked by sliding polls showing they’d soon be writing their memoirs.

The LNP will likely argue nothing has changed.

Desperate to take skin off the LNP on crime, the state government rushed to release its Community Safety Plan for Queensland – printed just a day earlier.

As victims marched to parliament outside, and without a hint of irony, minister after minister lined up to promote the government’s record on crime.

“Not just a slick slogan,” a re-energised Premier Steven Miles crowed.

The premier showed courage by diving into the centre of the angry Voice For Victims protest, but burned goodwill with an awkward exchange with Russell Field.

Mr Miles insisted this Community Safety Plan was crafted during last week’s “travels around the state alongside the police minister” – when they flew in separate private planes.

The premier strutted into parliament on Tuesday with this plan hot off the press, literally printed and given to his office a day earlier.

The legislation backing it up wasn’t finished when he released it and policy boffins were burning the midnight oil to get it done before it’s introduced on Wednesday.

Knowing they’d be grilled on detail – or perhaps the lack of it – Mr Miles, his merry ministers and one fresh police commissioner filibustered the press conference with 20 minutes of speeches.

It left half that time for probing questions before Mr Miles’s spinner opened to page one of the Palaszczuk playbook and insisted they had to go.

What a shambles.