Des Houghton: David Crisafulli could be one-term wonder as Premier but Labor lacks leaders

David Crisafulli is struggling to win over parts of Queensland but surely Labor has no hope either, writes Des Houghton.

Premier David Crisafulli’s best bet is the fact Labor is struggling. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Will David Frank Crisafulli be a one-hit wonder?

Could the Premier lead the LNP to an inglorious drubbing at the next election? Possibly.

I hate to say so but the truth is the Queensland LNP could be dragged under by the political whirlpool engulfing the federal coalition.

The delayed Liberal Party decision to follow the National Party in scrapping net zero emissions targets has caused internal bitterness, division and uncertainty.

That will take time to heal.

That said the next state election is not due until October 28, 2028, under the new fixed, four-year parliamentary terms model and Crisafulli himself has performed well.

The opinion poll conducted at the time of the LNP’s one-year anniversary was not a disaster for Crisafulli, but it was not a glowing endorsement either.

The government’s list of achievements is impressive, so why has its primary vote plunged?

The LNP still leads Labor 54-46 per cent on a two-party preferred basis but is bleeding support to One Nation, the DemosAU poll found.

The LNP delivered the biggest drop to the elective surgery waiting lists in a decade, the youth crime rate is falling and cost-of-living support like 50c fares has been welcomed. Despite this, the poll put LNP primary vote at 37 per cent, down 4.5 per cent since the 2024 election.

Through it all David Crisafulli remained optimistic. His personal performance during the last two sessions of Parliament have been outstanding.

And the Premier has something else going for him – a lacklustre Opposition.

Will the voters of Queensland be stupid enough to hand power back to the useless Labor Party and their useless leaders Steven Miles, Cameron Dick and Shannon Fentiman? I doubt it.