Editorial: LNP must listen to Newman’s critique

In the next 16 months, youth crime will rear its ugly head again and will continue to be a point of debate in Queensland. The party that deals with it could win the election, writes The Editor.

While caution should be urged when taking political advice from a former leader who somehow lost a 35-seat majority in an 89-seat parliament and handed power to an opposition which went into the election with just seven seats, former LNP premier Campbell Newman is right on one thing today: now is the time his former party needs to start taking risks.

In a wide-ranging interview with The Courier-Mail, Mr Newman has taken aim at the failings of his former party and declared they need to stand up for something, or they would die wondering.

The Campbell Newman-led LNP were sensationally ousted by the Annastacia Palaszczuk-led Labor in 2015, and haven’t had a sniff since. But the former politician believes that if they take a stand on youth crime – and “speak plainly and far more forcibly on the issue” – they’re a real chance in 16 months time.

In the past week, we have seen again the horrible toll youth crime has taken on our state. The issue strikes a chord with all of us.

The deaths of Kelsie Davies, Sheree Robertson and Michale Chandler, who were killed when a stolen car, allegedly driven by a teenage criminal, caused a horrific chain reaction, has torn a hole in the Wide Bay region.

Former premier Campbell Newman. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

The same reaction was felt when Emma Lovell was fatally stabbed in the chest after she and her husband disturbed two teenage intruders in their North Lakes home on Boxing Day.

Parents and loved ones of those killed have asked what it is going to take to do something on the issue, while the Premier’s “strongest in the nation” youth crime laws have come under the spotlight again.

As this column pointed out last week, the Premier is right when she says “no-one is going to stop youth crime”, but she also needs to stop hiding behind that as her sole defence when tragedy strikes, especially considering her laws would not have made one iota of difference in this latest case.

In the same breath though, Mr Newman points out that Queenslanders also don’t really know where current Opposition Leader David Crisafulli stands on youth crime: “The LNP could win this election on the youth crime issue alone in my opinion, and the problem at the moment is we don’t know what they will actually do.”

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has some work to do before he can win the next election. NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

We agree that now is the time for the LNP to put their cards on the table and start talking about policy. Queenslanders deserve it.

The LNP should not discount the former leader’s warning that they have not done enough to take the fight to Labor and that they should be further ahead in the polls – with the latest YouGov survey for The Courier-Mail revealing the LNP is only two points ahead, 51-49, on a two-party-preferred basis.

Mr Newman: “After eight years of this dysfunctional, hopeless, unaccountable, and secretive government, the LNP should be leading in the polls by a very significant margin. Anna Bligh’s government was a far superior government to this one. And you have to ask why Bligh was so much more on the nose. And the answer is, the Opposition this time around haven’t done their job effectively in taking the fight to Labor.”

This is not the first time in recent history a former premier has spoken about the party they once led, with Peter Beattie writing in The Courier-Mail last year that Ms Palaszczuk should groom a successor and get ready to hand over the baton or risk Labor being a target at the election next year.

In the next 16 months, youth crime will rear its ugly head again and will continue to be a point of debate in Queensland.

The next premier could be decided by who has the best blueprint to deal with the issue.

Mr Crisafulli and Ms Palaszczuk should not ignore the advice of those who have come before them.

MAGIC MUST STAY IN BRISBANE

The NRL’s Magic Round is a unique event. While many thought it would be a festival of tribalism, it has quickly evolved into a joyous celebration of rugby league.

There was a beautiful example of that on Saturday night as fans of various Sydney clubs were seen doing the “Phins up” salute as the Dolphins ran riot against Cronulla.

But with the success of the event, now in its fourth year, come challenges. The AFL has ripped off the concept, and now South Australia and Western Australia are looking to poach the Magic.

The NRL knows that Magic Round works because of our unique combination of the best rugby league stadium in the world, the fact Queenslanders are footy-mad, and that Brisbane is big enough to host the influx of visiting interstate fans.

With the contract now lapsed, the NRL will be sounding out bids. We understand they need to do so to ensure they are getting market value for the event, but they should not just sell it to the highest bidder.

Brisbane created the magic, we love it – and we deserve to keep it.