Goliath documentary: The David Crisafulli story

Figures central to David Crisafulli’s rise to power have detailed what the man himself is really like when the microphones and cameras are off. WATCH NOW

Campbell Newman has described new Premier David Crisafulli as being more intense than him, with a focused personality that will leave behind ‘enemies, bruised egos and hurt feelings’.

The former LNP premier’s less than generous description of the new LNP Premier is a central thread of a new mini-documentary where colleagues explain who the real Mr Crisafulli is – and what Queenslanders can expect from him over the next four years.

WATCH THE FULL DOCUMENTARY IN THE VIDEO PLAYER ABOVE

Party president Lawrence Springborg describes the Premier as “focused”, former leader Deb Frecklington says he is “determined”, while Mr Crisafulli’s first political mentor Peter Lindsay insists claims he is arrogant “couldn’t be further from the truth”.

The documentary, called Goliath, shadows Mr Crisafulli on the campaign trail in an ultimately successful bid to become Queensland’s 41st premier.

And it reveals that Mr Newman is still smarting from when Mr Crisafulli beat him in a running race to the top of Castle Hill more than a decade ago.

Figures central to Mr Crisafulli’s rise detail what the man is really like when the microphones and cameras are off.

David Crisafulli was followed by the Courier-Mail on the campaign trail in the lead-up to his election win. Photography: Russell Shakespeare

The documentary takes viewers with Mr Crisafulli to his childhood home in Ingham, where every type of pasta and heavy roasts were dished up every Christmas.

In the rural community, a candid Mr Crisafulli heaps appreciation on his cane-cutting migrant grandfather for taking a chance at a new life in Australia.

“No matter what I ever achieve, it’s only because of him,” Mr Crisafulli said.

Malcolm Cole, SAS Group managing director and former LNP federal candidate, knows Mr Crisafulli intimately.

“He’s warm to everyone that he meets, he stops and he talks to people but that discipline that you see with him is always there,” he said.

Goliath documents the meteoric rise as a high energy young local government minister in Mr Newman’s government.

“On occasions he had to be pulled back a bit by his director general and his chief of staff,” Mr Newman recalls.

David Crisafulli, with then-Queensland Premier Campbell Newman on the campaign trail in 2015. Picture: Jack Tran / The Courier Mail / News Corp

Despite this, the former premier identified him one of the “standouts” in his cabinet.

Goliath also details the depth of Mr Crisafulli’s despair at the 2015 loss, when he was booted from Thuringowa as Mr Newman was booted from office.

“He cried because he thought his career path had tanked,” Mr Lindsay recalls.

Tim Nicholls and Ms Frecklington would take over from Mr Newman as LNP leader, but never find success to bring down Annastacia Palaszczuk’s Labor government juggernaut.

Ms Frecklington heaps praise on the man who did what she and Mr Nicholls couldn’t: Win.

“I don’t think David someone that would ever give up – one day he was always going to come back,” she said.