Inside David Crisafulli's first year: The numbers that reveal his biggest test
David Crisafulli’s reign as Premier has not been without a series of missteps. These are the moments that shaped his first 12 months. READ THE ANALYSIS
David Crisafulli’s desperation to become a conservative hero should worry his political opponents.
It’s been one year since Queenslanders put the LNP in power for just the third time in 35 years.
The Crisafulli government has traded ambition for anonymity with a steady-as-she-goes approach to power.
It’s part of a calculated plan to shore up re-election.
Crisafulli is determined not to repeat the mistakes of Campbell Newman and believes, in doing so, he will become the first Liberal National Party politician since Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen to be re-elected in Queensland.
THE ISSUES
Crisafulli has been relentlessly focused on the four “crises” he promised to address: Crime, housing, health and cost of living.
The tough-on-crime narrative that catapulted him into power has been driven by frequent appearances alongside police officers, cars and helicopters.
This blinkered focus is complemented by a refusal to be drawn into other issues the Premier deems politically risky.
He will sometimes open his hand and swipe away a journalist’s question if he doesn’t like it.
THE MISTAKES
There have been political missteps.
Crisafulli sensationally labelled questions about Youth Justice Minister Laura Gerber’s poor treatment of staff as mere “gossip” and would not answer a simple question about whether anyone helped him pay a $200,000 settlement from his time as director of failed training company SET Solutions.
In a departure from his early days as opposition leader, Crisafulli also declined to urge Queenslanders to get their flu vaccination.
Amid the political noise has been a sound, if not quiet, legislative agenda.
Yet there are chinks in the armour.
While every change of government brings an inevitable overhaul to boards and agencies, this “jobs for mates” culture is on another level.
Not content with stacking the boards of government-owned corporations with former MPs, ministers and LNP donors, this government brazenly bypassed a transparent, merit-based selection process to install one-term federal MP Julian Simmonds as Economic Development Queensland’s chief executive officer.
Crisafulli rebukes criticism of jobs for mates by demanding an explanation about who isn’t qualified.
Of course, this is a distraction.
Crisafulli risks Queenslanders realising that, no matter which political party is in power, politicians are much the same.
No saga has put the new government at risk more than the failed appointment of Krispin Hajkowicz as chief health officer.
He was offered the job before ministers intervened to scuttle the appointment, a drama which the Crime and Corruption Commission is now assessing. So much for putting doctors back in charge.
Expect the LNP’s next three years to be much like the first, “doing what we said we’d do” in the search for an elusive second term.
BEST PERFORMERS
Beyond Crisafulli, no Queensland politician holds as much power as Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie.
He’s helped put Olympic and Paralympic Games infrastructure back on track and is key to unlocking more supply in the housing market.
As the conservatives’ strongest voice and the government’s best parliamentary performer, Bleijie is critical to maintaining harmony in Crisafulli’s broad church government.
He skates along the line that splits capability and arrogance – a classic “love him or hate him” politician.
Bleijie has aggressively shot down colleagues in cabinet and commands a faction of ministers who parrot: “I agree.”
Despite his Trumpian approach to politics, Bleijie gets things done like few others.
He’s been given rope by statesman Crisafulli to play the “bad cop” routine, which if played delicately, will remain effective.
The tonic to Bleijie is David Janetzki – the quiet and unassuming numbers man who has burned “calm and methodical” into the political psyche of every LNP MP.
This Treasurer and Energy Minister did what Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull couldn’t – discuss energy in a centre-right government without it spiralling towards collapse.
As unambitious as it was, the Energy Road Map was released while the federal Coalition tore itself apart.
Crisafulli trumpets it as evidence of his government’s rejection of ideology-based decision-making.
Expect Janetzki to continue in this behemoth portfolio until the next election.
STRUGGLE STREET
At the opposite end of the capable senior leadership team is a gaggle of ministers who’ve run into trouble.
More than mere “gossip”, Youth Justice Minister Laura Gerber’s management of staff has created headlines, distracted the government and undermined Crisafulli’s claims of respect towards the public service.
Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek didn’t seem too fazed about improving the state’s NAPLAN data when this masthead asked whether Queensland’s languishing results would get better.
Shockingly, in April Langbroek’s office “politely declined” to comment after two fathers revealed their children had been subjected to sexual assault at the hands of other children in Queensland childcare centres.
It forced Crisafulli to remind ministers of their responsibility to engage with Queenslanders through journalists.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Minister Fiona Simpson rightly spruiks providing clean drinking water in Indigenous communities, but seems bereft of bold ideas to improve Queensland’s poor Closing the Gap outcomes.
Her only contribution on the matter, during a dire appearance at parliamentary estimates, was to acknowledge that “there is not a gap: there is a hole”.
Amanda Camm became the latest Queensland government minister struck by an IT system bungle when data within the Department of Child Safety’s Unify system went missing.
Camm became tongue-tied in parliament and struggled to explain what she and her Director-General Belinda Drew knew about it and when they knew it.
“SLOPPY” LABOR
Steven Miles’s colleagues aren’t certain he will lead Labor to the 2028 state election.
They’re not sure he wants to.
Unlike Crisafulli – who as opposition leader woke up early out of desperation to become Premier – Miles lacks discipline and a work ethic.
He’s not lazy, but MPs are starting to acknowledge that returning to power in 2028 demands more than a strong social media presence.
It requires a calculated strategy and tenacious drive to be Queensland Premier.
Miles remains Labor’s most well-known MP, but it’s a double-edged sword.
Few voters are yet to make up their minds about him. They delivered a verdict 365 days ago.
Complacently cruising to the 2028 election believing last year was an anomaly, a wrong that will be righted in three years, seems to be its strategy.
Polling might indicate Labor remains in the game, but come 2028 – barring some extraordinary development – thousands of public servants won’t have been axed and abortion will remain legal and accessible in this state.
Labor has punched, but hasn’t landed a major blow.
Its campaign over Crisafulli changing the colour of the state’s logo from maroon to LNP blue had the most cut-through and, while it might play well on social media, voters will soon demand alternative policy.
A Labor government was unable to address the crime, housing and health struggles of Queenslanders and it will be harder for the Labor opposition to credibility claim it now has a solution.
Labor can make inroads against the government over its inability, so far, to fix the health crisis.
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