‘Still in this fight’: Cheers as Steven Miles boasts of achievements at Labor campaign launch
Party faithfuls erupted in cheers as Steven Miles reeled off his achievements over his ten months as Premier during his speech at the Labor campaign launch.
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Premier Steven Miles has declared that like the Brisbane Lions, he is “still in this fight,” and determined to defy odds to win the state election.
Party faithfuls erupted in cheers as Mr Miles reeled off his achievements over his short ten months as Premier during his speech at the Labor campaign launch, including his most recent pledge to spend $1.4bn on free school lunches for every primary state student.
A determined Mr Miles, who is facing a significant 23-seat loss on October 26, rallied the Labor troops by championing his cost of living initiatives including plans to launch state-owned fuel stations, GP clinics and energy retailer.
“We are in this fight, and we won’t stop fighting to take Queensland forward,” he said.
“At the Cairns launch, I said that the Brisbane Lions could do it, and they did it.
“You are all part of a movement that can make our plan happen … so let’s go make it happen.”
A modest crowd made up of 250 MPs, candidates and supporters packed into the North Lakes Community Centre for the Labor campaign launch party on Sunday, ahead of early voting polls opening.
Labor’s most influential unionist Gary ‘Blocker’ Bullock and party’s longest serving premier Peter Beattie were among the noteworthy attendees, alongside the notable absence of Annastacia Palaszczuk.
Speeches, including a rare address from wife Kim McDowell, were bookended with short videos about Mr Miles’ journey through politics, his family’s appreciation and interviews with sacked health workers from the Newman era.
The emotional clips reinforced Mr Miles’ suburban dad image, as sons Sam and Aiden spoke of his habit of making sculptures out of kitchen utensils after dinner and bake sticky date pudding every Christmas.
The Premier, delivering a 20-minute address, catalogued his record investments in health, housing and infrastructure and cost of living relief through the $1000 energy rebate.
But he said he was proudest of free lunches and 50 cent fares.
“That kid from Petrie finally did it, I made the train cheaper,” he said, and was met with raucous applause.
“All of this progress and cost of living support is at risk on October 26 because these measures don’t happen by accident.
“They start with the values you bring to the job as a leader, they’re often not easy to implement, and making them happen relies on determination, building consensus and strong economic management, things that have been entirely missing from the Opposition’s plans.”
The speech was not without criticism of LNP policies, with Mr Miles calling the crime strategy to detain more young offenders a “con” and accused Opposition Leader David Crisafulli of having a hidden nuclear agenda, before being joined on stage by daughter Bridie to make sandwiches.
“(He is) abandoning our renewable energy and emissions reduction targets all to make way for Peter Dutton’s nuclear plan,” he said.
Deputy Premier Cameron Dick also took the opportunity to call out LNP Deputy Leader Jarrod Bleijie for refusing to debate him.
“If you’re watching, and I know you are, just remember this, If you’ve got something to say, say it to my face,” he said.
“Make no mistake, we are in a great fight for Queensland’s future, and this is a fight we intend to win.”
Mr Dick described the Labor team as true and tested, hitting out at Mr Crisafulli’s missing tax policy and small target strategy.
“The media are now so frustrated with these small target strategies that they started a running total of the number of times each day he avoids answering a particular question,” he said.
“(He) has committed to more than $17bn in unfunded election promises, yet at the same time, he’s promising lower debt and lower taxes and now balanced budgets... (he) has left himself only one path, and that path is to cut.”
Lunch boxes donned with Labor’s campaign slogan “doing what matters” were offered as party gifts, as Mr Miles’ daughter Bridie mic'd up and jumped on stage.
Father-daughter lunch box chats have become a Sunday tradition in the Miles household and the Labor campaign launch made no exception, with the pair preparing food together while Minister Grace Grace posed questions about the benefits of Mr Miles’ free school lunch initiative.
The program, set to begin in 2025 if Labor is re-elected, will focus on state primary schools, leaving out both high schools and non-state institutions.
Despite the ambitious rollout, the government predicts only a 50 per cent take-up rate among the 326,000 eligible students.
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