Qld election analysis: Crime slogans get an election reality check

No reputable youth justice stakeholder has come forward to back the Opposition Leader’s Adult Crime, Adult Time policy, despite him using it to justify the most significant political promise in Queensland’s recent political history.

Candidates enter leadership with honourable ambitions, but are quickly dragged down by the realities of party politics and responsibility.

Will this election be any different?

LNP leader David Crisafulli on Thursday issued the most significant political promise in Queensland’s recent political history – that he would resign after one term if crime victim numbers don’t fall.

It’s ambitious, but politically suicidal – akin to Malcolm Turnbull’s measure of Newspoll results.

Concerning for Mr Crisafulli should be the few voices outside of his bubble who believe it’s possible to drive victim numbers down.

Population growth and ever-evolving offences – the Criminal Code has been amended 44 times since Labor came to power in January 2015 – makes it hard to comprehend victim numbers will plateau, let alone fall.

Some of Labor’s more optimistic folk believe the electorate is waking to the political opportunism within the LNP when it comes to crime.

David Crisafulli has vowed to resign if he fails to reduce the number of crime victims. Picture: NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

The electorate is not suddenly convinced the government has what it takes to keep Queenslanders safe, but seeds of doubt about the opposition’s promises are being sown.

An off-the-cuff comment by Premier Steven Miles in Thursday’s debate might have unearthed an effective strike for Labor on Mr Crisafulli’s crime policy.

“You still haven’t found any experts to support the four-word slogan that you’re taking to this election,” he said.

In truth, he’s right.

No reputable youth justice stakeholder has come forward to back his Adult Crime, Adult Time policy and there’s murmurs members of the LNP frontbench have privately acknowledged it’s just a slogan.

The problem with politicians is they’re convinced they know best.

You wouldn’t get a chef to build a house, so why let a union staffer or business-owner-turned politician craft youth justice policy?

Lofty election promises by politicians to fix the state’s problems are delayed or forgotten before, four years later, they offer voters the next policy sugar hit.