David Crisafulli revealed his desire to win from the depths of despair at a Gold Coast tavern in 2020

Just four years ago David Crisafulli was sitting in the Hope Island Tavern with his head in his hands and remarked: “This is the last roll of the dice for me.” ANALYSIS FROM ANDREW POTTS

Four years ago this week David Crisafulli sat in the Hope Island Tavern with his head in his hands as he watched the LNP lose another election.

He noted back then: “I burn to win. From the ruins of tonight must come change. We can’t keep accepting the same process and accepting the same loss. This is the last roll of the dice for me and I want you to come on that journey and help us achieve all we can in 2024.”

Fast-forward to today and he will be sworn in this week as Premier, doing something which has happened just twice in the past 35 years – he brought the LNP to government at a state level in Queensland.

That’s no small feat and something which he and his team will rightfully be delighted by.

There was some ill feeling within the LNP that the expected landslide failed to eventuate, allowing them to only just form majority government, with much of the blame focused on allowing the abortion laws issue to fester throughout the campaign.

For Labor, time was up after a decade in office.

In 2020, David Crisafulli watches the tally count as he holds on to his seat of Broadwater: “From the ruins of tonight must come change. We can’t keep accepting the same process and accepting the same loss. He said at the time.” Photo: Scott Powick

The new opposition, which had expected to be completely wiped out based on pre-election polls, has found itself in a surprisingly strong position which will leave it competitive four years from now at the next poll.

Having a slim majority will prove a challenge for the new Premier who will need to run a hugely disciplined team if he is to succeed.

However this could prove to be a blessing in disguise for the LNP and ensure it sticks to the centre rather than engage in the, at-time, bizarre ideological windmill tilts, arrogance and fight-picking which characterised much of the Newman era government.

With no giant majority and assumptions about a long period in power, Mr Crisafulli’s team will have to move quickly and deliver on the ambitious agenda it promised, however light on detail it was during the campaign.

The LNP’s previous term in government was a disappointment for the Gold Coast and they cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of that era, particularly in terms of infrastructure delivery.

Governing is far different from campaigning and the LNP will have to make the transition quickly.

LNP leader David Crisafulli claims victory in the Queensland election Saturday night. Picture: NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

They’ve promised immediate action on youth crime and a whole host of reviews of the Olympics and light rail.

The public will give them their 100 days but they’ll want answers and action soon.

With the Olympics less than eight years away and much which needs to be built before then, there’s no time to indulge in triumphalism or petty party politics.

Queenslanders have proven before they are more than willing to turf a government that’s all talk and no walk.