Qld Govt report card after first 100 days of David Crisafulli’s premiership
Queenslanders have experienced 100 days of the Crisafulli government and while many ministers are still working out where the tea bags are, others have scored big wins.
Opinion
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If Jarrod Bleijie’s ego can bring down the government, David Janetzki can save it.
Queenslanders have experienced 100 days of the Crisafulli government and while many ministers are still working out where the tea bags are, others have scored big wins.
All face significant challenges to deliver the lofty promises in the next 1358 days.
DAVID CRISAFULLI – A-
Premier and Minister for Veterans
Premier David Crisafulli has got the government off on the right foot and experienced few missteps in his first 100 days.
The government has taken on water.
The most significant was the exclusion of attempted murder from adult time adult crime laws – which he couldn’t really explain.
Mr Crisafulli led strongly through his first natural disaster and has already won praise from bureaucrats for empowering and not sacking them like Labor claimed.
Abolishing Treaty and Truth Telling without the care Mr Crisafulli promised was another misstep, but it won’t hurt in the long run.
Despite the steady agenda the Premier still faces a huge task to drive down victim numbers, improve ambulance ramping, get more people into homes and ease cost of living pressures.
Mr Crisafulli moved to gag the party room on abortion for four years, giving him breathing space.
More than other Premiers, Mr Crisafulli’s success rests on the performance of his ministers.
JARROD BLEIJIE – B
Deputy Premier
The Premier’s chief spear thrower holds many of the cards that will determine the government’s success.
Contributed to the arrogance that helped boot the Newman government in 2015, a more mature Mr Bleijie needs to be more measured this time.
He’s already waged a war with the CFMEU and, notably, Federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King as pressure builds on Mr Bleijie to deliver an Olympic and Paralympic Games plan the state is proud of.
Labor privately grits Mr Bleijie’s ego is already as high as his new One William St office.
There’s no doubt he’s relishing the role but with great power, comes great responsibility.
He must resist the temptation to engage in arrogant ideological fights and instead back the Premier’s drive for a moderate and stable government.
Expect him to seek revenge on the Opposition and play the attack dog role they performed on him for nine years.
DAVID JANETZKI – B
Treasurer, Energy Minister
More than the Deputy Premier, this government’s ability to solve those four crises, build for the Olympics and not burn the budget rests with Mr Janetzki as treasurer.
He must make fewer dollars in the treasury’s coffers go further to build the state in the lead-up to the 2032 Games and avoid being trapped by Labor’s claims of LNP cuts.
The treasurer’s mid-year economic update was dripping in politics, but he’s got six months to show Queenslanders what good budget management should look like.
It won’t be easy, but Mr Janetzki has already made significant, if ideologically easy, decisions to cut hydrogen energy projects.
Mr Janetzki faces a difficult task standing up to thirsty ministers needing more cash to deliver in their own portfolios and save their jobs.
ROS BATES – B-
Finance Minister
Did you know Ms Bates was a nurse?
Slipping into the finance and trade role is a step back from her passion, health.
Her contribution to the government’s mid-year economic update ended with a tirade about her arch nemesis, Shannon Fentiman.
Hit the ground running on a trade mission to Japan and South Korea soon after being sworn in.
Hard to really stuff up this portfolio.
DALE LAST – C+
Natural Resources and Mines Minister
Hasn’t made much of a splash in the first 100 days, with his only targets to expand the Natural Resource Management funding and form a Resources Cabinet Committee with three other politicians.
He’ll come under pressure from the mining lobby to change the world’s highest coal royalty rates – especially if future investment contracts.
TIM NICHOLLS – A-
Health and Ambulance Services Minister
There’s been no easing back into government for former treasurer and opposition leader Mr Nicholls.
He’s renamed Satellite Hospitals and delivered real-time data within 100 days but the test will, of course, come when the latest ambulance ramping figures are released.
Thousands of Queenslanders languishing on elective surgery waitlists will also turn to Mr Nicholls for help.
DEB FRECKLINGTON – C+
Attorney-General
Largely a behind-the-scenes portfolio, but this Kingaroy solicitor has made early inroads with a widespread review of the Blue Card system.
Made the tough decision not to appeal the sentence handed to one of the teenagers charged over the home invasion that killed Emma Lovell.
We’re also still waiting on a timeline for legislation allowing the Crime and Corruption Commission to report its activities, which might finally see the Jackie Trad and Peter Carne reports tabled in parliament.
JOHN-PAUL LANGBROEK – B
Education and Arts Minister
Took advice from principals and teachers to reduce the red tape, administrative workload, facing teachers.
The Education and Arts portfolio must be more than Bluey and back to school smiles.
Mr Langbroek will be measured on his ability to reverse Queensland’s poor education outcomes – which are among the nation’s worst – if we’re to again live up to the Smart State moniker.
Could wrestle with the education union and must go back to transparency with the release of schoo- by-school NAPLAN data and student-by-student ATAR results.
DAN PURDIE – B-
Police and Emergency Services Minister
A former police officer who knows his stuff, Mr Purdie has demonstrated his drive to make the lives of Queensland Police Service officers easier.
A review into mission creep is underway.
Has made Jack’s Law permanent and won applause within QPS for upping the State Flying Squad.
LAURA GERBER – B
Youth Justice and Corrective Services Minister
That youth crime crisis, generation of untouchables and the rights of victims ahead of offenders can’t be just election sound bites anymore.
It’s Ms Gerber’s huge responsibility to deliver change.
Queensland’s prisons are overcrowded and the experts say the government’s crime laws will make things worse.
Her position will be among the first on the chopping block if Queenslanders don’t soon feel safer.
BRENT MICKELBERG – A-
Transport and Main Roads Minister
Will face crucifixion if the major project costs continue to blowout despite hailing the removal of Best Practice Industry Conditions policy as a panacea.
The need to deliver infrastructure for a growing state coupled with a tough budget position makes this a tough portfolio.
He’ll rely heavily on the treasurer to squeeze more productivity from every dollar.
Speaking of squeezing, faces claims he juiced the Cross River Rail cost to $17bn and was pessimistic with a 2029 opening date.
ANN LEAHY – B+
Local Government, Water and Disaster Recovery Minister
Gets early praise from mayors and councils for her involvement responding to this week’s north Queensland flooding.
Queenslanders are yet to see a clear water policy, however, with no new infrastructure announced despite the government’s plan to scrap Labor’s plan for a second desalination plant.
Pressure on southeast Queensland’s water supply will grow in the next four years as the state’s population increases about 5 per cent.
Little to note while the grass is green, but drought will eventually return.
SAM O’CONNOR – C+
Housing and Public Works Minister
Responsible for fixing one of the four crises hammered by the LNP in opposition – housing- Mr O’Connor must get building, fast.
The government has detailed lofty pledges, including unlocking 10,000 homes on church and charity-owned land.
He stared down Labor criticism for rejecting the controversial Arundel Hills Country Club housing development, but hasn’t kept the pace of his predecessor Meaghan Scanlon.
Every tent erected across the city and growth in the social housing waitlist is now this young minister’s problem.
TONY PERRETT – C+
Primary Industries Minister
For the first time in a decade an actual farmer is in charge of the Primary Industries portfolio. Like his colleagues, Mr Perrett has started work on a “long-term plan”.
He faces a monumental challenge reversing the slow march of fire ants across southeast Queensland.
It’s on this, growing agriculture exports and steering the sector through drought and flooding rain that Mr Perrett’s success will be measured.
FIONA SIMPSON – C
Women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Minister
Known only for her refusal to call Treaty and Truth Telling Inquiry chair Joshua Creamer to tell him the landmark process would be axed.
Has continued business-as-usual women’s economic security programs and Indigenous mental health initiatives.
ANDREW POWELL – B-
Environment and Tourism Minister
Environment minister in a conservative government is a hard gig, but Mr Powell has the chance of an early win with the development of the 20-year tourism masterplan.
He’ll focus on delivering Mr Crisafulli’s priorities of developing sustainable tourism offerings to rival Tasmania and New Zealand.
Getting the Wangetti Trail built and fixing derelict hotels on Great Barrier Reef islands would be a good start.
AMANDA CAMM – B+
Families and Child Safety Minister
She’s laid the foundation for an overhaul of Queensland’s response to domestic and family violence.
Has pledged to increase the number of child safety officers and released new cash to help kids participate in sport and extra-curricular activities rather than crime.
Happy to criticise Labor’s explosion of children in the unfunded residential care program, but has a clear baseline she must improve.
Couldn’t explain why attempted murder wasn’t included in the Making Queensland Safer Laws.
TIM MANDER – B
Sport, Olympic and Paralympic Games Minister
A dream gig for this former NRL referee, Mr Mander’s real test comes when he’s sent out to sell the outcome of the 100-day Games infrastructure review.
Mr Mander is aware how toxic the Olympic remains in regional Queensland and will play a major role in maintaining the LNP’s standing there – especially if it chooses to build a new stadium.
Deserves credit for moves to bring “gold medal maker” sports administrator Chelsea Warr back into the fold, a critical move to ensure our athletic success in the lead up to and at the Games.
STEVE MINNIKIN – B+
Customer Services, Small and Family Business Minister
A junior portfolio with significant potential.
Mr Minnikin quickly picked the low-hanging fruit by announcing a red tape reduction task force.
He also helped the health minister deliver real-time hospital data and could leave a mark by modernising the government’s service delivery model.
When will long waits at TMR service centres be a thing of the past?
Originally published as Qld Govt report card after first 100 days of David Crisafulli’s premiership
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