Q and A: Qld Premier David Crisafulli bullish about Far North’s future following full-throttle 96-hour regional tour
From turquoise waters to sweeping canefields, premier David Crisafulli has completed a fast-paced lap of the Far North, taking in some of the region’s most far flung destinations in the process. READ OUR EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW HERE.
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From turquoise waters to sweeping canefields, premier David Crisafulli has completed a fast-paced lap of the Far North, taking in some of the region’s most far flung destinations in the process.
Before his departure, Mr Crisafulli spoke exclusively to The Cairns Post about infrastructure, home ownership in remote communities, tensions within his own party and an ongoing independent review into pediatric gender therapies across the state.
Tell me about last week’s visit to the Torres Strait.
If I had one thing that came out of it, which I haven’t seen in the better part of 20 years in local government, was the way that the three councils (Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council, Torres Shire Council and Torres Strait Island Regional Council) are working together. I really reckon that’s a big step forward for the region. It was really, really good. And they’re all, yeah, they’re all rowing in the right direction.
There’s been a lot of talk about improving the lives of people in remote Indigenous communities recently. What were the aims of the visit? Did that tie into some of the narrative we’ve heard from ministers like Fiona Simpson recently?
I just want to see opportunities for everyone, to be honest. But I genuinely think there’s a sense of strong leadership from a lot of the Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander communities. I looked a lot at some of the infrastructure needs. Housing is the big one. Housing comes up everywhere I go, but particularly with the overcrowding in some of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. I’m also trying to open the door for home ownership as well. And already we’ve got some councils that are putting their hand up to be first cab off the rank. To see, to hear some of the talk about genuinely wanting to get a true economy going and tourism keeps coming up, that’s music to my ears. That’s what I’m really after.
Private ownership of homes (in remote Indigenous communities) is something that’s been bandied about for a long time. Is achieving that feasible in your first term?
Categorically, absolutely, without question. It will happen in this first term. So the first cab off the rank (in terms of) private ownership, I sense, will be Palm Island. They’re on that journey. But once that occurs, I want it to be the blueprint to roll out to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. It will only happen if it’s driven and it’s a strong desire of the local councils. I don’t want to force things on those communities. They need to want it and drive it.
You’ve made this trip up to the Cook electorate with David Kempton. There have been some public differences of opinion between yourself and the member for Cook. How is that relationship now?
Very good. It’s always been very good. I love regional Queensland … and I want local MPs who are fighting for more. I don’t want people sitting like patsies. I want them working. He’s proven that. We’ve worked well together dating back 15 years.
The Member for Mulgrave Terry James has launched a petition against a youth detention facility in his electorate. Is it actually necessary to have a petition against a youth detention facility in Mulgrave and what’s the future of that project?
He’s trying to show that what’s been on the table since the former premier’s knee-jerk public announcement. He’s trying to mount a case for that to be put to bed. He was very vocal about it before the election. I don’t think I’d be breaking any trust if I say to you he’s spoken to me about it a number of times and he’s just putting a credible case forward for his community. I think you know me well enough that I am a decentralist at my nature. I believe in local empowerment. I like local decision-making and I do listen to local communities.
He’s mounted a pretty good case to date and I think he’s trying to just put the issue to bed. And I think that’s how local members should conduct themselves.
Lastly, I wanted to ask you about some of the ongoing discussions around gender clinic (services for patients unders the age of 18) because this has reared its head again in the news this week. What is your message to Queenslanders about what the LNP’s intentions are around gender clinics and the ongoing review?
I go back to what we said when those allegations were raised (in Cairns). There was no provocative language either way. We were communicating with people involved as clearly as we could. And I think people see that we did that with one focus in mind and that was the safety of kids. And that’s what the whole purpose of the review is. It’s about safety for children and that’s why we’ve done it in the way that we have.
NOTE: Stage one and two hormone therapies for new patients under 18 were paused across Queensland in January following claims that Cairns Sexual Health Service allegedly delivered unauthorised pediatric gender services to some clients.
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Originally published as Q and A: Qld Premier David Crisafulli bullish about Far North’s future following full-throttle 96-hour regional tour
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