Qld election 2024: Five key moments that mattered in leaders’ debate

Premier Steven Miles and Opposition Leader David Crisafulli have gone head-to-head for the first time this campaign. Here are our picks of the five key moments.

Premier Steven Miles (right) and Opposition David Crisafulli in their debate on Thursday night. Picture: Dan Peled/9News Queensland

Premier Steven Miles and Opposition Leader David Crisafulli went head-to-head in the first leaders’ debate of the Queensland election campaign on Thursday night.

Here are our picks of the five key moments:

1. Less crime or resign: Crisafulli promised to resign if the number of crime victims did not decrease year on year under an LNP government — in a major move that set the tone of the debate. “If there aren’t fewer victims, you won’t be seeing me,” he said, before reconfirming he would not contest the 2028 election if he failed to drive down crime victim numbers.

2. Patient tax: Miles accused Crisafulli of ‘making things up’ amid a heated exchange over a payroll tax issue involving GPs. Debate over the so-called ‘patient tax’ drew the strongest rebuttal from Miles, who repeatedly interjected to say there was no such thing and described it as an LNP scare campaign.

3. Power sledge: Crisafulli used Energy Minister Mick de Brenni’s unfortunately timed federal court appearance as a sledge against the government’s record maintaining the state’s electricity system. “Over 1000 days ago the Callide Power Plant exploded because of a lack of maintenance. Today, in the middle of an election campaign, we had an energy minister in front of a court,” he said.

4. Safety: Miles, asked whether he talked to his three children about what to do in the event his family home is broken into, said it was “always important to talk to children about their personal safety”. The vague answer was met with a follow-up question, where Mr Miles was asked if he has had “the chat” with his kids. “Not a single chat, but a fairly continuous conversation about how to keep themselves safe,” he replied.

5. Social issues: Crisafulli was emphatic about staring down the socially conservative elements of his party when it comes to issues like voluntary assisted dying and abortion. He insisted there would be no change to existing laws and slammed Labor’s social media campaigns on those issues as “incorrect”. In a more bizarre moment Miles ruled out any suggestion him or his department had any intention of legalising cannabis for recreational purposes.

Originally published as Qld election 2024: Five key moments that mattered in leaders’ debate