Crisafulli seeks to regain underdog status after promising poll

Queensland Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has rejected claims he is a shoo-in to be sworn in as premier in October, as he fought to regain underdog status following polls that pointed to a convincing LNP victory.

But there was some cross-party agreement on Saturday, with both sides of Queensland politics supporting fresh federal funding for a new nationwide database of guns and gun owners.

David Crisafulli says history points to a Labor victory in October.Credit: Dan Peled

Responding to News Corp polling on Friday, which showed the LNP with a commanding 56-44 two-party-preferred lead, Miles said it was “very likely” Crisafulli would be premier after the October 26 election.

Speaking in Caboolture on Saturday, Crisafulli was not having a bar of it.

“Of the last 12 elections in Queensland, the Labor Party have won 11 of those general elections,” he said.

“For them to suggest that somehow they’re the underdog, that just defies any form of logic.

“We’ve got to win 14 seats and we are up against a cashed-up union movement who can outspend us 20 to one, and we’re up against 35 years of history.

“So I’m not quite sure that’s a very credible statement.”

Police Minister Mark Ryan said Miles was right to highlight how difficult it would be for Labor’s to remain in government.

“I think the premier has always been upfront about the challenge for the next state election,” he said.

“We know it’s going to be a tough election, we’ve said as much, and when it comes to numbers, the numbers that we care about are the numbers that make a difference for Queenslanders, like the number of extra police we’re employing, like the number of hospitals that were opening, like the number of nurses and teachers that we’re employing.

“Those numbers are important, because with those numbers, we increase them – the LNP cuts them.”

Ryan was speaking alongside federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus in Ipswich, where the federal government’s $160 million commitment to a national guns register was formally announced.

Ryan said Queensland put the near-real-time database on the agenda after the Wieambilla shootings, in which two police officers and a neighbour were shot dead by Nathaniel, Gareth and Stacey Train.

The register, Ryan said, would hopefully help avoid similar tragedies in the future.

“No Queenslander’s heart will ever heal when it comes to Wieambilla, just like with Port Arthur – our hearts will be forever broken,” he said, referring to the 1996 massacre in Tasmania that claimed 35 lives and resulted in tough new gun laws.

“...Now we are delivering legacy reform, which will forever make Australia and Queensland a safer place.”

Crisafulli said he was broadly supportive of the register, with a caveat.

“Information-sharing between authorities is paramount,” he said.

“We have to make sure the focus is on those criminals who have guns, not the law-abiding people, but there is no doubt that the sharing of information can clamp down on those criminals and, as a result, we’re very interested to see the changes that can be made.”