Premier-elect gets straight to business as Miles puts hand up to be opposition leader

Premier-elect David Crisafulli wasted no time getting into the government offices at 1 William Street on Sunday, sacking the state’s top bureaucrat Mike Kaiser and getting the ball rolling on implementing his mandate.

Crisafulli said his priority was to lead a “fresh start” government that would end the LNP’s second-term curse. No conservative government has been re-elected in Queensland since 1986.

“If you believe in the values of your political movement, you believe in generational government, because government allows you to shape the kind of state that you want for your kids,” he said.

Premier-elect David Crisafulli addressing the media on Sunday morning, alongside his deputy Jarrod Bleijie.Credit: Cameron Atfield

“It’s not about getting your name on a wall. It’s not about winning one term of government – that doesn’t allow you to ensure that you achieve for the state what you want to achieve.”

Pressed on whether his shadow cabinet would ultimately be sworn into those same portfolios, Crisafulli said he wanted to speak with his would-be ministers before making a public statement.

In the meantime, Crisafulli and deputy LNP leader Jarrod Bleijie planned to visit Governor Jeannette Young on Monday to be sworn into interim roles, ahead of the rest of cabinet being sworn in later in the week.

Then, it would be a matter of implementing the LNP’s legislative mandate.

“No ifs, buts or maybes, the making Queenslanders safe laws will be laws by Christmas and that means there will be two settings of Parliament to finish this year,” he said.

“I made a commitment to Queenslanders that there would be a committee process, even though we were taking that to the election.

“I just want to make sure that those laws have the opportunity to go through that process, but they will be laws by Christmastime.”

Outgoing Premier Steven Miles, meanwhile, said he would put his hand up to retain the Labor leadership in opposition. But first? The pub.

Miles visited the Governor on Sunday morning to tender his resignation as premier, which will come into effect when Crisafulli gets sworn in.

“The result last night was much better than expected, but clearly nowhere near sufficient for a Labor victory,” he said.

Miles said the new Labor caucus would meet as soon as the vote count had concluded and its make-up was known. Under party rules, the leadership would be declared vacant following an election defeat.

“I’ll remain the leader of the party until at least that point in time and I would like to – if they choose to support me – I would like to stay on as Labor’s leader beyond then, but ultimately that is a decision for them,” he said.

Steven Miles says he will put his hand up to be Labor leader.Credit: Cameron Atfield

Shannon Fentiman, who abandoned her tilt for the leadership after Annastacia Palaszczuk’s resignation last December, has ruled out a challenge, as has deputy leader Cameron Dick.

“I think over the last 10 months, I’ve demonstrated the kind of leader I can be of our party, and I think I’m the person best placed to maintain the unity that we’ve seen throughout that period,” Miles said.

After failing to do so on election night, to some criticism, Miles finally conceded defeat to Crisafulli on Sunday morning. Miles said his election night speech would have been quite different had he waited a little longer to give it.

“The results probably would have been clearer, but there was no there was no malice in that process,” he said.

“I simply wanted to wait until Queenslanders votes had been counted.”

After his last media conference as premier, at least for now, Miles was off to a traditional post-election lunch with colleagues.

“I’m sure you’ll all understand my desire to get to the pub,” he said.

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