David Crisafulli dodges questions on anti-nuclear stance

LNP leader David Crisafulli has been unable — or unwilling — to say why he opposes federal Opposition leader Peter Dutton’s nuclear power policy as Queensland’s pre-polling booths open.

Queensland opposition leader David Crisafulli. Picture: Tertius Pickard

LNP leader David Crisafulli has been unable – or unwilling – to say why he opposes federal Opposition leader Peter Dutton’s nuclear power policy.

Campaigning on the Sunshine Coast as pre-poll voting opens, Mr Crisafulli also pledged to pay down the Queensland government’s existing debt, and reduce future debt, but would not say how or by how much.

He was again dogged by questions about whether he would offer his MPs a conscience vote on abortion – and repeatedly refused to answer, insisting termination of pregnancy laws would not change under an LNP government.

Asked to explain why he opposed nuclear power and why it was not part of his energy strategy, Mr Crisafulli said his policy involved maintaining existing coal-fired power stations and smaller pumped hydro plants.

He would not say why he opposed nuclear.

“Because we’ve mapped out a strategy, and we’re dealing with the things right now that we control, and that is our focus, and nuclear is not part of our plan,” he said.

“Again, I’ve seen the memes, the stacks and the heads and the fish and but I’ve ruled it out. So again, there won’t be changes to that.”

He refused to say whether there were merits to Mr Dutton’s nuclear vision, which involves building seven nuclear reactors at sites of current or former coal-fired power stations, including two in Queensland.

State Opposition David Crisafulli was joined by federal LNP leader, Peter Dutton, earlier in the election campaign. Picture: NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Mr Crisafulli was asked about the Labor government’s budget projection that total debt would rise to $172bn by 2027-28. He said it would be lower under an LNP government, but would not say by how much.

He said the LNP would scrap Labor’s Pioneer-Burdekin pumped hydro project, which has been forecast to cost up to $24bn, but could not say how much the LNP’s alternative plan would cost.

The LNP has said it would build smaller pumped hydro schemes, but has not said where they would be or how expensive.

And Mr Crisafulli said he would pay down the state’s existing debt, but could not say by how much or how.

“If you continue to grow the economy, you respect people’s money, and you don’t blow projects out that does give you capacity to pay down debt,” he said.

“Our first commitment is to stabilise the bleeding that Queenslanders are living through. And by not embarking on a culture of wasted expenditure, by not embarking on the $24 billion (pumped hydro) thought bubble, debt will be significantly lower.”

He said borrowings would be used for capital expenditure, not for paying for operational expenses.

Asked later to clarify whether he would rule out borrowing to pay for operational costs – as the Labor government is doing – he said the LNP was targeting fiscal surpluses, so would not need to borrow in that way.

On abortion, Mr Crisafulli has said he would not make changes to the termination of pregnancy laws that decriminalised abortion in 2018.

But he has not repeated his 2020 promise that MPs would be given a conscience vote, should a private member’s bill on abortion to wind back abortion access be introduced.

The Katter’s Australian Party has said it would introduce a private member’s bill in the next parliament.

Mr Crisafulli was asked why he would not give a straight answer on a conscience vote.

“There hasn’t been a parliament selected yet, so I don’t know what the makeup of the parliament is … there’ll be no change.”

“And I’m going to come back to what I’ve said: my team have a plan. It’s not part of it. If other people have a plan, my team’s not making changes.”

Asked if there was a conscience vote, did that mean his MPs would vote against a change to the legislation, Mr Crisafulli said: “There will be no change. And that’s my guarantee. That’s my team’s guarantee. So when you turn on the TV, when you open social media when you’re seeing the blitzkrieg from the ALP, just know that as a team, we’ve taken a position, and that position is there’ll be no change.”

But he would not say how he could make that guarantee, and whether that meant he would not allow his MPs a conscience vote, or whether he had instructed his MPs to vote against any future change.