Crisafulli has to hit the ground running

Freshly minted Queensland LNP leader, David Crisafulli, needs to take some risks with policy reform if he ever wants to be Premier, writes Peter Gleeson.

Freshly minted Queensland LNP leader, David Crisafulli, needs to take some risks with policy reform if he ever wants to be Premier. Playing it safe won’t beat Labor. They are too good at framing a campaign narrative around creating jobs and bolstering the economy, even though their policies reflect the opposite.

David Crisafulli calls on Premier to release medical advice behind Queensland’s COVID response

David Crisafulli unveils LNP shadow cabinet team

The fact that voters in Queensland consistently believed Labor had a superior economic story to tell than the LNP was just insane, but that comes down to better messaging, and Labor nailed that with its “unite and recover’’ pandemic propaganda.

Mr Crisafulli also needs to differentiate the LNP from Labor on Covid-19 and border controls. People want the borders opened. The hard yards have been done and it’s now time to get on with life.

David Crisafulli. Picture: Peter Wallis

The LNP should be saying that, not pledging “oh we’d follow the advice of the chief health officer’’. What medical advice? The Commonwealth chief medical officer Prof Paul Kelly says open the borders. Why not follow that advice?

Mr Crisafulli is the real deal, Make no mistake. He is easily the LNP’s best choice as the alternative premier. But he has a massive challenge on his hands. He must quickly address Labor’s tired and hackneyed links to any LNP leader who happened to be in the same postcode as former premier Campbell Newman.

This is a vexatious and insulting way to play politics. But that’s what Labor has successfully done over the past three elections. It has brought back the ghost of Campbell Newman to suggest the LNP will “sack, cut and sell’’. It will do it again in 2024. They have no shame.

This is not the time for the LNP to be beige and bland. The voters want to know how the LNP will offer up a different Queensland to the one now dominated by union-backed Labor MPs. Mr Crisafulli must hit the ground running. The LNP has four long years in Opposition. That’s 1449 days to the next election. But who’s counting?

Dropping out

Crisis talks at 97.3FM after the latest breakfast ratings. The team of Terry Hansen, Robin Bailey and Bob Gallagher were reunited this year after a three-year hiatus. In the last survey of 2019, 97.3 breakfast, with Terry, Bob and Bianca Dye, were No.1. Now with Bailey replacing Dye, they’ve slumped to sixth. Expect a few more billboards to be rolled out to help stop the bleeding.

Brisbane's 97.3FM's Robin Bailey (centre) with Terry Hansen and Bob Gallagher. Picture: Peter Wallis

Moving on

Former Labor Minister Kate Jonesis a hot tip to run for Brisbane Lord Mayor at the next election. Also doing the rounds is that Jackie Trad will run in a
by-election within 12 months, and Ali France, who ran unsuccessfully against Peter Dutton in Dickson, is also touted as a possible
by-election contender in a northside seat. Ms Jones and then opposition leader Deb Frecklington were seen having a quiet tipple together last week. To be a fly on the wall.

Heads up

Concussion remains a massive issue for rugby league powerbrokers. Expect more stringent rules to apply in 2021 as lawyers sharpen their pencils.

Off and racing

Albion Park Harness Racing Club unveils its classy new functions centre at a special race night on November 28. The club will give away $20,000 in cash to four lucky patrons on the night.

In the grey zone

New Racing Minister Grace Grace will be briefed on the new $40m Yamanto greyhound track before Christmas. Racing Queensland is waiting on a council zoning change and site approval before preliminary design works. Completion date is set for 2023.

Originally published as Crisafulli has to hit the ground running