Analysis: Steven Miles fails to capitalise on second debate chance

Steven Miles needs to make every post a winner if he is to remain premier come October 26. He blew his first chance in Wednesday’s leaders’ debate.

Unapologetic for lying to Queenslanders, Steven Miles and David Crisafulli are locking arms and sinking to new lows this election campaign.

They each claim to offer Queenslanders “hope” or “trust”, yet refused to call out their baseless scare campaigns when point-blank asked to do so at the media club on Wednesday.

Premier Miles again attempted to deflect questions about United Workers’ Union’s claiming the LNP would sell hospitals and insist it’s a matter for them.

Mr Crisafulli attacked UWU boss Gary Bullock, but also refused to answer the question.

Wednesday’s media club debate probably didn’t swing any undecided voters, but it might have been a missed opportunity for the premier.

Mr Miles and Mr Crisafulli had two chances to ask a question of each other on a topic of their choosing.

The premier, who needs to continue painting Mr Crisafulli as a man who doesn’t answer questions and can’t be trusted, used his two chances to ask about pumped hydro and coal royalties.

It was the poorest delivery since Trevor Chappell rolled one 22 yards in 1981.

Hydro and coal cash are two issues unlikely to swing any more than a handful of Queensland’s 3.7 million voters – especially in regional Queensland where people probably side towards Mr Crisafulli.

Premier Steven Miles during the debate. Picture: Liam Kidston.

Mr Miles needed to strike with a simple opener: If a vote on abortion was held today, how would you vote?

His second question should have been: Can you name one expert supportive of your adult crime, adult time policy?

In those two questions there is nowhere to hide.

The questions indicate the struggle Labor continues to have in defining Mr Crisafulli.

The LNP leader’s non-answers this campaign have exposed a chink in the armour, but it’s a chink the government is struggling to inflict a wound on.

Mr Crisafulli, in contrast, returned to the happy hunting grounds of health and youth crime – despite data showing things were slowly getting better.

Mr Miles looked more energetic and comfortable in this debate but didn’t land the blows he needed just 10 days out from the state election.

Originally published as Analysis: Steven Miles fails to capitalise on second debate chance