Queensland Premier Steven Miles Makes Final Pitch as Election Battle Tightens

On the eve of Queensland’s state election, Premier Steven Miles made his final appeal to voters, urging them to grant him a term in his “own right.”

The Labor leader, who took over after former premier Annastacia Palaszczuk stepped down last year, expressed satisfaction with his efforts since assuming the top job, stating that he had “made the most of every day” in office.

“What I’m asking for tomorrow is a mandate to keep doing the kinds of things I’ve been doing these last 10 months,” Mr. Miles said, emphasizing his desire to continue leading Queensland as a premier elected by the people. When asked whether he would have been in a better position if Ms. Palaszczuk had resigned earlier, giving voters more time to become familiar with him, Mr. Miles avoided hypothetical assessments, saying, “It’s not really possible to kind of go back in time and reassess what might have happened.”

A Newspoll published in Friday’s Australian newspaper shows the gap between Mr. Miles’ Labor Party and the opposition LNP has narrowed significantly since the start of the election campaign, indicating a much tighter race than originally anticipated. The LNP currently leads with a two-party-preferred result of 52.5 percent to Labor’s 47.5 percent.

Pressed on the practicality of his election promises, and whether some of them were made without an expectation of forming government, Mr. Miles acknowledged that there could be some “complications” if Labor were re-elected. He did not elaborate further on which pledges might be most challenging to fulfill.

LNP Leader Crisafulli Adjusts Accountability Pledge

LNP leader David Crisafulli, meanwhile, appeared to adjust his stance on a key election promise regarding crime reduction. Mr. Crisafulli previously vowed to resign if he failed to reduce the number of victims of crime in Queensland during his first term in office. However, he has now introduced a caveat to this promise, tying it to population growth.

During a final interview, Mr. Crisafulli was pressed on whether he would still be held accountable for the pledge if the metrics shifted due to population changes. He reiterated that the challenge of governing remains complex but assured voters that his party’s focus was on delivering a “fresh start” for Queenslanders.

Commenting on the latest polling figures that show a much narrower margin than previously expected, Mr. Crisafulli said, “Elections are always tough.” He emphasized that his campaign was aimed at offering Queenslanders a change in direction, as the LNP seeks to wrest control of the state from the incumbent Labor government.

The Queensland election is shaping up to be a closely fought battle, with both leaders making their final arguments to sway undecided voters before they head to the polls.