Liberal National Party (LNP) Queensland leader David Crisafulli has wasted little time after the party claimed victory in state elections and ended Labor's nine-year reign.
The LNP has narrowly formed a majority government, ending the night with 48 seats — one more than the 47 needed for a majority.
Crisafulli summoned senior staff at Queensland parliament on Sunday morning after a 7.30am call from Labor's outgoing Labor premier Steven Miles to concede defeat.
Crisafulli gathered colleagues to discuss the policies he promised to implement during a rollercoaster election campaign. Top of the list will be youth crime.
David Crisafulli (right) and new deputy premier Jarrod Bleijie addressed the media on Sunday. Source: SBS News
Crisafulli promised to legislate his controversial "adult time for adult crime" policy by Christmas, in which juveniles face lengthy sentences for serious offences.
"It's the defining issue and ultimately it's the one Queenslanders across the board wanted to see in action," he told Nine Network's Today Show on Sunday.
"We will not go to Christmas with the same laws we've got now," Crisafulli said.
"We will have adult crime, adult time and we're also going to do early intervention and give kids hope and the ability to turn their life around."
Labor has governed Queensland for 30 of the last 35 years, and Crisafulli is LNP's first premier since Campbell Newman's 2012-2015 stint.
David Crisafulli said Queenslanders had voted for a "fresh start" during his victory speech in Brisbane on Saturday night. Source: AAP / Jono Searle
'We need to reflect'
On election night, Miles told party faithful that Labor had lost its majority, but had cast doubt on whether the LNP could form a majority government, despite projections indicating a Liberal National Party majority with 49 seats to Labor's 30.
"Queenslanders know what I believe and what I stand for, while David Crisafulli ducked and weaved and tied himself into the tiniest, small target Queensland has ever seen," he said to a room of cheering supporters at a tavern.
"This election finishes with many more questions about the LNP's plans than answers."
Queensland Premier Steven Miles called Crisafulli to concede defeat on Sunday morning. Source: AAP / Darren England
Miles' deputy Cameron Dick said Labor would try to rebuild after losing for just the second time in 13 Queensland elections.
"I think we'll let the dust settle," he told ABC TV.
"We need to have a good look at ourselves, that's the truth. We need to reflect."
"I do think that crime has been a big issue," he said.
"I think that the challenge and problem for our government is that it became an issue, particularly in regional Queensland around trust.
"And I think in the end, regional Queenslanders did not trust us to address that issue."
Labor went into the election holding 51 seats to the LNP's 35.
Crisafulli had long been tipped to end Labor's nine-year rein, with polls favouring him for much of the electoral term and before former premier
.
But Miles and Labor
right up until election day.
The Queensland election was a tight race after a roller-coaster four-week campaign. Source: AAP / Darren England
Counting is continuing, but it projected an LNP majority along with three Katter's Australian Party members and independent Sandy Bolton retaining her seat of Noosa.
After holding two seats in the last parliament, the Greens appear to have lost at least one — South Brisbane, to Labor. With around 72 per cent of the vote counted, the Greens are ahead in Michael Berkman's seat of Maiwar.
What were the issues the parties campaigned on?
Both leaders campaigned hard on key election issues youth crime, housing, health and cost-of-living pressures.
But
in the past fortnight after a crossbencher vowed to repeal the legislation if elected.
Abortion was decriminalised in Queensland in 2018.
Crisafulli has been under enormous pressure in the past two weeks, repeatedly refusing to explain how he would guarantee abortion laws would not change.
