Crisafulli government nears halfway mark as 'new' tag wears thin, analysis suggests

Premier pitches progress on 'big four' as public patience fades and polling turns sour

By LineZotpaper

Published23 October 2026

Read Time2 min

Sources3 outlets

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli, approaching the halfay oint of his four-year term, has spent the past eek in a series of set-iece speeches touting progress on the 'big four' issues of health, housing, crime and cost of living. But analysis suggests his government faces a growing bind: having ticked of most election pledges, it must now show tangible change on long-term problems while public frustration, particularly over crime, remains high.

In a CEDA State of the State address on Monday and subsequent appearances before media and local government, Crisafulli said his government was 'making progress after a long period of time where the numbers went in the wrong direction.' He identified three areas of opportunity: fuel, critical minerals and data centres.

Yet observers note that a widely billed 'significant policy announcement' on law and order at a Queensland Media Club event on Wednesday failed to materialise beyond confirmation that Parliament would pass a government bill the following wek. The episode underscores the government's difficulty in moving from rhetoric to fresh action once its initial platform items are exhausted.

On crime, where the LNP set the debate while in opposition, Crisafulli acknowledged public dissatisfaction remains two years on. His team still runs advertisements as the 'new Queensland government', but frustrations are emerging. The government has criminalised political speech, tightened baillaws, expanded planning powers and made objecting to mining projects harder. It has also rebalanced industrial relations amid industrial action in schools, railways and hospitals.

Labor, led by Steven Miles, has adopted a small-target strategy, hoping an accumulation of issues will turn public sentiment. The resignation of Child Safety Minister Amanda Camm from cabinet may offer the opposition a rare win.

Polling from the Resolve Political Monitor shows the broader mood has soured since an improvement after the 2024 election. Almost more Queenslanders now expect things to get worse in their lives than to stay the same, and those expecting improvement are outnumbered by both categories. The state's outlook is more pessimistic than before the vote. The two-party system appears more shaky than at any time since Pauline Hanson's peak three decades ago.

Crisafulli himself said he hoped to shed the 'new' label with his Wednesday appearance, but analysts caution that relying on statistics and asking people to wait while telling them change is happening is 'no longer such a sure thing.'

Analysis

Why This Matters

The Crisafulli government's ability to deliver on its core promises will shape Queensland's policy direction on housing, health and crime for the remainder of its term.
Souring public mood could shift the political landscape ahead of the next state election, with implications for the LNP's approach and Labor's strategy.
Industrial relations tensions and legal changes touch the daily lives of public-sector workers and community members.

Background

Queensland's LNP government under David Crisafulli won office in October 2024 on a platform addressing four 'crises': health, housing, crime and cost of living. It has since passed most of its early legislative priorities, including tougher bail laws and planning reforms. The halfway point of the four-year electoral cycle has prompted reflection on what comes next, as the government balances its moderate pre-election image with more controversial policy moves.

Key Perspectives

LNP government: Crisafulli maintains his team is making progress and points to improved numbers. He frames the next phase around opportunities in fuel, critical minerals and data centres, suggesting a shift from crisis management to economic growth. Labor opposition: Steven Miles has kept a low profile, hoping that public impatience and accumulating controversies will undermine the government before the next election. Critics/Skepics: Analysts note the gap between rhetoric and delivery on law and order, the risk of moving too fast or too far on industrial relations and civil liberties, and polling that shows public optimism fading despite the government's messaging.

What to Watch

Any new major policy announcement, especially on law and order or cost-of-living relief, in coming months.
Industrial relation negotiations, particularly with public-sector unions, after a year of strikes.
The Resolve Political Monitor's next readings to see if the government's trajectory shifts further negative.

Sources

Crisafulli hopes he’s shed the ‘new’ government tag. That has its own risk · Brisbane Times - Latest News
Crisafulli hopes he’s shed the ‘new’ government tag. That has its own risk · Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
Crisafulli hopes he’s shed the ‘new’ government tag. That has its own risk · WA Today - Latest News

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 7 supported.

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Partly supportedThe Crisafulli government is approaching the halfway mark of its four-year term, and the “new” label is wearing thin.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Approaching the halfway milestone of Queensland’s four-year electoral cycle”
Partly supportedThe Premier is pitching progress on the big four as public patience fades and polling turns sour.Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““The big four issues that I spoke about before the election remain the big four issues and the big four challenges,” Crisafulli said at his 2026 CEDA State of the State address on Monday.”
SupportedCrisafulli spent the past week giving set-piece speeches about his government’s progress and unfinished work.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Premier David Crisafulli has spent the past week doing plenty of talking – in speech after set-piece speech. He has spent it talking about what his government has done, and what it’s yet to do.”
SupportedCrisafulli said the government was “making progress after a long period of time where the numbers went in the wrong direction.”Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““And on all of them [health, housing, crime and cost of living], we are making progress after a long period of time where the numbers went in the wrong direction.””
SupportedCrisafulli identified fuel, critical minerals and data centres as areas of opportunity.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “‘I want to talk today about what I call a trio of opportunities: fuel, critical minerals, and data centres. All three have challenges. All three have opportunities.’ Crisafulli in his Monday State of the State speech”
SupportedA widely billed law-and-order policy announcement at the Queensland Media Club on Wednesday did not materialise beyond confirmation Parliament would pass a government bill the following week.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “During a Queensland Media Club appearance on Wednesday billed as featuring a “significant policy announcement” in the law and order space, no such thing came, beyond confirmation the parliament will pass a government bill next week.”
Partly supportedPublic dissatisfaction over crime remains high two years on.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “particularly on crime, where the LNP set the terms of the debate while in opposition, yet admits that public dissatisfaction remains, two years on.”
SupportedMost election platform items have been ticked off, leaving the government to pursue new policy or hope its “let us cook” line finds sympathy.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “a list of concrete election platform items already all-but ticked off, leaving them either pushing ahead with new policy efforts ... or hoping its “let us cook” line finds sympathy.”
SupportedThe government has criminalised political speech, tightened bail rules, expanded planning powers and made objecting to mining projects harder.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Political speech has been criminalised, objecting to mining projects has been made harder, major planning and land use powers expanded, and the state’s bail regime tightened”
Partly supportedThe resignation of Child Safety Minister Amanda Camm may offer Labor a rare win.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “The resignation from cabinet of Child Safety Minister Amanda Camm may be the first bit of bark taken from Crisafulli that Labor would view as a win.”
SupportedPolling shows more people expect their lives to get worse than to stay the same, and both groups are twice the size of those expecting improvement.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Almost more people think things will get worse in their lives than not change, and both cohorts are double the size of those who think it will get better.”
Partly supportedAnalysts cautioned that relying on statistics and asking people to wait while saying change is happening is “no longer such a sure thing.”Brisbane Times - Latest News: “a bet on people’s willingness to wait to feel change while being told it is happening is no longer such a sure thing.”