20 December | Queensland Government Update

Elections have dominated issues in Queensland throughout 2024 with local government elections at the beginning of the year, October’s state election seeing a change of government and summer seeing the LNP, Labor and the Greens gear up for an early 2025 federal election.

At a local level, Queensland saw significant change in many regional councils up and down the coast while in Brisbane, Australia’s largest local government, LNP Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner and his team were returned with a net loss of one seat, seeing off an expected Green surge in Brisbane’s suburbs.

On 26 October 2024, David Crisafulli and his LNP team won majority government over Premier Steven Miles, just 10 months into his tenure. Crisafulli’s win saw regional seats like Rockhampton and Mackay changing to the LNP for the first time in history, while the party failed to pick up additional seats within Brisbane proper.

PremierNational has also expanded its presence in Queensland, appointing Nelson Savanh as Director – Queensland, joining two other Queensland born-and-bred members of our team, Lachlan Crombie and Tom Kenny.

 Cost of living and community safety dominated headlines throughout the year and were major themes of the Queensland election campaign with the new Crisafulli LNP Government moving swiftly through its 100 Day Plan as the year comes to a close.

PremierNational wishes our friends, clients and colleagues well over the Christmas break and we are looking forward to hitting the ground running with you in 2025.

PremierNational are excited to announce our new Queensland Director – Nelson Savanh. Nelson brings over a decade of government and industry experience to the role, working as an advisor to Queensland Government Ministers, Leaders of the Opposition and the Lord Mayor of Brisbane. Nelson specialises in the transport, infrastructure, energy and property sectors, and is recognised as a leader in transport policy and innovation in Queensland after introducing shared micromobility to Australia in 2018. Nelson’s network brings together industry, politics, government, and media, and he is passionate about using his experience to create positive change for the community as a whole. Nelson previously served as a director of YMCA Queensland and on the state and federal executives of the Liberal Party.

26 October 2024 saw the first change of government in Queensland since 2015, with the LNP winning just their second election since 1986. LNP Leader David Crisafulli promised Queensland a Fresh Start while new Premier Steven Miles defended the 9-year reign of Annastacia Palaszczuk who retired in December 2023.

Key policies from both parties straddled community safety (Adult Crime, Adult Time – LNP) and cost of living (50 cent public transport fares – Labor) while a debate around women’s rights and abortion was kick started by the Labor Government, Katter’s Australian Party and third party campaign groups.

The results of the election saw the LNP on 52 seats (+17), ALP on 36 (-15), Greens 1 (-1), Katter 3 (-1) with independent Noosa MP Sandy Bolton also returned.

Key seats changing hands included:

  • Three seats in Far North Queensland from ALP to LNP (Barron River, Mulgrave and Cook)

  • Three seats in the Townsville region from ALP to LNP (Townsville, Mundingburra and Thuringowa)

  • Capalaba MP Don Brown (ALP) lost his seat to anti-crime campaigner Russell Field (LNP) with neighbouring seat Redlands won by the LNP’s Rebecca Young

  • Ipswich West, won by the LNP in a by-election during the year returned to Labor

  • Mackay and Rockhampton were won by the LNP from Labor for the first time in history

  • Former One Nation MP turned Katter MP Stephen Andrew lost his seat of Mirani to the LNP’s Glen Kelly

  • Former MP Marty Hunt (LNP) returned to the Sunshine Coast seat of Nicklin alongside new LNP candidate Kendall Morton winning nearby Caloundra

  • Queensland's youngest female MP is elected for the LNP in Pumicestone – Ariana Doolan

  • Six-time candidate Kerri-Anne Dooley wins Redcliffe for the LNP, vacated by Labor MP Yvette D’Ath

  • Greens MP Amy MacMahon loses South Brisbane to Barbara O’Shea (ALP)

On 1 November 2024 the full Crisafulli Cabinet was sworn in, including David Crisafulli as Premier and Minister for Veterans, and Jarrod Bleijie as Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning, and Industrial Relations.

Other key Cabinet appointments include:

  • David Janetzki retains the Treasury portfolio, combining it with being Queensland’s Energy Minister and Minister for Home Ownership.

  • Four Ministers identified as critical to the government’s commitment to community safety and fewer victims of crime: Dan Purdie (Minister for Police and Emergency Services), Deb Frecklington (Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Integrity), Laura Gerber (Minister for Youth Justice and Victim Support, and Corrective Services), and Amanda Camm (Minister for Child Safety and the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Families, Seniors and Disability Services).

  • Ros Bates appointed Finance Minister alongside a portfolio including Trade, Employment and Training.

  • Dale Last is Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, Minister for Manufacturing and Minister for Regional and Rural Development while Tony Perrett has been named Minister for Primary Industries.

  • Former LNP Leaders Tim Nicholls (Health) and John-Paul Langbroek (Education) awarded senior Cabinet roles.

  • Brent Mickelberg appointed Minister for Transport and Main Roads.

  • Sam O’Connor appointed Minister for Housing, Public Works and Youth.

  • Environment and Tourism portfolios have combined under Andrew Powell, former environment minister between 2012 – 2015.

  • Former NRL Referee and experienced minister Tim Mander is Minister for Sport and Racing and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

  • Veteran MP Fiona Simpson named Minister for Women and Women’s Economic Security, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships and Minister for Multiculturalism.

  • Customer Service portfolio to be held by Steve Minnikin.

  • Local Government Minister is western Queensland MP Ann Leahy.

Initial moves by the new government include:

  • Pausing BPIC while re-establishing a Queensland Productivity Commission

  • Stopping progress on the Pioneer-Burdekin Pumped Hydro project

  • Establishing the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority and launching a 100 day review into Olympics and Paralympics planning and infrastructure

  • Repealing Path to Treaty and Truth telling processes

  • Launching inquiry into volunteering

Premier Crisafulli appointed a number of assistant ministers, including Rebecca Young as Assistant Minister to the Deputy Premier and Assistant Minister for Planning, Housing and Better Regulation, Janelle Poole as Assistant Minister for Community Safety, Defence Industry, Veterans and North Queensland, Bryson Head as Assistant Minister for Regional Development, Resources and Critical Minerals and Bree James as Assistant Minister for Tourism, Early Learning, Creative Industries and Far North Queensland.

Following the Queensland election, former Premier Steven Miles was re-elected leader of the Queensland Labor Party and became Opposition Leader. Former Treasurer Cameron Dick remains deputy leader and takes on the state development, infrastructure, planning and regional development portfolios.

Other notable opposition appointments include:

  • A return of Mark Bailey to the frontbench as Shadow Health Minister

  • Elevation of former Attorney-General and Health Minister Shannon Fentiman as Shadow Treasurer

  • New frontbenchers include Michael Healy (Tourism, Jobs and Training), Corrine McMillan (Child Safety, Communities and the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence), Joan Pease (Small Business, Shadow Minister for Customer Service and Open Data) , Linus Power (Natural Resources and Mines) and Tom Smith (Primary Industries and Rural Development, Manufacturing)

The Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA) Board launched a public submission portal www.gamesreview.com.au to consider community and industry view in the 100 day review announced by the Crisafulli Government.

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