With just two months until the state election, both leaders of Queensland’s major parties are fronting up to an event hosted by the country’s peak tourism and transport industry body.
LNP Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has been up first. He’s used the speech to spruik his tourism portfolio and north Queensland chops, and taking a different tone to usual.
David Crisafulli speaks at the Tourism and Transport Forum’s leadership summit.Credit: AAPIMAGE
After reiterating his party’s focus on youth crime, health, housing and cost of living – on which it has relentlessly attacked the Miles government – he noted “a big part of my job is pointing out what is wrong”.
“I want you all to believe, whether or not you live here or you invest here, you are in the right place. The fundamentals of this state are very, very bright,” he said.
Crisafulli also announced that, if elected in October, he would set up a subcommittee of his cabinet, focused on tourism, and said he had not come “promising to throw money around” but “changing the culture of government”.
He was then interviewed on stage by the ABC’s David Speers, refusing to offer any further details in response to questions about his past business dealings and saying he “would be very surprised” if his version of an independent Olympic infrastructure authority found the government’s plans for the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre were a good idea.