Premier looks to stop election slide in final debate

Savannah Meacham and Fraser Barton |

Steven Miles and David Crisafulli will meet in the final debate of the Queensland election campaign.
Steven Miles and David Crisafulli will meet in the final debate of the Queensland election campaign.

The day started with Steven Miles removing his shoes to play at a childcare centre.

It ended with the gloves off, as the Queensland premier finally drew a straight answer from the opposition leader on abortion laws in the final election debate.

Liberal National Party leader David Crisafulli accused the premier of running a “silly” campaign as they went toe-to-toe in front of undecided voters who peppered them with questions on Tuesday night.

Mr Miles had earlier certainly seemed to embrace his inner “daggy dad”, starting the day at a Mackay kindergarten as he planned his final attack on the opposition leader before Saturday’s poll.

He read children’s books, got tickled and prodded while posing for pictures and whipped off his shoes to play in the sandpit.

“Are you putting sand down my pants?” the premier asked a sheepish four-year-old standing behind him.

He even went down the playground slide, landing with a thud before copping a toy needle in the chest playing doctor with the kids.

The premier had hoped to arrest a more worrying slide at the third and final debate after trailing Mr Crisafulli in the polls.

Mr Miles and the opposition leader fronted undecided voters and were hit with questions covering the key election issues – health, youth crime, housing and the cost of living.

It didn’t stop the leaders entering a lively exchange on an unexpected talking point that has emerged during the campaign – abortion laws.

And after being asked more than 100 times on his stance ahead of the election, Mr Crisafulli finally provided a straight, one word answer.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli during the final leaders debate
LNP leader David Crisafulli was pressed on the abortion issue during the final leaders debate. (Adam Head/AAP PHOTOS)

The LNP leader had been under enormous pressure during his campaign after repeatedly claiming there would be no changes to abortion laws but could not explain how he would guarantee it.

The premier jumped at the chance to piggyback on a voter’s question, asking the opposition leader: “Give a straight answer … are you pro-choice?” 

Mr Crisafulli stuck to his mantra that there would be “no change” to laws, accusing the Labor government of running a scare campaign.

“Your campaign has been silly because … we’ve ruled it out,” he said.

“And women deserve better than the scare campaign that’s been run. It’s a sensitive issue -there will be no change.”

Mr Crisafulli didn’t change his answer even when the adjudicator asked him to clarify, prompting an ironic laugh from the room of voters.

But he made his stance clear when the leaders got a chance to ask each other a question.

“It can come with a yes or no answer – do you believe in a woman’s right to choose,” Mr Miles asked, prompting applause.

Mr Crisafulli quickly responded: “Yes, oh that got you didn’t it?”

Abortion had emerged as a key election issue with protesters gathering outside the debate venue, Suncorp Stadium.

Some were dressed in Handmaid’s Tale costumes and appeared to be targeting Mr Crisafulli’s abortion stance, with one poster reading: “Answer the damn question, David”.

Queensland Opposition Leader David Crisafulli
David Crisafulli was brewing for a leaders’ debate battle while campaigning at Hervey Bay. (Russell Freeman/AAP PHOTOS)

Mr Crisafulli – who began the day trying his hand at making coffees for locals in Hervey Bay – may have lost some ground after the “people’s forum” results lobbed on Tuesday night.

Mr Miles has made something of a comeback in polling after trailing the LNP leader throughout the election campaign.

The gap in the primary vote has narrowed with Labor support at 32 per cent and LNP support at 40 per cent, according to Resolve Stragic polling for the Brisbane Times.

The premier also had a spike in popularity as preferred premier, polling 37 per cent compared to Mr Crisafulli on 39 per cent.

Mr Miles got another boost on Tuesday night after the “people’s forum” debate televised by Sky News, with the premier on top with 39 per cent, Mr Crisafulli with 35 per cent and 26 per cent undecided.

AAP