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The news
Voter opinion of Queensland Labor leader Steven Miles has turned positive for the first time since he took the job, as David Crisafulli’s preference as premier falls.
This is despite a drop in primary vote support for Labor in the latest two-month polling results for Brisbane Times, leaving the LNP with a 33 per cent to 30 per cent lead.
Steven Miles has recorded the first positive personal rating for a state Labor leader since in three years, but his party’s primary vote still lags Premier David Crisafulli’s LNP.Credit: Aresna Villanueva
But the largest shifts in voter perception recorded by Resolve Strategic include Miles’ net likeability lifting from -2 to 5, and his preferred premier status climbing from 22 per cent to 34 per cent.
At the same time, Crisafulli’s standing as preferred premier fell for the third straight polling snapshot, from 39 per cent to 35 per cent, as his net likeability rating slipped again to 16.
Why it matters
The survey of 869 voters in two waves across November and December is the first gauge of sentiment since the one-year anniversary of the Crisafulli government’s election.
Since the milestone, the LNP has faced scrutiny from Labor over its board appointments, bans on pill testing and kids’ gender care, and scrutiny of their action on housing and health.
State school teachers also held their second strike over stalled pay deals with the government, and the LNP took the seat of Hinchinbrook from the Katter’s Australian Party at a byelection that saw a swing against Labor.
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The LNP suggested Miles’ leadership was at risk this year, but Labor figures told this masthead their leader has essentially been given a deadline of the end of next year to boost primary support.
What they said
Resolve director Jim Reed said Labor remained competitive in Queensland, “seemingly because some voters still like Miles and they think Labor is likely to spend more on services and infrastructure”.
Reed said the lack of home state-based support for One Nation, despite its gains at a federal level, could mean its focus areas were less relevant or LNP voters were more satisfied with the state LNP.
Queenslanders were split on whether the state government should drop its commitment to net zero by 2050, but backed keeping coal-fired power stations running until the end of their lives, he said.
By the numbers
December’s portion of the survey asked 434 voters whether the state LNP government should keep its commitment to net zero by 2050 or ditch it as the federal Coalition has.
A total of 35 per cent said the target should be kept, while 37 per cent favoured dropping it.
As for using coal power stations until the end of their lives instead of replacing them early with renewables or gas, 50 per cent supported the policy, with 18 per cent opposed.
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