Updated ,first published
Opposition Leader Steven Miles has vowed a re-elected Labor would set up an independent crime data bureau, offer new support for renters and a rego waiver for apprentices and their supervisors.
Miles’ first major policy platform announcement, in his second budget reply speech, also took aim at ascendant One Nation’s “race-fuelled hatred” and vowed to lift multicultural and First Nations funding.
“Under the LNP, delay has replaced delivery. Excuses and political spin has replaced practical solutions,” he said in a set piece delivered amid internal questions over his lack of progress since the 2024 election.
“Queenslanders deserve better than that, better than a premier who broke his vows to Queensland, better than a premier who is all spin, slogans and suppression.”
His first contained little in the way of new policies or direction for the party, and he later declared he was approaching the term in opposition with a “clean slate” to rebuild.
Economic uncertainty, two poor byelection showings and an ascendent One Nation drawing level with the opposition in polling have since loomed large.
As has the view within Labor, reinforced by internal election-loss analysis, that a leader needs two years in the role before the next election, in October 2028.
The first half of Miles’ Thursday efforts to deliver an hour-long speech were repeatedly hampered by interruptions of government ministers accusing him of misleading the parliament.
Amid points of order which added at least an additional 15-minutes to his speaking time, Miles said a re-elected Labor government would set up a Queensland Community Safety Statistics Bureau.
Miles said the independent body, accountable to parliament, would be modelled on the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research and oversea the release of crime data “without the politics”.
He said the body would “embed truth, transparency and real accountability in the discourse around crime” – an issue Premier David Crisafulli has staked his leadership and largely fought the election on.
Labor have produced an “issues analysis paper” on the housing crisis Miles said has been formed by talking to industry stakeholders and featuring their ideas for fixes.
“It’s a paper we’ll be taking around the state to capture the priorities of renters, first home buyers, and home owners as we chart a pathway through the housing crisis,” he said.
An early commitment made includes a portable bond scheme to allow renters to transfer the funds between tenancies, and be paid interest on the money along the way.
Vehicle registration fees would also be waived for priority trade apprentices and their workplace supervisors for the length of their training, to help address cost pressures and labour shortages.
“Tradies don’t get to benefit from 50 cent fares when they have a tray full of tools or a trailer load between jobs,” Miles said, also calling for royalty windfalls to seed a new “cost of living fund”.
Miles lashed out at those seeking to blame Queenslanders from overseas backgrounds for affordability and housing pressures, naming Pauline Hanson’s One Nation and the federal Coalition.
“The silence from the state LNP in standing up to Pauline Hanson or their federal party lets down every single one, who have moved here, or whose parents or grandparents did, about time,” he said.
“It’s about time someone in our state called out the shameful, race-fuelled hatred that has invaded our political discourse.”
To address this, he said Labor would double funding for multicultural community celebrations and festivals to $2 million in grants each year, and multicultural projects to $4 million.
Labor would also double the LNP’s reduced funding for NAIDOC and Reconciliation Week community celebrations.
Treasurer David Janetzki’s second budget was pitched as a responsible effort at fiscal repair, with some limited cost-of-living relief, revenue windfalls and pressure on the public service.
While the budget projected a slim surplus in four years, it also features deeper deficits until then, still-growing debt to $216.4 billion, and infrastructure uncertainty.
“We believe good governments should aspire to make life better for the people we represent, better now and in the future,” Miles said.
“We believe budgets should be crafted to make life more affordable, services like healthcare more accessible, and to leave our state in a better position for the future.
Matt Dennien is a reporter at Brisbane Times covering state politics, parliament and the public sector. He has previously worked for newspapers in Tasmania and Brisbane community radio station 4ZZZ. Contact him securely on Signal @mattdennien.15Connect via email.
