Liberal premier eyes minerals on election anniversary
A state premier has reflected on his first 12 months in top office as his government prepares a plan to capitalize on Australia’s critical minerals deal with the US.
David Crisafulli returned Queensland’s Liberal National Party to power on 26 October 2024 after more than nine years of political turmoil.
His government has since introduced laws punishing children as adults for serious crimes, spoken out harshly about the CFMEU and reneged on a pre-election promise not to build a new stadium for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
Mr Crisafulli said Queenslanders would ultimately decide what the government had done right and wrong over the past year.
But he argued that most people think the state is moving in a positive direction.
“We are doing what we said we would do,” the Prime Minister told reporters in Petrie on Sunday.
BHP has warned its mining business could be disrupted if the Queensland government refuses to tackle its unsustainable coal royalties regime.
Mr Crisafulli refused to change the plan introduced under the previous Labor government but insisted BHP remained a “long-term friend” of the state.
He said Queensland remained open to miners and hailed the critical minerals deal signed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Donald Trump as “a once-in-a-generation opportunity that only Queensland can fill”.
“We will be releasing our plan shortly to make sure we get not only our fair share, but a little more,” Mr. Crisafulli said.
“If you look at the known critical minerals, most of the components are found, of which Queensland has the lion’s share.”
Defeated Labor leader Steven Miles said he had spent his first year in opposition listening to Queenslanders, arguing the state was on the rise and condemning a “series of failures”.
He suggested that “everything continues to rise” including government fees, expenses and rents.
Mr Miles said it was “pretty significant” that Deputy Prime Minister Jarrod Bleijie was still attacking Labor after labeling Labor rivals an “incompetent mob”.
“That’s because they don’t have a record to speak of,” Mr. Miles said.
“Queenslanders tell me it’s getting worse on every major issue.”
