Campaign update

Hayden Johnson

State Political Editor

Good afternoon,

Follow our live rolling coverage of the Queensland election here, where we've got Steven Miles making bold youth crime claims in Townsville, and David Crisafulli slamming Labor's desperate personal attacks.

Plus, the Play of the Day has the Premier proving he can get places on a budget, but not necessarily on time.

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ANALYSIS

Premier launches campaign by yelling at clouds

Steven Miles used his first election pitch to launch a full-throated attack on David Crisafulli, but it wasn't enough to knock his political rival off message.

In a sermon reminiscent of Abe Simpson yelling at clouds, Mr Miles smashed Mr Crisafulli as a small-target opponent and warned he would sack bureaucrats and wreak havoc on the state's economy.

EDITOR'S VIEW: Steven Miles playing a Jedi mind trick on Queensland

Premier Steven Miles at Government House after launching the election campaign.

The premier claimed Mr Crisafulli was such a huge player in the Newman government that "it was him that cut those health workers, closed those schools and cancelled those projects".

In truth, Mr Crisafulli was in charge of local government, community recovery and resilience nine years ago. Sure, past behaviour can predict future behaviour, but Mr Crisafulli acknowledges the Newman government got it wrong and pledged no worker cuts if he is elected.

In his first short press conference the premier struggled to find a cohesive message. He criticised Mr Crisafulli's past while urging voters to forget Annastacia Palaszczuk and vote on the future.

READER'S QUESTION: Leaders' message for under-siege teachers

David Crisafulli in Bundaberg on day one of the election campaign.

The man likely to become premier on October 27 refused to retaliate, but used day one of the campaign to highlight Labor's negative and personal attack. Mr Crisafulli proved he would campaign these four weeks in the same way he has for four years - with a relentless focus on the messages he wants to share.

Direct questions about his plans for power are often answered with criticism of Labor and vague, motherhood statements about hope.

PLAY OF THE DAY

Premier Steven Miles' public transport journey to Government House hits a snag.

Premier on budget, but not on time

Premier Steven Miles has proven he can get places on budget, but not necessarily on time. His plan to travel to Government House via public transport - by train from Mango Hill then bus to Fernberg Terrace— hit a snag when the council bus was hit with an early morning traffic delay. Seven minutes behind schedule Mr Miles hopped off the 61 bus, his entire journey costing $1.

In a physical representation of the Labor Government's last three years Mr Miles schlepped it down Wilden St, then trudged uphill —as he will for the next 26 days. These streets are familiar for Mr Miles— he spent a term as the local MP residing in Ashgrove before moving to safer waters in Murrumba. The entire Queensland Labor party will be hoping he'll able to repeat a grand version of his transplant to safety instead of leaving them at the deepest point of a valley after October 26.

VOTE NOW: Which reader questions should we hit the leaders with?