<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>331730</docID> <postdate>2024-10-25 11:20:47</postdate> <headline>Race to Qld election tightens as Labor gains ground</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-331731" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/20241023119272887309-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" /></p> <caption>Queensland's political parties are looking to sway the last remaining undecided voters. (Russell Freeman/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Savannah Meacham</strong> in Brisbane</span></p> <p><strong>The race to the Queensland election looks set to be a photo finish after runaway leader the Liberal National Party stumbled in polling.</strong></p> <p>Premier Steven Miles has ruled out the prospect of a minority government, saying no deals will be done to extend Labor's remarkable run.</p> <p>The LNP opposition has its nose in front ahead of Saturday's poll but the Labor government has gained ground with the chequered flag in sight.</p> <p>A Newspoll conducted for The Australian shows Mr Miles rated as a better premier at 45 per cent compared with 42 per cent for LNP leader David Crisafulli.</p> <p>The poll of 1151 Queenslanders conducted from October 18 to Thursday also shows the Miles government is up 2.5 points to 47.5 per cent on a two-party-preferred basis, with the opposition down 2.5 points to 52.5 per cent.</p> <p>Mr Crisafulli dominated early polling and looked on track to end Labor's nine-year reign.</p> <p>Labor has governed Queensland for 30 of the last 35 years.</p> <p>Mr Crisafulli on Friday appeared unfazed by the latest results after being accused of squandering a winning margin.</p> <p>"It shows you how difficult changing government to my side of politics is in Queensland - we remain the underdog," he told ABC TV.</p> <p>Labor polling, seen by The Courier-Mail, shows Katter's Australian Party winning two out of three seats in Townsville.</p> <p>Mr Crisafulli had been relying on winning all three seats to secure a majority government on Saturday.</p> <p>The LNP leader said he had heard Labor was striking deals with the Katter party in the regions and the Greens in the southeast to form a minority government if Saturday's result was tight.</p> <p>"We will get a minor parliament that will be quite frankly bedlam," Mr Crisafulli said.</p> <p>But Mr Miles said he was aiming to win a term in his own right after taking over the reins from Annastacia Palaszczuk who resigned in December.</p> <p>"I have spent 10 months showing ... the kind of premier I would be," he told ABC TV.</p> <p>"There will be no deals with minor parties."</p> <p>Mr Crisafulli campaigned hard on youth crime along with the election's other key issues of health, housing and cost of living but was accused of being a "small target".</p> <p>He repeatedly refused to explain how he could guarantee there would be no changes to abortion laws after a crossbencher pledged to repeal them.</p> <p>The LNP also waited until two days before the poll to release its costings, giving no detail on a Brisbane 2032 Olympic infrastructure review or pumped hydro alternatives integral to Queensland's renewable energy transition.</p> <p>"Voters have started to see David Crisafulli," Mr Miles said.</p> <p>"They have started to see some of the risks that could come with change."</p> <p>But Mr Crisafulli accused the premier of running a scare campaign.</p> <p>"We haven't wavered from giving Queenslanders hope over that fear - I am choosing hope over fear," he said.</p> <p>Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton backed Mr Crisafulli to end Labor's Queensland dominance.</p> <p>"I think David's run a great campaign. I think Queensland is ready for a fresh start," he told reporters on the Sunshine Coast on Friday.</p> <p>Mr Miles will visit 36 seats in 36 hours by 7pm AEST on Friday in a last-ditch campaign blitz.</p> <p>Mr Crisafulli is also pressing the flesh, and hit up a dozen electorates on Thursday alone.</p> <p>The government has made $9.7 billion in election commitments and the LNP $7.12 billion.</p> <p> </p> </body>