<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>331821</docID> <postdate>2024-10-27 08:25:55</postdate> <headline>Fresh start for Queensland as government falls</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-331822" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/20241027134746762182-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" /></p> <caption>Queensland Premier-elect David Crisafulli has vowed to get cracking on election pledges. (Jono Searle/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Savannah Meacham</strong> and <strong>Fraser Barton</strong> in Brisbane</span></p> <p><strong>Liberal National Party leader David Crisafulli has claimed victory in the Queensland election as Labor's outgoing Premier Steven Miles fell short of conceding defeat. </strong></p> <p>The LNP was set for a majority government late on Saturday relying on pre-poll votes to shore up its position after its vote fell away from opinion polling showing it was in a more commanding position heading into the election.</p> <p>Mr Crisafulli said Queenslanders had voted for hope over fear.</p> <p>"They have voted for a fresh start, and they have voted for a majority LNP government," Mr Crisafulli told supporters.</p> <p>"To borrow a phrase from a different era and a different political movement, 'It's time' - it's time.</p> <p>"It was a time for a fresh start for Queensland."</p> <p>The premier-elect began by thanking Mr Miles for his service as premier.</p> <p>Earlier Mr Miles said Labor had lost its majority but cast doubt on whether the LNP could form a majority government.</p> <p>"Watching the results ... tonight has not been enough to secure a majority of seats for Labor and it is unlikely that the LNP is likely to have a majority," he said.</p> <p>ABC election analyst Antony Green predicted the LNP would hold 49 seats and Labor 31.</p> <p>With almost 40 per cent of the vote counted, there was a 6.0 per cent swing to the Liberal National Party - more than the 5.7 per cent uniform swing it needed to form government.</p> <p>Labor went into the election holding 51 seats to the LNP's 35.</p> <p>Mr Crisafulli will become just the second Queensland Liberal leader this millennium after Campbell Newman held power from 2012 to 2015.</p> <p>The member for Broadwater had long been tipped to end Labor's nine-year reign with polls favouring Mr Crisafulli for much of the electoral term and before former premier Annastacia Palaszczuk stepped down in December.</p> <p>But Mr Miles and Labor narrowed the two-party preferred vote right up until election day.</p> <p>Mr Miles and Mr Crisafulli spent the final day of the campaign pressing the flesh at polling booths but had a long night as counting showed a close-run race before pre-polls were counted.</p> <p>Mr Miles made up last-minute ground in public opinion.</p> <p>Deputy Premier Cameron Dick said his party had made an enormous improvement after facing an "absolute wipeout" in 2023.</p> <p>Labor Party National President Wayne Swan said Mr Miles had put up a good fight and he hoped he remained as opposition leader.</p> <p>"It has been a first-class campaign which has avoided what could have been a landslide four months ago," he told AAP.</p> <p>The number of seats in doubt was 10, with the Katter Australian Party winning three seats and the Greens just one, losing its prized South Brisbane seat to Labor.</p> </body>