# Crisafulli Defends Queensland Leadership Amid Rising One Nation Populism Premier Crisafulli emphasizes government discipline to counter One Nation's electoral surge in Queensland. - **Source:** [Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News](https://www.smh.com.au/rss/feed.xml) - **Published:** 2026-11-02 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/cac591c4-96bb-4c33-90cd-2092ace2eaed ## Strategic Political Positioning Queensland Premier David Crisafulli is emphasizing his administration's disciplined governance to secure re-election. Two years into his four-year term, he aims to prove his government delivers on promises. This approach serves as a direct response to the growing influence of One Nation, which is gaining significant traction across various regional Queensland districts. ## Federal Shift Impacts Federal Nationals leader Matt Canavan is transitioning from the Senate to the lower house to challenge One Nation in the seat of Capricornia. This move highlights the LNP's broader strategy to contain populist rivals. Canavan's decision creates a high-stakes political showdown in the Rockhampton-based electorate, directly impacting regional electoral dynamics. ## Economic Policy Focus Crisafulli maintains that his government’s focus remains on agriculture, tourism, and mining sectors. He is also prioritizing advanced medical research and education to drive state growth. By addressing housing affordability and population movement, he hopes to demonstrate a tangible future for Queenslanders, contrasting his policy platform against populist rhetoric. ## Polling Data Analysis Recent October polling reveals a tight race, with One Nation trailing Labor by only three percentage points. The government holds 32 percent, the opposition 24 percent, and One Nation 21 percent. Notably, One Nation performs strongly among women, despite lacking a formal state leader or current members of parliament in Queensland. ## Labor's Political Framing Queensland Labor, led by Steven Miles, is attempting to link the LNP with One Nation. They characterize the upcoming election as a potential coalition between the two parties. This framing aims to consolidate Labor's base by warning against a far-right alliance, despite the LNP leadership explicitly ruling out any formal preference deals. ## LNP Internal Stance Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie has officially ruled out any coalition or preference agreements with One Nation. The LNP leadership remains confident in expanding its majority independently at the next state election. This firm rejection is intended to stabilize their voter base and distance the party from populist political movements. ## Voting Reform Promises Questions persist regarding Crisafulli’s commitment to reintroducing optional preferential voting. Critics suggest the LNP might abandon this promise because One Nation could siphon more votes from them than the Greens take from Labor. However, Crisafulli has publicly stated that he will not walk away from his original commitment to this reform. ## Integrity as Strategy Crisafulli is banking on the perception of integrity to secure his political future. He argues that his government has fulfilled its initial commitments, hoping voters will reward this consistency. As the 2028 election approaches, the effectiveness of this disciplined approach will be tested against the rising populist sentiment across the state. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.smh.com.au/national/queensland/crisafulli-makes-case-for-re-election-against-one-nation-in-queensland-regions-20261102-p61apx.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_feed — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._