Could a merged federal LNP save the Coalition? Crisafulli shares his view

Premier David Crisafulli says the amalgamation of his Liberal National Party in Queensland was the “single best decision for centre-right politics in the history of this state” as the federal branch’s tentative grasp of a Coalition continues to be riddled with infighting and defections.

The highest-ranking elected conservative leader on the mainland has, so far, defied a national LNP slump after securing a hefty mandate at the 2024 state election.

Crisafulli’s personal popularity has persisted with the state’s majority a stark contrast to the Peter Dutton-led Coalition’s historic defeat, West Australian Liberals’ plunge into electoral oblivion and the South Australian equivalent on track for a similar humiliation.

The Queensland government has avoided the loud and fractured debate over climate and migration that has undermined Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, despite possessing the same regional and far-right influences.

In an interview with this masthead, Crisafulli refused to offer advice to federal colleagues, but he said the structure of the state branch, which was formally amalgamated in 2008, allowed the party room to thrash out disagreements in private without the toxicity of public stoushes.

“The decision to merge the Liberal and National parties in Queensland has been the single best decision for centre-right politics in the history of this state, and I wouldn’t be here without it,” he said.

“We would have been perpetually in opposition without it, and instead, we’ve got a formidable movement that enables people to see the world through different prisms.

“If we can maintain discipline and talk to people about the things that matter to them, I believe we can remain electorally successful, but more importantly, successful in what we do.”

The state leader’s reflections come nearly one year in office and after delivering a stinging warning at the recent state party convention, where he urged federal colleagues to ditch ideological positions on climate and migration.

The Crisafulli government’s energy plan, handed down this month, extended the life of coal-fired power and scrapped renewable energy targets but is steadfast in reaching net zero by 2050 – despite questions lingering over this pledge.

When the premier laid out his energy plans to this masthead, there were echoes of the message frontbench MPs say he often delivers privately to his party room, which is: “be normal”.

“My view on energy is we have to continue to find a ground free from ideology that makes sure it’s affordable, reliable, sustainable,” Crisafulli said.

“I want to know my government’s going to deliver me power that is not going to continue to have the massive price spikes that we’ve seen over recent years.

“I want to know that during summer, when the cricket’s on, the power is not going to go off and miss the last few overs.

“And I want to know that my government is heading on a pathway towards reducing emissions so I can play my part like [other] people across the globe. I just think that’s pretty normal.”

The premier’s energy policy resists the national push in the Coalition to ditch net zero, while his rejection of calls from within the federal branch, including from leadership aspirant Andrew Hastie, to cut migration was less subtle.

“I’ve never agreed with the dog whistle,” the grandson of a Sicilian migrant told this masthead.

“We’ve been made better [from migration and multiculturalism] and my criticism is about governments that haven’t built infrastructure.

“I reckon that’s the vast majority of fair-minded people when they talk about migration – they talk about the pressures on getting their kids into housing and that’s a completely fine debate we should be having.

“But that can’t be used as a stalking horse for people not wanting migration because that’s a completely different story. We should be compassionate. We should be tolerant. We should embrace people who want to come here, like my family.”

Despite the Coalition being in desperate need of a moderate leadership contender in Canberra, Crisafulli flatly rejects the prospect of a federal tilt.

“No, I genuinely wouldn’t,” he says when asked if he would consider a federal role, before teasing a prediction about his contemporary in South Australia – Labor Premier Peter Malinauskas, who has faced persistent questions and rumours about a switch to national politics.

“Mali will. If Albo [Prime Minister Anthony Albanese] would have stuttered [at the May election], I reckon they would have drafted him in.

“He’s from the Shoppies and they love federal politics,” he added, in reference to the powerful Labor-aligned retail union – Shop, Distributive & Allied Employees Association (SDA).

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