2025 State Politics update – February

The debate quickly turned personal during the first 2025 sitting week of the Crisafulli Government, held last week. While the government continues to implement its agenda, Attorney-General Deb Frecklington tabled a report on former Treasurer Jackie Trad, and the opposition launched into questions about the appointment of incoming Under-Treasurer Paul Williams.

Parliament will resume again on March 10, and by then the federal election campaign will likely be underway. This distraction provides the state government with an opportunity to release decisions it wants to keep low-key, while considering political strategy for more significant announcements.

Our experience over the past month is that the government is still managing day-to-day decision-making, while simultaneously handling the North Queensland floods and holding parliament. It’s a busy agenda and everyone is working hard.

Politically, the Crisafulli Government has shifted slightly from championing its own achievements to criticising the opposition—likely a deliberate move to start framing the opposition ahead of the next election. The opposition has found issues to champion, such as a private Member’s bill to legislate 50-cent fares permanently, while also exposing government decisions resulting from budget pressures.

Looking ahead, the major event will be the government’s release of the Games Delivery Plan on March 25. This plan, alongside the report prepared by the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA), will provide details on the options considered and the path the government will take forward. Any plan will leave some people disappointed, so this period will be an important test of whether the government can make decisions that hold up politically and maintain its resolve once the announcement is made.

Two other areas worth noting are energy policy and youth crime laws.

One criticism facing the Crisafulli Government is the perceived lack of a comprehensive energy policy. While the LNP has delivered on its pledge to improve the reliability of existing coal-fired generators, little has been said about its vision for new generation investment and meeting emissions reduction targets. While the private sector can be afforded some time to wait on the outcome of the federal election, it is looking for more detail from the state government before committing funds.

On youth crime laws, we have seen the consequences of rushing a process to meet political objectives. The opposition has raised concerns about why attempted murder and rape were excluded from last year’s bill, a signature commitment of the LNP’s election campaign. The government has promised further amendments, which are likely to go through a more routine legislative process. Time will tell whether other election policies will receive the same treatment as the reality of governing sets in.

While state politics will temporarily step back to make room for federal politics, rest assured the SAS Group is here, monitoring it all. We will keep you updated on all important state political developments.