Steven Miles says he's been listening to voters about what cost him the Qld election

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Since Labor’s election disaster in 2024, Steven Miles says he's been listening to Queensland voters and has learned concerns about crime and community safety cost him the top job.

Transcript

00:00Opposition Leader Stephen Miles, thanks for joining me.

00:05Thanks for having me, Jack.

00:06It's great to be here.

00:07It's been a year since Labor lost that election in 2024.

00:11What was it like losing that election?

00:13What was it like losing the top job as Premier?

00:15Look, defeat is obviously always really hard,

00:19but we didn't have too much time to dwell on it.

00:22We were straight back into the job of talking to Queenslanders

00:26and that's what we've done the whole 12 months since then.

00:29It was beaten convincingly in 2024.

00:31Why did you decide to stay on as Labor leader?

00:34Look, a number of members of our team asked me to stay on

00:37because they thought that that continuity would help keep our team

00:41united and strong and disciplined.

00:43And I've always taken the view that if you want to make a difference

00:47for your state, you serve in whatever capacity you have the opportunity to do.

00:51And so I agreed to that request.

00:53Why do you think Labor lost the last election?

00:56Look, that's what we've spent the last 12 months

00:58talking to Queenslanders about right across the state.

01:01And a lot of people have said that they felt like it was time for a change.

01:05A lot of people have pointed to crime and community safety as the issue

01:09that drove them to change their vote to the LNP.

01:13But also a lot of people believed what David Christofili said,

01:16that he would make Queensland a better place.

01:18And I think we're already starting to see a bit of disappointment from Queenslanders

01:22when things actually are getting worse.

01:24You know, ramping is getting worse.

01:26Cost of living is getting worse.

01:28Even crime hasn't been fixed in the way he said it would.

01:31Would a future Labor government keep the adult crime,

01:33adult time laws introduced by the LNP?

01:36Well, look, our offering at the 2028 election will outline much closer to then.

01:41But what we've seen is a government that was elected with a forward slogan

01:45and not much more detail.

01:47And so even though they've passed those laws and had to change them

01:50a couple of times, a couple of times already,

01:53Queenslanders are still seeing very high crime rates.

01:56And that suggests that that forward slogan isn't working

02:00and this government will need to do more.

02:01What would convince you to keep adult crime, adult time laws?

02:04We want to see crime going down.

02:06And if crime is going down, then we'll want to keep in place

02:10the things that the experts and police tell us are working.

02:13We'll want to change the things that experts and police tell us are not working.

02:17I think right now there isn't enough focus on early intervention

02:21and rehabilitation and keeping kids in school

02:24rather than seeing them disengaged and out in the community committing crimes.

02:29And so we'll have a bigger focus on stopping crime before it happens.

02:33Do you think keeping youth offenders in detention in jail for longer

02:37helps with community safety?

02:39Well, it helps in the short term while those kids are off the streets,

02:42but eventually they will get released.

02:44And there's lots of evidence that says that the period of time

02:47that they're in detention hardens them,

02:50makes them more likely to commit more crimes.

02:52But it's early days and we'll see what the experience is

02:55over the next couple of years.

02:56You're on social media a lot, you're on TikTok a lot.

02:59Why do you like reaching out to young Queensland voters

03:01and do you think that they feel left out of the political process?

03:04Well, I like reaching out to all voters, Jack,

03:07and I've always believed that politicians have a responsibility

03:10to talk to Queenslanders where they are.

03:13A lot of young people say to me that they don't feel particularly heard

03:17in the debates of the day and I want to change that.

03:21I want to give them a stronger voice.

03:23I want to hear them and speak with them.

03:26The UK has recently lowered the voting age from 18 to 16.

03:30Would a state Labor government ever do that here in Queensland?

03:33We don't have plans to do that,

03:35but I think it's good that people are talking about it.

03:37You know, those same young people who say to me

03:40that they don't feel heard appreciate the fact

03:43that there are people out there talking about maybe giving them a greater say.

03:47You'd be open to looking at lowering the voting age.

03:50I'm saying I think it's a good conversation.

03:52It's not part of our plan, so.

03:53And just to be clear, you're committed to leading Labor to the 2028 election?

03:57Oh, absolutely.

03:58The first test for any opposition is whether you can keep your team united and disciplined.

04:02We see at a federal level what can go wrong when you don't have that

04:06with the LNP opposition there.

04:09We've kept the team strong, united, disciplined

04:12and that's how we intend to continue right through to 2028.

04:15Is it really disciplined, though, when you've seen a divide

04:17within your caucus on adult crime, adult time laws?

04:19You've seen MPs switch factions.

04:22Are you really that united?

04:23We are, yeah.

04:24It's not unusual to occasionally have people who disagree.

04:27That's what you would expect with strong, robust people,

04:32the kinds of people who get themselves elected.

04:34I think the test of a good team is whether you can have those disagreements

04:39settle a position and move forward, and that's what we've done.

04:42And what would you say to people who might think you're a seat warmer as Labor leader?

04:47I think if people saw the work that I'm doing each and every day out in the community

04:53talking to Queenslanders, they'd see how committed I am to this,

04:57because I think it's in the best interest of the state.

04:59I think this government is not a very good government.

05:02I think they're letting people down.

05:03It's our job to highlight that.

05:05And then closer to 2028, outline what we would do differently.

05:08Voters convincingly booted you out as Premier in 2024.

05:12What makes you think they're going to want you back as Premier in 2028?

05:16Well, I think lots of people are already disappointed by this Christopher Lee government.

05:21He promised them a lot.

05:22I'm talking about you.

05:23What makes you think they're going to want you back in 2028?

05:25Well, they're the considerations people will make.

05:27They'll have a look at whether they are better off under this government than they were.

05:32And if they're not, they'll consider whether the opposition should be the government.

05:36My job is to make sure we do both those things.

05:38There's a hall in Parliament where the portraits of former premiers are hung.

05:42Have you sat for your portrait yet?

05:44I have not, no.

05:45When do you think you might do that?

05:47I'm not rushing.

05:48I didn't get into this game for portraits and statues, Jack.

05:51I'm concerned about delivering policies that change the state.

05:55And that's what I'll keep focusing on.

05:57I don't think you'll see a portrait of me any time soon.

05:59Stephen Miles, thanks for your time.

06:01Thank you, Jack. Great to see you.

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