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The LNP was elected on the promise "adult crime, adult time" would be legislated by Christmas. It followed through, passing its Making Queensland Safer Laws. The move has not been without criticism, with human rights experts calling instead for a "child-centred approach". University of Queensland criminologist Renee Zahnow said she would give the government a "F" for their language when speaking about young people in the media. "I don't believe we should get harsher on youth crime, I think that has been a really negative thing," she said. However, she said the government's support of early intervention programs for young people deserved a "tentative A". "The next step I will be looking out for is to have a transparent and centralised system for looking at the evidence of what works and what doesn't," she said. Mr Samaras said voters were largely more satisfied with the LNP's approach on crime, compared to its predecessors. "Most Queenslanders that we speak to are quite comfortable with the response," he said. "They still think crime is an issue but they are a lot more confident in this government." During the election campaign, Mr Crisafulli tied his own future as leader to there being fewer victims at the end of his four-year term. He has not shied away from his pledge, fronting the media throughout the year to spruik his progress, but the opposition has been critical of the data points he has chosen to highlight. In July, Mr Crisafulli said victim numbers had fallen by 5.7 per cent in the first six months of 2025, when compared to the same period last year. The decision not to include data on "other theft" was questioned by Opposition Leader Steven Miles, with Mr Crisafulli saying it could include matters that did not relate to victims. Experts have said the impact of policies would not be clear after such a short period of time. Cost of living While it was one of the key crises it campaigned on, details of the LNP's cost-of-living relief policies pre-election were fleeting. It was competing with massive sweeteners from the then-Labor government, in the form of $1,000 energy rebates and vehicle rego discounts. In office the LNP did not continue those temporary measures, but it did make 50-cent public transport fares permanent. It's chosen to focus on what it calls "targeted" relief, in the form of vouchers for school and sports supplies, and energy rebates for vulnerable households. Aimee McVeigh, chief executive of the Queensland Council of Social Services (QCOSS), said the government "could do more". "There are still so many Queenslanders struggling with the cost of living, and it is impacting families with kids," she said. Ms McVeigh said the government had a "big opportunity" under its families portfolio. "We haven't seen that opportunity realised in terms of a strategic vision that supports the most vulnerable families with children in Queensland. Mr Samaras said the inflation pressures remained the number one issue for Queenslanders. "If they were to go back to the electorate and say, how would you rate us on that, they'd get marked down pretty severely." Abolishing payroll tax for general practitioners, as it promised to do, is one of the best moves the government has made for the health sector in its first year, according to the Australian Medical Association Queensland (AMAQ). Queensland president Nick Yim also praised the government's investment in Surgery Connect, which allows public patients to have surgery at a private hospital. However, he noted that it was a "short-term fix" with more work needed to help patients facing extended wait times to see a specialist. Overall, Dr Yim gave the government a pass mark for its first year, noting there is "more work to be done". In June, elective surgeries at Queensland's largest hospitals were paused for 48 hours due to emergency departments being "overwhelmed" by flu and COVID presentations. And in recent months the government has passed legislation to ban pill testing while local councils have voted to remove fluoride from their water supplies. Dr Yim said this showed public health remained a "really big issue" and AMAQ would work with the government to ensure prevention was a key measure. The LNP has set a target of reducing ambulance ramping rates to below 30 per cent by 2028. Dr Yim said big changes were yet to be seen, but noted it was a challenging area that was difficult to cut through in 12 months. He said building and maintaining the state's health workforce was "the number one thing" AMAQ was working with the government on. "One of the big things that we are crying out for, not just for doctors but across the state of Queensland in the health workforce is the numbers — we need more numbers on the ground," Dr Yim said. The Crisafulli government has lofty housing goals: 1 million new homes by 2044, with 53,500 of those to be social and affordable properties. It has launched the shared equity scheme Boost to Buy, marketed as allowing homebuyers to purchase a home with just a 2 per cent deposit. Other policies include scrapping stamp duty for first home buyers purchasing a new build, and an extension to the $30,000 first home owner grant. The government has launched annual rental reviews for social housing tenants, after several recipients were found to be property owners. However, the latest quarterly figures for June showed the waitlist had grown by 10,000 people to more than 56,000 people, compared to the same period last year. Aimee McVeigh, chief executive of the Queensland Council of Social Services (QCOSS), said the government's housing goal was "commendable", but wasn't convinced it was pulling all the available levers for supply. "Removing targets for social and affordable housing from key development areas in Brisbane's central suburbs is really concerning," she said. Ms McVeigh said the housing crisis had only worsened in the past year, and called for greater focus on the homelessness issue. "That means building more supportive housing. It means ensuring that the eligibility for crisis accommodation includes people who have young children who may not be eligible for social housing." Queensland director of the Property Council of Australia, Jess Caire, gave the government an A grade for the confidence provided to industry, but said she'd be pushing for a property tax review to encourage business in Queensland. "We need more hotels, we need more commercial offices, we need more industrial land, and making sure we've got those taxation settings right to attract the critical investment that we need in Queensland is really important." Energy & environment In its first year, the Crisafulli government has earned a B from the Queensland Resources Council (QRC). For top marks, chief executive Janette Hewson said the government would need to make changes to the state's coal royalties scheme. "We really like the way the government is out promoting Queensland for investment," she said. "We continue to talk to them about the fact the coal royalty scheme that they inherited … is actually working against that in respect of coal investment." Ms Hewson said the QRC supported the energy road map unveiled by the government this month. In contrast, the plan — under which coal will burn for decades — is a "failure" from the Queensland Conservation Council's (QCC) perspective. "We actually think this energy plan is a broken promise because it is impossible now for the state, if they follow this trajectory, to achieve their 75 per cent emission reduction target," QCC director David Copeman said. However, Energy Minister David Janetzki has said the government remained committed to reducing carbon emissions by 75 per cent by 2035 as well as reaching net zero by 2050. Mr Copeman said he would give the government a D for its first 12 months and that he wanted to "work with the government to lift their marks". He said the government deserved a "conceded pass" when it came to nature for its commitment of designating more land for national parks. The government's lack of action on climate has earned an F from Mr Copeman, who said he was "deeply concerned" and "really angry" at the lack of leadership on the issue. The QCC is waiting to see if the government will commit to a new koala conservation strategy and take action to protect the Great Barrier Reef. "The problem is our laws continue to allow for clearing in our reef catchments," Mr Copeman said. "I am going to be pressing for the state government to do something about this." Infrastructure Plans for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games were a key point of difference between the LNP and Labor last year. The LNP promised no new stadiums, but after a 100-day review, Mr Crisafulli broke that promise with the announcement of a new stadium at Victoria Park. Paul Williams, political scientist at Griffith University, gave the LNP an A for the road map. "I don't think you can fault them for getting the wheels turning, whereas Labor were spinning their wheels." In opposition, the LNP had long decried the Construction, Forestry, and Maritime Employees Union, and a bombshell report released in July laid bare allegations of a culture of violence in its Queensland branch. The government launched an inquiry into the union, with industry leaders reporting a lift in productivity in recent months. Queensland director of the Property Council of Australia, Jess Caire, said it was long overdue. "The historic measures to dismantle the culture of fear and intimidation on building sites have been warmly welcomed by our members," she said. Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie has crisscrossed the state to plug the Residential Activation Fund, a $2 billion pot designed to accelerate infrastructure for housing developments. Ms Caire said it was a vital investment. "Unlocking new housing is quite often hamstrung by the fact that we don't have the critical infrastructure to unlock new growth fronts, so that's really important."
