Recovery Without Reward: How Leadership and Policy Shaped the 2024 Queensland Election

ABSTRACT Queensland's political culture boasts a predilection for ‘strong’ leadership and ‘pragmatic’ policy where voters value decisive leaders while also rewarding governments capable of delivering ‘material’ economic outcomes. In the context of that culture, this article argues the 2024 Queensland election—producing a result very different from that long expected—came after substantial fluctuations in major party public opinion support between 2022 and 2024. It also argues Labor premier Steven Miles's social media campaign was a driver in his government's minor recovery, and that leadership approval did not translate directly into party support. Last, the article argues that crime, despite being a highly salient issue before and during the 2024 campaign, was nonetheless outweighed by ‘material’ economic concerns. Once again, Queensland voters' preference for pragmatic policy outcomes is confirmed.