"David Crisafulli: Centrist Queensland premier is a Liberal Party role model", or so says the headline of a puff-piece by George Brandis in the Age and Sydney Morning Herald.
This can mean only one thing: David Crisafulli's career is in decline.
Even the Liberal Party backroom power-brokers know it, so they've wheeled out George Brandis to show support. What's next? The kiss of death in the form of a glowing report by Amanda Vanstone?
Redistribution of electoral boundaries, and an upcoming by-election for the North Queensland seat of Hinchinbrook are going to make matters worse. Recent two-party polling says the ALP leads 51.5% over the LNP with 48.5%, which is a big swing since the last election (53.8% to 46.2% in favour of the LNP).