Queensland Opposition Leader David Crisafulli flags sacking ministers if they fail to meet performance targets

Queensland's opposition leader says ministers will be dumped from their portfolios if they fail to meet performance targets under an LNP government.

In an interview with ABC Stateline, David Crisafulli said he believed the LNP could win the October state election, but still considered his party "the underdog".

"What we're seeking to do is create history on so many levels," he said.

"Of the last 12 general elections, the Labor party's won 11.

"We're seeking to win 14 seats, which is a massive, massive task but we are disciplined, we're united, we're focused."

Mr Crisafulli has promised fewer victims of crime, should the LNP win office in eight months.

He has also previously committed to setting clear targets – KPIs — so ministers could be held accountable.

"That hasn't happened for the better part of the last decade."

Asked if that meant a minister could be stripped of their portfolio if they did not reduce the number of victims of crime, Mr Crisafulli replied: "Well, of course".

"That is how the system must work," he said, while also accusing the Labor government of a "cavalier approach".

"In any workplace, when people are given a role, they have to fulfil that role, that's the way the world works, and that's the way that Westminster government has always worked across both sides of politics."

Pressed on how the LNP would be judged on reducing the number of victims of crime, and if it would be based on raw figures or per capita, he said it would be "victim numbers".

He is yet to reveal where the figures will be sourced from, but said KPIs would be made public.

Children in custody

The LNP is also vowing to overhaul the Youth Justice Act, including removing the provision that children should be detained in custody only as a last resort.

Pressure on Queensland's youth detention facilities has been growing, with about 289 young people inside the three facilities as of Tuesday, as well as another 70 children in police watch houses.

The Labor government has committed to building two more facilities — therapeutic youth detention centres — at Woodford and in the Cairns region, with the first expected to be completed by 2026.

Asked about the impact that removing detention as a last resort could have on the system, Mr Crisafulli said the current government was bringing on new youth detention facilities and if "you fix the early intervention model, you don't have to have that churn".

Pushed on whether the new planned facilities and the number of additional beds would be enough capacity for the LNP's proposed law change, he replied: "Well, under my model you'll actually be able to turn things around immediately because you won't have that churn."

"Day one priority for us is to make sure that the jail cells that are available are there for the hardcore, and then you must focus on ensuring that the next generation in the pipeline doesn't occur," he said.

Mr Crisafulli strongly rejected questions around whether the LNP would bring back policies to "name and shame" repeat juvenile offenders, or trial a youth curfew.

"I don't want to see that," he said.

"Queenslanders spoke and when an election occurs, you have to listen to people."

Green future?

On emissions, Mr Crisafulli would not reveal yet how the LNP would vote in parliament on a bill tabled by the premier last month, to cut emissions by 75 per cent below 2005 levels by 2035.

Environment groups have called for bipartisan support on the issue ahead of the election.

"We're going through that [the bill] at the moment, but we'll do that in a disciplined way," Mr Crisafulli said.

"We must be part of the solution in reducing emissions, we must be, and part of that involves ensuring we bring on renewable energy.

"It has to be done in a way that can ensure people have affordable, reliable and sustainable energy."

When asked if a Crisafulli government would support nuclear energy development, he said it was not on his agenda "because it just won't happen until Canberra sorts that out".

"If Canberra sorts that out, that's a matter for them, then I would sit down with you and discuss with the state government what their plans are for energy," he said.

"But in the meantime, we're not allowing them [the state government] to get off the hook."

Watch the full interview with David Crisafulli on ABC News tonight at 7pm.