At a Newscorp event in Brisbane, David Crisafulli addressed strategies to entice interstate businesses in the lead-up to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. He outlined his approach with a focus on safety and infrastructure improvements.

“One assurance I can give is that if someone is living in Melbourne, they can move to a place where youth crime is under control, reducing the risk of incidents like stabbings,” Crisafulli expressed on Tuesday.

He continued, “For those in Sydney, we offer an environment where traffic congestion is being actively managed, setting us apart from New South Wales.”

Crisafulli emphasized that Queensland’s proactive measures in addressing transport and youth crime present distinct advantages over other states.

His remarks sparked diverse reactions, particularly in light of disturbing CCTV footage released this week. The footage captured the moment 36-year-old Wan Lai was left with a punctured lung following an alleged random attack in Melbourne’s CBD on October 2.

In the video, Lai can be seen leaving her apartment for work when a woman, seemingly carrying a ball and a knife, approached her from behind, leading to the shocking incident.

The woman confronted her, stabbed her, and took off again while Lai crumpled to the ground.  

While a 32-year-old woman is currently behind bars charged over the incident, Lai has been left unable to work or leave her home by herself.

The attack has also stirred fear within the wider community, with the state’s opposition calling for tougher crime laws.

In a statement issued later that same day, the Premier apologised for the “poor choice of words”.

“It was a poor choice of words because every victim matters, regardless of where they live, and I apologise for any distress,” he said.

“I’m fully aware of the realities of crime and knife crime in Queensland, which is why we are working every day to keep driving down victim numbers through initiatives such as Jack’s Law.

“No one can guarantee there’ll be no crime, but that should never deter us from driving down victim numbers.”