Social media posts have come back to bite an election candidate as Queensland's premier ignored age-old advice that you should never work with children or animals.
Steven Miles on Tuesday cuddled puppies and tried to woo screaming babies ahead of the October 26 state poll, before switching his focus to Labor colleague Claire Carlin.
Ms Carlin's old posts made headlines after it came to light that she wrote in 2009 on Twitter, "we don't like police coz they kick and they punch" and in 2010 "f*** tha police".
The Burleigh candidate initially told a reporter she was not aware of the posts before later issuing an apology, claiming they do not reflect her current views.
Ms Carlin remained a good choice for the opposition-held seat on the Gold Coast, Mr Miles said.
"I think she's been very clear that doesn't represent her views," he said at bayside Redland's Mater Private Hospital, where he committed to a new emergency department and more beds if elected.
"I think all of us are entitled to shift our views over time, and when we were younger, perhaps we had some views that we don't necessarily hold as strongly now."
Mr Miles tried to turn the tables, saying the opposition didn't want to be held to account for their past behaviour.
David Crisafulli is vying to become the Liberal National Party's first Queensland premier since Campbell Newman, who was ousted in 2015 after one term following thousands of public service job cuts.
"The Liberal National Party doesn't want to be held to account for things it said a couple of weeks ago," Mr Miles said.
"This (Ms Carlin) is someone who made some comments while not a public official, she said that she doesn't stand by those comments now.
"That's very different to someone's record when in government, and at the end of the day, the impact of these tweets when compared to the impact of sacking 14,000 people, I don't think it's a very good comparison."
Mr Crisafulli said he "sets the standard" for his candidates but would not comment further on Ms Carlin's posts.
Burleigh is held on a 1.2 per cent margin by retiring LNP member Michael Hart with the party now putting forward Gold Coast councillor Hermann Vorster.
It is not the first time the past has come back to haunt a Labor candidate in the election campaign, with Caloundra MP Jason Hunt on Friday conceding he wore a "Hitler" shirt as a teenager.
Mr Miles' criticism of the LNP continued on Tuesday after he called the party's "regional reset" early intervention program announcement a failed initiative from 2012.
"The fact they've re-announced them today, I think, points to how shallow their ideas are," he said.
Mr Crisafulli revealed the $50 million commitment would open nine residential facilities across the state to turn out-of-control kids away from a life of crime.
Kids could be referred by the police, schools or their parents to a residential program offering discipline, life skills and psychological support.
"This kind of program has never been rolled out on this scale anywhere in the country, and we are determined to turn young people around before a lifetime of crime," he told reporters in Cairns.
Youth crime is a key election issue, with the LNP also promising adult sentences for juveniles committing serious offences along with community-based early intervention initiatives.
Polling indicates the opposition will win the election, tracking 56 per cent to 44 per cent on a two-party-preferred basis.
