Not Miles apart: premier hopeful of election comeback

Trailing in the polls, the Queensland premier appears to be back in the fight at the state election campaign's halfway mark after a rare stumble by his rival.

But Steven Miles believes it is too early to claim he has gained ground on the Liberal National Party's David Crisafulli ahead of the October 26 poll.

"We're obviously still a long way behind, and I've got a lot of work to do to convince Queenslanders that our vision for Queensland is the right one," the premier told AAP.

"But I certainly feel like the first couple of weeks of our campaign have gone pretty closely to what I'd planned."

Early election favourite Mr Crisafulli's campaign appears to have hit a hurdle after a conservative crossbencher's curve ball.

Mr Crisafulli has repeatedly promised not to change laws that decriminalised abortion in Queensland in 2018 but has been unable to explain how he would guarantee that.

The LNP leader has been under pressure since Katter's Australian Party vowed to repeal abortion laws following the election.

After being hounded by the media, Mr Crisafulli has declined to comment on whether he would deny his LNP colleagues a conscience vote on the matter if elected.

Having watched his opponent endure questions on the issue all week, Mr Miles on Friday announced an expansion of termination of pregnancy services.

The plan would provide a $20 million boost to care for expectant mothers, with $950,000 towards educational resources for abortion care.

David Crisafulli
David Crisafulli is having trouble making questions about post-election abortion law reform go away. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS)

Asked if Mr Crisafulli's reluctance to take a stand on abortion could cost the LNP votes, the premier said it highlighted a greater issue for the opposition leader.

"I think it goes to a bigger problem for him that he's so compromised on so many issues that he can't give a straight answer," Mr Miles said.

"He's between what he's been telling Queenslanders, what he's been telling his party room, (and) what he's been telling his conservative base.

"For four years, he's been able to say different things to each of them.

"Now he can't and he can't say anything - that's a problem for a leader, and I suspect ... we're going to see more of that."

Mr Miles might have bounced back but his campaign has not exactly been smooth sailing.

Queensland Premier Steven Miles
Steven Miles forgot another Labor candidate's name in front of media on the Sunshine Coast. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS)

The premier forgot a Labor candidate's name on Friday - the second time in as many weeks he had committed the gaffe.

"That's a good question," he said, asked about Kawana hopeful Jim Dawson, before looking to the health minister for help in front of media on the Sunshine Coast.

Last week he failed to recall Mirani candidate Susan Teder's name in north Queensland.

Meanwhile, Mr Crisafulli spruiked a $150,000 commitment for a Rockhampton youth drop-in centre before again being asked if he would allow his MPs a conscience vote if an abortion repeal bill was introduced.

"There will be no changes to the law," he told reporters.

"You know what our plan is - we've ruled that out."

Rockhampton LNP candidate Donna Kirkland, who once shared a social media post saying "abortion is the greatest human rights abuse", also stuck to the party line.