Editor’s view: Labor must sort out internal machinations or face voter backlash

Labor must sort itself out sooner rather than later or face backlash from voters. But has Steven Miles got the stamina to see it through, asks The Editor.

Opposition Leader Steven Miles could be under pressure. Picture: Richard Walker

It is totally normal – and absolutely understandable – that a few internal tensions are aired by MPs whose party has just been turfed from office at an election.

There are few jobs that are more of a contrast than that of minister and their opposition shadow. Talk about rooster to feather duster – it’s more penthouse to the outhouse.

The state Labor caucus then, has every right to be a bit unsettled – it being just three months since they had to swap their power for political pauperage. It would suck.

That said, they will need to sort out their internal machinations sooner rather than later because the one thing voters all hate is internal power games. Your job as an MP, they rightly believe, is to serve the community – not spend time on the taxpayer coin looking inward.

We make these points because, as we have been reporting, two Right faction MPs in the state Labor caucus defected over the weekend to the dominant Left faction (which now has 18 of the 36 Labor MPs).

Gary Bullock has long hel power within Labor. Picture: Adam Head

So murky are the waters of internal Labor intrigue that it is not clear if their move was part of a broader plot to create a sub-group in the Left to counter the power held by union heavyweight Gary “Blocker” Bullock – as some sources have been suggesting. That story goes that Together Union state secretary Alex Scott is “hellbent on replacing Blocker as the leader of the Left”, and so is trying to build a bloc that can take his on.

But other Labor sources point to the fact that this might actually say more about the now-12 member Right faction, which is led by former treasurer and perennial leadership aspirant Cameron Dick.

With apologies to Oscar Wilde, to lose one faction member may be regarded as misfortune; to lose two looks like carelessness – a view echoed by a Left source, who said the defectors had been disaffected for some time: “They were sick of not being treated very well.”

Other sources said the drama would put pressure on Mr Dick’s control of the faction, which has also now lost a shadow cabinet spot – because the swing-vote Old Guard faction (with six MPs) has since decided that one of the

Right-Left defector Corrine McMillan should keep her position on the opposition frontbench.

That is not something any leader of a faction would be putting on their resume – as the entire point of the groupings is to have as many seats at the table as they can muster.

Meanwhile, Labor leader Steven Miles has been notably quiet since his bizarre and misjudged outburst on Saturday when he claimed Premier David Crisafulli – a man who is known for his huge work ethic and 4am gym starts – was actually too lazy to lead the state through a natural disaster.

He is probably correct to avoid any commentary on the factional infighting. Any statement would just put an unnecessary spotlight on stuff that should ideally be kept well and truly behind closed doors.

Opposition leader Steven Miles and Deputy Cameron Dick. Picture: Glenn Hampson

But there would be no doubt he is up to his eyeballs in it – and not just because the partyroom that he leads is in a state of flux. He would also be concerned because his top backer is Blocker, and there are some who say the emerging Alex Scott bloc is the start of a longer-term move to blast Mr Miles from the leadership.

Who knows, though, if he will still want it in a couple of years from now. Being Opposition Leader is perhaps the toughest job in the parliament, as you have to do all the work, but without the resources. We will see if Mr Miles has the stamina and will.