Battle lines drawn: ‘Same clowns, same cabinet table, different ringmaster’

The Opposition will continue to attack Labor on the three crises plaguing Queensland, insisting the party’s first leadershipchange in more than a decade “changes nothing”.

The Opposition will continue to attack Labor on the three crises plaguing Queensland, insisting the party’s first leadershipchange in more than a decade “changes nothing”.

The LNP has eked out an advantage in the polls by ruthlessly targeting the government’s handling of youth crime, housing andhealth, while the “red carpet” jibes at Annastacia Palaszczuk dented her once impressive personal popularity.

Labor hopes Steven Miles’ ascension to premier will present a fresh challenge for the Opposition as the government embarkson its first major cabinet reshuffle since 2020.

Steven Miles.

But Opposition deputy leader Jarrod Bleijie dismissed that: “Nothing changes because it’s the same clowns around the samecabinet table, just with a different ringmaster”.

“It’s the same health crisis, the youth crime crisis, the housing crisis, cost-of-living crisis. Steven Miles was there makingall these decisions with Annastacia Palaszczuk – nothing will change until Queensland has changed the government.”

LNP insiders have said Mr Miles taking the reins along with the promotion of ­Treasurer Cameron Dick to Deputy Premier isa clear signal Labor will now ramp up its electioneering as the government switches into campaign overdrive.

Ms Palaszczuk’s loyalty ­towards Transport Minister Mark Bailey, Tourism and Sport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe and Attorney-General ­Yvette D’Ath has opened the government up to repeated attack lines.

Mr Bailey has faced intense scrutiny from the Opposition for major project cost blowouts while Mr Hinchliffe’s bungled handlingof the RNA stadium upgrade announcement caused severe political damage for the Palaszczuk government.

Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli.

Both are expected to be removed from cabinet, however, providing Mr Miles with an ideal ministerial reconfiguration to hitthe ground running with the election due in late October.

Widely respected assistant minister Charis Mullen is expected to be parachuted into cabinet, while the possible promotionsof Bart Mellish and Michael Healy could assist Labor in shoring up Aspley and Cairns electorates respectively.

But Mr Bleijie refused to be drawn on how the leadership machinations and cabinet renewal will affect the Opposition, insistingthe party’s “not distracted by Labor’s internal war”.

Mr Miles has been the consensus pick for the top job for just a day but the Opposition’s strategy is clear – continue to prodwith the “chaos and crisis” attack line.

“Parliament will look different obviously but only a few chairs changed around,” Mr Bleijie said.

“It’s the same Labor government with the same people.

“I don’t think anything’s going to change other than they’re going to be very desperate to cling to power next year and they’lldo and say anything to do that.”