‘Call a spill’: Labor stalwart’s stunning attack on Premier

One of Annastacia Palaszczuk’s closest allies has dared party colleagues to put their name to leadership speculation.

• Editor’s view: How not to announce

One of Annastacia Palaszczuk’s closest allies has dared party colleagues to put their name to leadership speculation, dismissing party stalwarts calling for the Premier to step aside as “old retired blokes”.

Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath today fronted a barrage of questions about the turmoil enveloping the state government.

Labor Party life member and former Beattie and Goss government minister Bob Gibbs said Labor MPs must declare no confidence in Ms Palaszczuk’s leadership and force her to stand down to avoid an inevitable government wipe-out.

Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath.

Mr Gibbs launched the most brutal attack yet on Ms Palaszczuk’s leadership, describing her as “the walking dead” and labelling the process for her removal “bullsh*t”.

The piercing and unprecedented comments from the Left faction member follow party powerbroker Robert Schwarten’s demand on Friday for the state government to choose a “new model” of leadership before October’s election.

Ms D’Ath, a close ally of the Premier, said the constant grumblings from Labor MPs about the leadership privately shared with the media had failed to surface and she dared disgruntled colleagues to publicly stake their claim against the leader.

“I don’t know who those people are because I sit in caucus (and) I sit in cabinet and not one person has stood up in those rooms and said ‘I have an issue with Annastacia Palaszczuk’s leadership’,” the Attorney-General said.

Pressure is building on Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s leadership.

Ms D’Ath dismissed the views of Mr Gibbs.

“The blokes who are popping their heads up who have been out of politics for a long time and it is old retired blokes,” she said.

“It’s these blokes who feel like they need to be relevant and speak up and put their two cents worth in and, in all due respect, they did a great job when they were in parliament but they’re not here in 2023.

“They haven’t led us through Covid, they haven’t brought us from an opposition of seven to where we are today.

“So I back Annastacia Palaszczuk and what she has done and what she continues to do.”

The Attorney-General urged party colleagues to get behind Ms Palaszczuk in an emphatic declaration to the party.

“I’ve been in parliament for 16 years now, federal and state – I’ve seen leadership challenges (and) I tell you, I pick Annastacia Palaszczuk,” Ms D’Ath said.

“She’s the person I would want taking us to the next election because of the way she has handled this state since she took over that leadership.”

Mr Gibbs, a former Labor state president and member of parliament from 1977-99, said it saddened him to launch the damaging attack.

“Somebody needs to have the balls to stand up in that Caucus and move a motion of no confidence,” he said.

“You ask her to stand down and if that’s carried she’s got no choice but to stand down – this bullshit of needing to go to a vote with all the unions and branch members … if you carry it at a Caucus you don’t need to.

Former Labor minister Bob Gibbs has joined a chorus of party elders calling for Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to step aside.

“The reality is in this business you’ve only got a certain amount of time, once you’re at the top there’s only one way – down.”

Mr Gibbs argued Ms Palaszczuk’s performances had become “cringe-worthy” and argued she was now holding on to beat Peter Beattie’s reign.

“The sad part of it is this has become obvious it’s all about her wanting to get a kick up on Beattie to be Labor’s longest-serving premier,” he said.

“She’s simply not in Beattie’s class – intellectually or performance wise … she wouldn’t have made Cabinet in the Beattie or Goss governments.”

Responding to Mr Schwarten’s comments, Ms Palaszczuk on Friday declared “that’s just Robert” and insisted persistent speculation about her leadership was not distracting.

“People are entitled to their views,” she said.

“That’s politics.”

Labor stalwart Robert Schwarten said “I’m not worried” about Ms D’Ath dismissing his views on the party leadership and backed the Attorney-General’s calls for MPs to speak up in caucus.

“Bob Gibbs has called for a special caucus meeting to sort this out - and I agree with him,” he posted today on Facebook. “It sounds like Yvette D’Ath does as well.

“From what I read in the news, there are a lot of members of parliament who are concerned that we’re on track to have an LNP government this time next year unless something changes.

“I certainly know that’s a concern among branch members.

“A special caucus meeting is the right thing to do. Now that Yvette D’Ath has issued this dare to MPs, I hope she will help facilitate it.”

Deputy Premier Steven Miles, seen as the natural successor, is due to travel to Dubai this weekend.

Mr Gibbs argued the Caucus must put factions aside and choose the best person to be premier.

The two interjections by identifiable Labor Party stalwarts match the private concerns of backbenchers, who are becoming increasingly agitated about the state government’s direction.

One of the more significant revelations came from a Labor MP during the final parliament week, when asked whether they were agitating for a leadership change to Ms Fentiman.

“I’ve tried,” they said, declining to elaborate further. 

Backbenchers have previously struggled to correlate polls showing Ms Palaszczuk’s declining popularity with the positive reception she continues to receive when visiting their electorates.

However, another senior MP said the tide was turning.

“I think people are tired of her,” they said 

Ms Palaszczuk maintains voters will back her in the October election campaign when she goes toe-to-toe with LNP leader David Crisafulli.

“The people of this state know me, they know this government works hard,” Ms Palaszczuk said. 

On the final night of the 2023 parliamentary year on Thursday, Ms Palaszczuk praised the work of her deputy premier and treasurer – but left special thanks to her “leadership team” of Education Minister Grace Grace and Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath.

“You always need friends in politics,” Ms Palaszczuk said.