Follow me and resign, Newman urges Palaszczuk

The man last booted from office by Queensland voters calls for Annastacia Palaszczuk to offer her resignation amid a ‘concerted campaign’ by colleagues to have her ousted.

The man last booted from office by Queensland voters has urged Annastacia Palaszczuk to follow his lead and offer to resign as Premier amid a “concerted campaign” to have her ousted.

Campbell Newman, Queensland’s one-term Premier defeated by Ms Palaszczuk in 2015, called for his successor to act in the best interest of colleagues.

Former premier Campbell Newman. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

“I’m not Annastacia Palaszczuk, but when my personal standing was dragging things down I offered to go – in September 2014 – but I don’t think she will,” he said.

“If Annastacia Palaszczuk was truly a team player she’d stand aside now and let new leadership take the party forward.”

“The idea of (Steven) Miles being Premier of our state would be pretty worrying.”

Mr Newman denied the leadership jostling among Labor MPs was similar to the final year of the ill-fated Bligh government.

“I think they ran a pretty tight ship in 2012,” he said.

“I don’t remember this sort of concerted campaign to get her to go.

“After the floods and cyclones Bligh’s popularity went through the roof … Newspoll had Bligh coming back with a vengeance.”

Mr Newman’s offer to resign was refused by the LNP and the party lost 32 seats at the 2015 election.

Ms Palaszczuk has previously insisted she has no plans to step aside and did not seek advice from former premiers or former government ministers, saying: “I don’t need to”.

“I talk to the people of Queensland,” she said.

“I talk to families. I talk to my Cabinet colleagues, you know, interest groups …”