Mick de Brenni cuts factional deal with new Premier Steven Miles

Energy Minister Mick de Brenni will become Leader of the House as part of a factional deal with Premier Steven Miles.

Energy Minister Mick de Brenni will take control of the government’s parliamentary agenda as part of a factional deal with Premier Steven Miles to become Leader of the House.

Mr de Brenni will replace Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath in the role, which determines the sitting schedule and running of the parliament and the Bills introduced by the government.

It’s understood Mr de Brenni secured the position in reward for his loyalty to Mr Miles during last month’s leadership change.

Both are from Labor’s majority left faction.

The change is another blow to Ms D’Ath, who was shuffled out of the health portfolio by then-Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk in May.

Premier Steven Miles, with Mick de Brenni in the background, who is expected to become Leader of the House. Picture: David Clark

The right faction MP remained Attorney-General during the change of Premier, but was expected to lose the Leader of the House role as Mr Miles sought to reward left MPs who supported him.

“Mick de Brenni has been a former Chief Government Whip and will equally be a great Leader of the House like Yvette and Stirling (Hinchliffe) have been,” Mr Miles said.

“It is not unusual for Leaders of the House to change during a parliamentary term.”

The Premier declared Ms D’Ath – Labor’s longest-serving Leader of the House – had been “great” in the role.

Mr de Brenni will receive almost $7000 for the Leader of the House role in addition to his $364,337 annual salary.

During the leadership change Mr de Brenni lost the planning and public works portfolios to rising star Meaghan Scanlon.

He was the chief government whip in 2015, the first year of the Palaszczuk government.