Premier at long odds as Cabinet in rare meeting without her

As Cabinet meets without Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, betting odds are telling the story of her prospects of leading Labor to the next election.

• Editor’s view: Absence fuels chatter

Annastacia Palaszczuk’s cabinet has met without her for the first time in six years – and made a wide range of decisions, according to Acting Premier Steven Miles.

Mr Miles said the meeting also included an opportunity – taken up by all – to express the “strength of their support” for Ms Palaszczuk’s leadership, after rumblings while she was away holidaying in Europe last week that it could soon be over.

Ms Palaszczuk remains on leave for another week.

Since being elected in 2015 she has cancelled almost all cabinet meetings when she is away, including last August when she attended the Hamilton Island yachting Race Week.

The last time somebody else chaired a cabinet meeting was in early 2017, when Ms Palaszczuk was in London to watch as the Queen’s Relay Baton started its journey to the Gold Coast from Buckingham Palace.

While she was away, then deputy Jackie Trad chaired an “Indigenous-focused cabinet” meeting in Cairns that was attended by mayors and representatives from First Nations communities.

Acting Premier Steven Miles on Monday. Picture: John Gass/NCA NewsWire

Mr Miles – who would be the next most likely leader – said this time there had been “no active decision” about whether the meeting should be postponed and so he went ahead and chaired it anyway.

At least a dozen Labor MPs have over the past week shared their private concerns about Ms Palaszczuk’s future as Labor leader and Premier, but none has yet been willing to say so publicly.

Mr Miles said that if he were allowed to bet on who would lead Labor to the next election, his money would be on Ms Palaszczuk – and indeed she is the $1.70 favourite to do so in a special market posted by betting agency Sportsbet on Monday.

But Sportsbet also has Ms Palaszczuk’s chances of not leading Labor at $2.05.

That means that, according to the odds, it is more likely she will not be the Premier come polling day than the Melbourne Storm (at $2.34) beating the Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium on Friday – where they have not lost since 2009.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk with partner Dr Reza Adib at the Royal Continental Hotel in Naples, Italy, last week. Picture: Victor Sokolowicz

But Mr Miles said of Ms Palaszczuk: “She’s come through every time against the odds, written off halfway through the race, but she’s always there at the end because she is the best leader for Queensland.”

He said ministers “dealt with a wide range of submissions” at Monday’s cabinet meeting – and that “all ministers wanted to express the strength of their support” for Ms Palaszczuk alongside “their unity and their belief in the team we have”.

Even though the pair haven’t spoken since she went on leave, Mr Miles said he was sure she was “resolute” in wanting to lead Labor to the October 2024 election, “and what ministers said today – as we’ve all said each and every day – is we also want her because she is our best chance of winning.”

Mr Miles is expected to travel to Rockhampton on Tuesday. Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has also taken his frontbench there this week.