Premier awake to leadership threat amid new call for MPs to act

As another former minister call for Labor MPs to be given the power to choose the leader, Annastacia Palaszczuk admits a deliberate campaign to force her out is a big possibility.

Calls are mounting for Labor MPs to be given the final say on who leads the party as Annastacia Palaszczuk concedes her premiership is under attack.

Days of public and private criticism of Ms Palaszczuk’s leadership were brought to a head on Monday as Ms Palaszczuk faced questions about whether she believed a no-confidence motion in her 52-person Labor Caucus was imminent.

“We have broken up for Christmas, of course, members are now back in their electorates working hard and there will be a caucus meeting next year,” she said.

While Labor MPs can seek a motion of no confidence against the leader, they cannot call a leadership ballot.

Then premier Anna Bligh (right) with minister Judy Spence in 2008

It has prompted Judy Spence, a senior minister in the Beattie and Bligh governments during her 22 years in parliament, to add her voice to calls for Queensland Labor to change the rules and make it easier for MPs to remove a leader.

“Caucus should choose the leader, it’s the members of parliament who know how their colleagues perform … they’re better placed,” she said.

“The leader should be very accountable to the members of their Caucus who rely on that person for a job.”

Ms Spence, in the parliament between 1989 and 2012, said unions and Labor branch members would be open to ceding the power of choosing a leader, which she said was “thrust on them by Kevin Rudd”.

“I don’t feel I’m better placed to choose the leader of the state government or federal government,” she said.

Ms Spence disagreed changing the leadership rules would prompt all-out war, noting challenges were not prevalent in Queensland under the old system.

“I’m not sure we ever used it … the suggestion that it would be overused is wrong,” she said.

Ms Palaszczuk on Monday said she remained “very excited” to lead Labor to the next election, but when asked whether she anticipated a vote of no confidence in her, said: “That’s a matter for the Caucus.”

Asked if she would consider calling a vote to end the leadership speculation, Ms Palaszczuk said: “No, there’s due to be a meeting in February, that’s when the Caucus meets”.

She declined to speculate on who was behind the campaign to destabilise her leadership, but acknowledged “it could be” a deliberate attack.

After almost nine years in office and three election victories, Ms Palaszczuk on Monday provided a slight insight into what it would take for her to stand down.

“I would make that decision if it was in the best interest of the people of this state,” she said.

However, she declined to elaborate on how she would measure that, declaring the factors “hypotheticals”.

“I’m very very busy … go have a look at my diaries,” she said.

Former Beattie and Goss minister Bob Gibbs, who on Saturday called Ms Palaszczuk’s leadership “cringe-worthy”, also hit back at Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath and Sport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe – who argued he was a “has been” whose criticism was irrelevant in modern politics.

“When you want to send out the assassins send sharks, not goldfish,” Mr Gibbs said.

“What I said is very much based on what I’m hearing in voter land and I’m tipping it will be reflected in the next polling.”