Qld politics: Robert Schwarten says new face needed for Labor

Annastacia Palaszczuk has responded to a Labor Party powerbroker’s demand that she must consider resigning and a “new model” be chosen to give Labor a fighting chance. VOTE IN OUR POLL

• Schwarten: Voters want a ‘new model’

Annastacia Palaszczuk says she’s focused on leading the government to the next election and denies persistent leadership speculation is dogging Labor’s chances.

Party powerbroker Robert Schwarten said Ms Palaszczuk must consider resigning and a “new model” chosen to keep Labor relevant and give it a fighting chance at the next election.

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.”

In a stunning intervention likely to add pressure on Ms Palaszczuk’s attempt to remain premier, the former Beattie government minister warned after almost nine years, tired Queensland voters were turning to the “shiny new” offering from LNP leader David Crisafulli.

Mr Schwarten remains an influential voice in Queensland Labor as a senior member of the Old Guard faction, which is aligned with the Caucus’ powerful United Workers Union group – run by the state’s most significant powerbroker, Gary Bullock.

Mr Schwarten used a car industry metaphor to argue the state government must update itself or risk being thrown on the scrap heap.

“Whether it is industry or politics, a shiny new trusted-brand latest-model will always impress and grab market share,” he said.

“In politics it is harder to achieve because we are dealing with humans who are difficult to remodel and do not like the idea of ending up in the used car auction.

“If the polls mean anything then unless the state Labor government gets a new model out soon it is bound to follow both Falcon and Holden.”

The significant intervention by Mr Schwarten builds pressure on Ms Palaszczuk, who is fighting to address deep health, crime, housing and cost-of-living challenges.

On Thursday – the last parliamentary sitting day of 2023 – Ms Palaszczuk repeatedly defended her government’s record during what the opposition has dubbed her “annus horribilis” year.

Ms Palaszczuk will use summer to again attempt a government reset leading into the 2024 election year.

Senior Queensland Labor sources, however, want Ms Palaszczuk to use the break to reconsider her leadership.

After seeing off four LNP leaders and winning three elections, Ms Palaszczuk is privately confident in her campaigning abilities and insistent she will lead Labor to the October election.

Polls show neither Labor nor the LNP could win a majority and Ms Palaszczuk’s lead as preferred premier has evaporated – putting the government on track to lose more than a dozen seats.

Ms Palaszczuk’s performance rating – previously a strength – was also worse than those of Anna Bligh and Campbell Newman, The Courier-Mail’s independent YouGov poll found in October.

Mr Schwarten urged the party to act quickly to cut down the strengthening standing of Mr Crisafulli.

“The shiny new thing right now is an opposition with no costings, no position on a whole range of social issues, led by a spruiker who would make a show tent raconteur look like an introvert who claims to have the mystery balm that will end surgery waitlists and other challenges on every government service, while building more buildings paying more wages but costing the voter less,” he said.

“But the good old consumer warning holds true: if something sounds too good to be true, you can bet that it is.”

Labor heavyweight Robert Schwarten