Queensland Election 2017: Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk promises more focus on regions and bush

ANNASTACIA Palaszczuk – officially the country’s most successful female State leader – will reshuffle her entire Cabinet after promising to focus more on regional Queensland.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: AAP Image/Jono Searle

IT TOOK a reset in the second week of Annastacia Palaszczuk’s election campaign to turn Labor’s chances around.

Now the victorious Premier – officially the country’s most successful female State leader – will press reset on her Government.

A major Cabinet shake-up is in the works, along with a promise of a greater focus on the regions after voters swung away from the major parties in droves at the November 25 election.

And that reset is needed if Labor is to hold on to power at the next election just two years and 10 months away.

Annastacia Palaszczuk has promised to focus more on Queensland’s regions. Above, Tourism Whitsundays CEO Craig Turner, the Premier and Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Andrew Willcox.

Almost one-third of voters chose to park their first preferences with minor parties and independents over Labor and the LNP.

That number will only grow unless more is done by both of the major parties to impress voters.

Armed with a majority in the Parliament and a ministerial shake-up, the Premier has her best opportunity to prove she can take the state forward on her own terms.

A lean new policy platform also gives Ms Palaszczuk room to carve out a new vision.

The Premier yesterday promised not to let Queensland’s voters down after they helped her make history with her second term win.

She promised her Government would have a new level of engagement with the bush.

Voters will hold her to that pledge come the next polling day in October 2020.

Originally published as Queensland Election 2017: Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk promises more focus on regions and bush