Labor MPs say Annastacia Palaszczuk should have quit sooner

Queensland Labor MPs are blaming Annastacia Palaszczuk’s refusal to quit until late last year for the massive swings in two by-elections at the weekend and the now likely loss of government at October’s general election.

Premier Steven Miles talks to media at Teralba Park in Mitchelton on Sunday afternoon. Picture Lachie Millard

Queensland Labor MPs are blaming Annastacia Palaszczuk’s refusal to quit until late last year for the massive swings in two by-elections at the weekend and the now ­likely loss of government at October’s state election.

The third-term Labor government lost its heartland seat of Ipswich West, after suffering a 17 per cent swing, and was able to hold onto Ms Palaszczuk’s seat of Inala, despite suffering a 21 per cent swing.

The by-elections and the results of a Newspoll last week – which showed a statewide 7.2 per cent swing against the government – indicate that new Premier Steven Miles is on track to lead Labor to a comprehensive defeat at the October 26 election.

Mr Miles became Premier in December after Ms Palaszczuk bowed to months of internal pressure to resign after almost a year of published polls showing her popularity had nose-dived. One senior MP said Ms Palaszczuk did not give enough time for her successor to have a chance at luring back voters.

“We needed last year for a new premier to be able to reset government. It’s now an election year and it looks like we have run out of time,’’ the MP said.

Another Labor MP said Mr Miles needed more time to convince voters to deliver the government a fourth term. “The government is running completely differently with him as premier – he listens,” one Labor MP said. “We just have to get him out more.”

A third MP disagreed: “I don’t think it matters who the leader is, people are worried about the price of lettuce and their cars being stolen. Fear and hip pockets are the biggest vote deciders.”

Labor’s gamble in switching leaders 10 months before an election is highlighted by the fact not one unelected premier in the past 50 years has won an election with that short a lead-in to voting day.

Only 12 of the past 33 unelected premiers went on to win another term of government, with two of the unsuccessful leaders dumped before polling day.

Mike Baird succeeded with the shortest time frame, winning the 2015 NSW election 11 months after replacing Barry O’Farrell, whose leadership was damaged by revelations he had given false evidence to the Independent Commission Against Corruption about receiving the gift of a bottle of Penfold’s Grange.

Aside from Mr Miles, three other current premiers have been installed after a change of party leadership: Tasmanian Liberal leader Jeremy Rockliff, who took over from Peter Gutwein in April 2022 and will face the voters this Saturday after calling an early election; West Australian Labor Premier Roger Cook, who will face an election in March 2025, having replaced Mark McGowan last June; and Victorian Labor Premier Jacinta Allan, who took over from Daniel Andrews last September but who has until November 2026 before seeking re-election.

The last unelected Queensland Premier to win re-election was Anna Bligh in September 2009, a year and a half after replacing the retiring Peter Beattie.

Queensland Nationals leader Mike Ahern, who replaced Joe Bjelke-Petersen, was one of two unelected premiers in the past 50 years to be dumped before the next election. His successor, Russell Cooper, lost the 1989 election to Wayne Goss’s Labor Party.

The other premier who didn’t face the voters was NSW Labor leader Nathan Rees, who replaced Morris Iemma but lasted just 15 months before being deposed by Kristina Keneally.

All four unelected premiers who took over within 10 months of an election in the past 50 years have failed.