Steven Miles in charge of Queensland’s economy

Annastacia Palaszczuk has promoted Steven Miles to an economic portfolio in a post-election cabinet reshuffle.

Steven Miles in Brisbane on Tuesday. Picture: Josh Woning

Annastacia Palaszczuk is replacing the health minister who has steered the state through the coronavirus pandemic, promoting Steven Miles to an economic portfolio in a post-election cabinet reshuffle.

Mr Miles, the Deputy Premier and most senior member of the dominant Left faction, has been rewarded with the task of leading the state’s economic recovery, while Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath will take health.

The senior shake-up, announced by the Premier on Tuesday afternoon, included the new role of Investment Minister for Cameron Dick, who will also continue as Treasurer.

Mr Miles, whose full portfolio will be Minister for State Development, Local Government, Infrastructure and Planning, praised the work of Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young and spruiked the government’s success in limiting the spread of COVID-19, declaring the virus was “under control”.

“It’s now 56 days since our last community acquired case,” he said. “We managed to not have any community transmission in the west of the state, none in our remote Indigenous communities, none in our aged-care facilities, none sourced from hotel quarantine — a credit to our fantastic police.

“What we’ve said every day is that health is the foundation of our economic response and it will continue to be under Yvette’s leadership.”

Further ministerial reshuffling, including Ms D’Ath’s replacement as attorney-general, will be revealed by the Premier on Wednesday.

Three new faces will appear around the cabinet table in the places vacated by retiring ministers Kate Jones, Anthony Lynham and Coralee O’Rourke.

Townsville MP Scott Stewart and Nudgee MP Leanne Linard, both serving their third terms, and second-term Gaven MP Meaghan Scanlon, will be given their new roles on Wednesday.

The three represent each of the party’s factions – Mr Stewart is a member of the Right, Ms Scanlon the Left and Ms Linard is from the Old Guard.

On Tuesday afternoon, at the first caucus meeting since Labor’s win, Ms Palaszczuk walked in to a standing ovation from colleagues at Parliament House. She warned them of a busy four years ahead as the state recovers from the economic effects of the pandemic. “It’s about making sure we continue with our strong health response.

“It’s about looking after our economic recovery and it’s also about the dignity of having a job.

“We’re all back and it’s going to be tough work.”

Parliament will resume in the last week of November, followed by budget sittings and estimates in December.

Counting continued on Tuesday in three tight contests and Labor was expected to win Nicklin, giving it 51 seats. Seven will be filled by new MPs. “To our new members, can I say ‘welcome’, it’s wonderful to see some new faces,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

The LNP is likely to have 35 seats, a net loss of three, while the seven-member crossbench will comprise three from Katter’s Australian Party, two from the Greens, one from One Nation and independent Sandy Bolton.