Trad shores up role after federal wipeout

Jackie Trad has moved to fortify her leadership position in the Palaszczuk government.

Annastacia Palaszczuk, second from left, with Mackay MP Julieanne Gilbert, right, at Queensland’s Hay Point Coal Terminal. Picture: Caitlan Charles

Queensland Deputy Premier Jackie Trad has moved to fortify her leadership position in the state government amid backbencher unrest over the Labor wipeout at the federal election.

After Premier Annastacia Palasz­czuk backflipped on the government’s hardline stance on approvals of the controversial Adani project, Ms Trad began shoring up support among MPs within her Left faction now fearing they will lose their seats at next year’s state election.

Labor insiders said Ms Trad, the leader of the dominant Left faction, was increasingly concerne­d about her leadership position within the government, which only requires the vote of the caucus to change.

A party source said Ms Trad, who is also the Treasurer, used the guise of the upcoming budget to make calls to fellow Left faction MPs to gauge their reaction to the government’s Adani stance.

A senior minister told The Australian yesterdaythe government was “hurting with voters” over the Adani issue.

“I genuinely don’t care any more, we just need to get this sorted,” the minister said.

“It has been going on for too long. Either we kill the project or we get it going, and I’d be now willing to go up there and put the keys in the ignition of the Adani machin­ery to get it going.”

A Labor insider said the party “made a rod for our own back” over its handling of Adani and was going through the “painful ­process” of finding a new direction or facing a wipe-out at next year’s state election.

“Trad started phoning Left backbenchers about 15 minutes after the Premier stood up,” the source said.

“She was phoning around asking how things were, not direct questions about Adani.

“She was testing to see if there is support for a spill (against her).”

Ms Trad later also canvassed Right faction MPs, asking “what they needed” out of the budget.

A spokeswoman said that Ms Trad was “100 per cent supportive of the Premier’s announceme­nt” in Mackay yesterday that the state’s Co-ordinator-­General would meet with the Environ­ment Department and Adani to formul­ate a timeline for the approvals process of the mine’s crucial ­management plans.

State MPs from the resource-reliant regions of Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton and Gladstone­ are understood to have pressured the Premier this week over the party’s mixed messages on the Adani issue.

The Premier, who was greeted by pro-Adani protesters when she touched down in Mackay yesterday, will go ahead with a planned trade mission to Japan and the US next week.

Labor MPs told The Australian yesterday there was no question over Ms Palaszczuk’s authority within the party.

Long-time Labor powerbroker Bill Ludwig, a former national president of Ms Palaszczuk’s Australian­ Workers Union, said Ms Trad had exerted too much power in the state government.

“The Premier is the best thing the party’s got going for us, she’s the leader and she’s got to lead,’’ Mr Ludwig said.

“Jackie Trad is lucky to hold her seat, she shouldn't be worried about (being) premier, she should be worried about holding her seat.’’

Keppel MP Brittany Lauga, a member of the Left faction, said Ms Palaszczuk’s and Ms Trad’s leadership positions were safe, despit­e calls by regional Labor figure­ Mike Brunker for both to be replaced over the Adani issue.

Ms Lauga said Ms Palaszczuk had her “full confidence”.

Townsville MP Scott Stewart said there was no doubt over Ms Palaszczuk’s leadership.

The Right faction had a meeting of its caucus members this week where they affirmed their pro-mining stance and backed a public show of support.

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