The Queensland Labor government has suffered massive swings against it in two key by-elections, but the premier remains stoic

Queensland Premier Steven Miles says his government has to do better after it suffered a major blow in two by-elections just months from the general election.

Queensland Premier Steven Miles says his government needs to do better after voters turned on his Labor government, which will lose one of its safest seats after suffering a huge swing against it at two by-elections on Saturday.

A shattered Premier faced the media on Sunday following the devastating result just seven months from the October 26 general election.

“We will be listening to voters and we will now redouble our efforts to deliver on those issues,” he said.

Queensland Premier Steven Miles says his government needs to do better after Saturday’s by-elections thumping. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire

“It’s an admission we need to do better and it’s an acknowledgment that that’s what we’ve started to do, much more focused on those immediate concerns — cost of living, community safety, health and housing,

“We’ve made big steps on some of there but there is clearly more for us to do, especially on cost of living and community safety.”

LNP candidate Darren Zanow is expected to claim the seat of Ipswich West after his Labor opponent Wendy Bourne suffered a 15.2 per cent swing against her.

Darren Zanow, the LNP's candidate for Ipswich West, with LNP leader David Crisafulli. Picture: LinkedIn

Former Labor MP Jim Madden, who resigned to stand at the council elections also held on Saturday, held the seat with a margin of 14.2 per cent. Labor has held the seat for 19 out of 22 elections since 1960.

Labor will hold onto the seat of Inala, vacated by former premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, despite voters turning against Labor with a massive 30.9 per cent swing against the government.

Candidate Margie Nightingale, who was supported on Saturday by Ms Palaszczuk, Premier Steven Miles and Deputy Premier Cameron Dick, will take her seat in parliament.

Queensland Premier Steven Miles and local candidate Margie Nightingale at the Inala State School during the elections. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Federal Nationals leader David Littleproud said voter had not held back against Labor, but the LNP and leader David Crisafulli shouldn’t get complacent.

“This is a big ‘up yours’ to the Queensland Labor government. This is a big message,” Mr Littleproud told the Today show.

“But I wouldn’t be measuring up the curtains just yet if I was David Crisafulli. There’s a lot of work to do between now and October in convincing Queenslanders.

“Understand there’s a big message for federal Labor in this. This was a cost of living election.

“And so I think from Anthony Albanese to Steven Miles all the way down, they should be very concerned that they need to make sure that they’re attacking the real issue, which is cost of living pressures here in Queensland.”

Mr Crisafulli said it voters had made their concerns known.

“It was clear they couldn’t change the government, but they could change their vote and send a message. And they did that in large

numbers today,” he said on Saturday night.

Mr Miles told supporters on Saturday night that Labor was “talking about issues in the campaign that we know people care about”.

“Only Labor knows and understands and cares about communities like Inala and Ipswich West,” he said.

“We’ll keep listening to Queenslanders and keep delivering on those things.”

Premier Steven Miles, with Inala candidate Margie Nightingale, said Labor would be listening following the voter backlash. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

It was the first electoral test for Mr Miles, who succeeded Ms Palaszczuk late last year after he sudden resignation, before the October 26 state election.

He has previously spoken about how hard it would be for Labor to win a fourth term in October.

“No matter what the results are tonight, particularly Ipswich West was always going to be a very hard seat for us.”

West on Saturday.

Queensland opposition leader David Crisafulli and local candidate Trang Yen at the Grand Avenue State school in Forest Lake during the elections. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

On Saturday night, Deputy Opposition Leader Jarrod Bleijie said a strong message had been sent to the Labor government.

“Trang has taken what was one of the most safest seats in Labor, to what is likely going to be a marginal seat within a swing of election winning status in October,“ he said.

“Trang and the team should be immensely proud of what they’ve done and it shows that people of Inala are unhappy with the cost of living crisis, the health crisis, the youth crime crisis, housing crisis, all the things that Trang the LNP have been talking about.”

Originally published as The Queensland Labor government has suffered massive swings against it in two key by-elections, but the premier remains stoic