Peter Beattie: ‘Fighter’ Steven Miles saved Labor from a ‘hiding’

Labor hero Peter Beattie says Premier Steven Miles saved the party from being smashed in the upcoming state election, declaring they’re now in with a “real chance” of remaining in power.

Former Premier Peter Beattie at Labor’s campaign launch. Pics Adam Head

Labor hero Peter Beattie says Premier Steven Miles saved the party from a “hiding” under Annastacia Palaszczuk — whose conspicuous snub of Labor’s election campaign launch was unsurprising to former colleagues.

Mr Beattie arrived to claps and backslaps, with Labor’s longest-serving premier adding starpower to a subdued launch at the North Lakes Community Centre.

Ms Palaszczuk turned down an invitation to attend Labor’s election launch despite endorsing Mr Miles to replace her as premier in December.

Relations between the pair are understood to have become frosty as the premier works to distance himself from the actions of her government.

In a thinly-veiled jab at Ms Palaszczuk, Mr Beattie told The Courier-Mail he attended Labor’s state campaign launch – for the first time in more than a decade – to support the “fighter” Mr Miles.

“Prior to the change of leadership 10 months ago the Labor government was in for a hiding,” Mr Beattie said.

“Steven is putting up a real fight. Queensland needs a fighter.

“The ALP is in with a real chance.”

Former Premier Peter Beattie was all smiles at the launch. Picture: Adam Head

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman, the first speaker at the campaign launch, singled out Mr Beattie’s attendance.

“Thank you so much for coming,” she said.

Mr Beattie said against Ms Palaszczuk, Mr Crisafulli was “clear favourite” to win, but argued Queenslanders should now ignore the polls with the outcome dependent on the next two weeks of campaigning.

Prior to the launch, Mr Beattie and wife Heather joined Mr Miles, wife Kim and daughter Bridie for coffee in Mango Hill.

Queensland’s premier between 1998 and 2007, Mr Beattie also slapped down criticism of Mr Miles as deputy premier under Ms Palaszczuk.

Premier Steven Miles with his wife Kim and daughter Bridie 10, Cameron Dick and Shannon Fentiman as he holds his party launch at the North Lakes Community Centre. Picture: Adam Head

“Deputy Premiers give advice, Premiers make decisions,” he said.

“When my deputy became Premier she made many decisions I would not have made.

“Some good, some not so good. That is the reality of how politics works.”

He also took aim at the short 10 months Mr Miles was given to prove himself and declared it not long enough.

“I gave Anna Bligh two years in office before an election was due with polls showing we would have increased our majority if an election had been held at the time of my retirement – Bligh was re-elected,” he said.

“The first woman to be re-elected in her own right in Australia.”

Ms Palaszczuk’s absence of the Labor launch was unsurprising to her former colleagues and party faithful.

One parroted Mr Miles’s line that it was a “new government” and Ms Palaszczuk was no longer a part of it, while another tongue-in-cheek said she was “probably busy” in her new role with the Smart Energy Council.

Mr Miles declined to be drawn on whether he was disappointed by Ms Palaszczuk’s absence.

“All former premiers were invited today, whether they could make it was dependent on their schedules,” he said.

“I think the launch went off pretty well, I’m pretty happy with how it went.”

Ms Palaszczuk was contacted for comment.

Originally published as Peter Beattie: ‘Fighter’ Steven Miles saved Labor from a ‘hiding’