Labor’s regional MPs ‘not motivated’ for fight, believe LNP will win

Party sources acknowledge the government faces significant defeat in regional Queensland, prompting a renewed focus on defending Brisbane.

Party sources acknowledge the government faces a significant defeat in regional Queensland.

Labor’s regional MPs are failing to put in hard work to win over voters despite polling indicating the government is on track for a wipe-out outside greater Brisbane.

Leaked figures, seen by The Australian, reveal no Labor MP outside southeast Queensland reached the party’s internal leaderboard for the number of doorknocks and phone calls made to voters in the past week.

A party source said it indicated MPs were “not motivated” for the fight against David Crisafulli’s surging LNP and believed Labor would lose.

Labor MPs and candidates are most active in Redcliffe, which is vulnerable due to the retirement of Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath, the outer-Brisbane seats of Pine Rivers and Mansfield and Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon’s Gold Coast seat of Gaven.

The Premier Steven Miles, along with Deputy Premier Cameron Dick and Grace Grace Member for McConnell. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

Party sources acknowledge the government faces a significant defeat in regional Queensland, prompting Premier Steven Miles and senior ministers focus on defending seats in Brisbane against the Greens.

Mr Miles has spent the past few days in Brisbane, but is in Townsville on Wednesday morning to make an announcement alongside rugby league great Johnathan Thurston.

Mr Miles, in Townsville, refuted claims his MPs were unmotivated and indicated regional Queensland was not lost to the government.

“That’s not my experience at all, I spend everyday with our MPs,” he said.

“We’ll be campaigning here in Townsville every day, every single day, because we know what’s at stake. We will be campaigning in every part of Queensland.

“We have a vision for our state’s future and our opponents do not.”

New figures also reveal the Liberal National Party has outstripped Queensland Labor for donations since the start of September.

The LNP received $496,000 compared to Labor’s $126,000.

Queensland’s Together Union and United Workers’ Union are boosting Labor’s campaign resources.

Despite public polling indicating the government is heading for defeat, one regional MP insisted the community feedback remained “really good”.

Originally published as Labor’s regional MPs ‘not motivated’ for fight, believe LNP will win