What you said about Steven Miles's leadership as Labor suffers ‘devastating’ by-election loss
Steven Miles’ future looks bleak after a by-election shocker – and many are now going after the Labor leader. HAVE YOUR SAY
Steven Miles’ tenure as Labor leader is on life support, drawing mixed reviews from Queenslanders.
Labor recorded its worst election result in 68 years, in what some called a devastating repudiation of the party’s policies and Mr Miles’s leadership.
Premier David Crisafulli hailed the history-making result as a strong endorsement of his government.
Labor recorded just 8.2 per cent of the vote at Saturday’s Hinchinbrook by-election – its lowest since the party split in 1957 and an almost six- percentage-point fall on the 14 per cent it recorded in October 2024.
Delegates at Labor’s conference on Sunday morning called it a devastating defeat that should be taken as a wake-up call about the party’s low standing in regional Queensland.
IT IS A RESULT THAT CANNOT BE IGNORED BY THE LABOR FAITHFUL. READ TODAY’S EDITORIAL AND JOIN THE DISCUSSION
It is understood Labor spent less than $700 on the campaign, despite Maurie Soars being considered a strong candidate.
One Labor source slammed the lacklustre campaign and questioned how Mr Miles’s leadership “survives this”.
“We have to reset in regional Queensland,” they said.
Mr Miles declined to call it a devastating loss, but said his parliamentary Labor caucus was listening to regional Queenslanders.
Asked if his leadership was in trouble, Mr Miles said: “I don’t think there’s any risk of that.”
The result sparked strong debate over Mr Miles’ future, with many readers urging him to stay on in a boost for the LNP.
Others, though, said Labor has wider issues – including the Prime Minister – that need to be resolved, while some came out swinging and asking what exactly the plan going forward looks like.
In an online poll asking who should be the next Labor leader, Mr Miles got only about 7 per cent of votes.
See what you had to say below and join the conversation >>>
WHAT YOU SAID
Labor, Albo is a mess
Nick
Let’s just hope that Federal Labor follows QLD Labor down the drain. Sadly the damage done to the country will be catastrophic. Miles is the gift that keeps on giving for the LNP
Lynda
Says it how it is. The party, state and federal, is being run by ineffectual leaders. And their followers are just that, comrades.
Allan
Labor just don’t have a good leader anywhere on the radar. Miles is certainly on borrowed time and won’t be long now before the party faithful give him the flick.
Geoffrey
Will happen Australia wide. Labor can only keep destroying this nation for so long.
Wider issues
Sophie
Just as important is the hope that the Federal Liberals get their act together. Right now they are dysfunctional and do not present as anything like a viable alternative government. Labor is giving voters every reason to change the Government but the Liberals must give voters are reason to return.
Errol
Dick should be removed from the Party, as Treasurer he was a HORROR.
Marita
Labor can’t see their problem, they’re staunch supporters of the militant CFMEU, even staging a protest walkout during conference over the administration situation. Federally they’re becoming more and more on the nose as their socialist policies decimate one industry after another.
Peter
Have you seen the new environmental protection agency the Feds just introduced? We will be stuck in the stone Age for another 100 years if these fools aren’t punted at the next election.
Keep Miles in his role
GLEN
Giggles is well suited for the role of Opposition Leader. Please don’t replace him.
Ted
no one to replace him. Let him stay.
Rachel
Don’t get rid of Giggles. He’s the gift that keeps on giving!
Resident
Keep Dr Giggles in charge of Qld’s opposition. He’s doing a great job for the LNP.
What the …
Jim
“Comrades.....” says it all really, doesn’t it ??!!
Peter Holmes
Come on. Give Federal Labor their chance, Albo is still in his Honeymoon phase.
Timothy
When Labor call their members “comrades” that tells you they are communists, they govern in a way that terrifies every Australian
So you say
‘develop a forward offering in 2028 to win those votes back’. Here we go again, Labor thinks government is a popularity contest, developing policies to ‘win votes’ rather than good policy and making tough decisions to improve the lives of Queenslanders
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Originally published as What you said about Steven Miles's leadership as Labor suffers ‘devastating’ by-election loss
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