Labor leader to go the extra miles to be premier again
For 10 months, Steven Miles got a taste of power after waiting in the wings.
Now he is ready to play the long game again in his bid to lead Queensland.
Miles was unanimously elected opposition leader when the Labor caucus met on Tuesday, with Cameron Dick remaining as his deputy.
The David Crisafulli-led Liberal National Party ended Labor’s nine year rule at the October 26 state election, snapping Mr Miles’ brief stint as premier.
But he still has his eyes on the prize, hoping to lead Labor to victory in four years and usher in the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
“Now we start the process of developing the platform that we will take to the election in four years’ time,” he told reporters.
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Miles had to bide his time under Annastacia Palaszczuk who tearfully resigned in December 2023 after almost a decade in power, ending her run as Australia’s longest-serving female premier.
But after taking charge he was unable to persuade voters to give Labor another term, especially in the north where crime was the dominant issue.
“I think we were too slow to respond to the concerns about crime, particularly in Townsville,” Miles said.
“And when we did respond, even though that plan was effective, people … had already made up their minds.
“We will now begin that process of analysing what happened, talking with Queenslanders.
“It’s a process that starts tomorrow, but we have four years to do that rebuilding, and I intend to make best use of every single one of those years.”
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The party will also commission an election review to dissect what went wrong.
During Labor’s time in government it accused Mr Crisafulli of adopting a small target strategy.
Asked what kind of opposition leader he would be, Mr Miles said: “what you see is what you get”.
He kept his cards close to his chest on what new policies Labor would bring to change voters’ minds.
The opposition also has a revamped front bench with Mark Ryan and Mark Furner relegated from their respective police and agriculture portfolios.
New faces include Mansfield MP Corrine McMillan, Lytton MP Joan Pease, Logan MP Linus Power and Bundaberg MP Tom Smith.
Former transport minister Mark Bailey, who was sent to the back bench in the Palaszczuk government over a major rail cost blow out, makes a frontbench return.
Shadow cabinet portfolios are expected to be announced this week.
Votes are still being counted but the LNP is expected to hold 53 seats to Labor’s 35.
Three seats are still being finalised, with the LNP’s Amanda Cooper narrowly leading Aspley ahead of Labor’s Bart Mellish.
South Brisbane looks set to fall to Labor’s Barbara O’Shea with incumbent Greens member Amy MacMahon trailing.
