2023 Queensland Labor Party leadership election explained

Election Name:2023 Queensland Labor Party
leadership election
Flag Image:Australian-Labor-Party-stub.svg
Type:presidential
Vote Type:Caucus
Election Date:15 December 2023
Previous Year:2012
Next Year:2024
Module:
Election Name:Leadership election
Embed:yes
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
1Blank:Electorate
2Blank:Faction
Candidate1:Steven Miles
1Data1:Murrumba
2Data1:Left
3Data1:Unopposed
Leader
Before Election:Annastacia Palaszczuk
After Election:Steven Miles
Module:
Election Name:Deputy leadership election
Embed:yes
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
1Blank:Electorate
2Blank:Faction
Candidate1:Cameron Dick
1Data1:Woodridge
2Data1:Right
3Data1:Unopposed
Deputy Leader
Before Election:Steven Miles
After Election:Cameron Dick

The 2023 Queensland Labor Party leadership election was held on 15 December 2023 to elect a new leader of the Queensland Labor Party and ex officio, Premier of Queensland, following the resignation of Annastacia Palaszczuk as both premier and MP for Inala.[1] Steven Miles was appointed leader unopposed, while Cameron Dick was appointed deputy leader unopposed.[2]

Background

Annastacia Palaszczuk was first elected as leader of the Queensland Labor Party following the party's landslide defeat at the 2012 state election where the party was reduced to seven seats. She had served as a minister in the Bligh cabinet in the Disability Services, Multicutural Affairs and Transport portfolios. Palaszczuk led Labor back to an unexpected victory at the 2015 state election defeating the then one-term Liberal National government. During her time as Premier, Palaszczuk oversaw a range of policy initiatives and reforms. Notable among these are electoral reforms and increase in public service employees. She subsequently led the party to two additional terms following the 2017 and 2020 state election's and continued on with policies such as banning single-use plastics, the successful bid for the 2032 Summer Olympics and commencement of the Cross River Rail project. Palaszczuk also oversaw the handling of natural disasters, such as the 2022 eastern Australia floods and the COVID-19 pandemic in Queensland.[3] [4]

Beginning in late August 2023,[5] [6] there was speculation as to how long Annastacia Palaszczuk would remain as Labor Leader and Premier. One reason for the speculation was the opinion polling for the next state election (2024), which displayed Opposition Leader David Crisafulli, of the Liberal National Party (LNP), as the preferred Premier of the state in consistent polls. Deputy Leader (and Deputy Premier) Steven Miles said at the time that there was "no prospect" of the Premier standing aside voluntarily and her ministers wanted her to stay.[7] Shannon Fentiman, Labor MP for Waterford and Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, also denied the rumours,[8] including the speculation that she was approached to replace Annastacia Palaszczuk as leader of the party in the lead up to Palaszczuk's formal resignation in December 2023.[9]

Procedure

Labor's rules authorise the formal method in which the leader is appointed.[10] Section K of the party's rules state that: "A ballot for Leader of the State Parliamentary Labor Party (SPLP) will be called if any of the following conditions are met:

After this, the party's Administrative Committee will call for nominations for SPLP leader and approve a timetable for elections on the advice of the General Returning Officer.[11]

If more than one candidate is nominated, an election will be held through three separate equal-weight ballots of the SPLP (state MPs, also known as the Caucus), rank-and-file party members and affiliated unions.[12] [13]

The rules were reformed in November 2013 to give rank-and-file members and unions a direct vote in the leadership election, following similar reforms introduced by then-prime minister Kevin Rudd for the federal Labor Party in July 2013.[14] [15]

Candidates

Only hours after Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk announced her resignation, Deputy Leader Steven Miles,[16] of the party's Left faction, announced his bid to run for the leadership of the party and received the endorsement of Annastacia Palaszczuk, saying: "I believe he will make an excellent premier."[17] Shannon Fentiman, also of the Left faction has been put forward as a potential candidate,[18] and Treasurer Cameron Dick, whom is aligned with the party's Right faction, is named as a possible candidate.[18] On Monday, 11 December 2023, Fentiman was formally nominated as a candidate for the leadership.[19] [20] The following day however (12 December 2023), Fentiman officially withdrew from the leadership contest, with factional and union alignment believed to be in Miles' favour.[21] [22] Cameron Dick was revealed to be the expected Deputy Leader if Miles was to become Leader, and gave Miles his endorsement.[22]

Leader

Declared

width=125px; colspan=3Candidatewidth=115pxElectoratewidth=135pxFactionwidth=195pxUnion affiliationwidth=650pxPortfolio(s)
 Steven MilesMurrumbaLabor Left[23] [24] United Workers Unionalign=left

Withdrawn

width=125px; colspan=3Candidatewidth=115pxElectoratewidth=135pxFactionwidth=195pxUnion affiliationwidth=650pxPortfolio(s)
 Shannon FentimanWaterfordLabor LeftAustralian Manufacturing Workers Unionalign=left

Deputy leader

Declared

width=125px; colspan=3Candidatewidth=115pxElectoratewidth=135pxFactionwidth=195pxUnion affiliationwidth=650pxPortfolio(s)
 Cameron DickWoodridgeLabor RightAustralian Workers' Unionalign=left

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Belot . Henry . 10 December 2023 . Australia news live: Steven Miles confirms run for Queensland Labor leader as Annastacia Palaszczuk retires . live . . . https://web.archive.org/web/20231210061223/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2023/dec/10/australia-news-live-annastacia-palaszczuk-retires-queensland-premier-tax-housing-sydney-heatwave-ndis-bill-shorten-cyclone-weather-bushfires . 10 December 2023 .
  2. News: 15 December 2023 . New Queensland premier Steven Miles vows to ramp up emission reductions and address youth crime . ABC News . 15 December 2023 .
  3. Web site: Atkins . Dennis . 12 November 2020 . How Annastacia Palaszczuk became Queensland's most successful politician . 10 December 2023 . Crikey .
  4. News: Smee . Ben . 1 November 2020 . Crown sits easy on the head of Annastacia Palaszczuk, three time-winner . Guardian Australia . 10 December 2023 . 0261-3077.
  5. News: Read . Cloe . 27 August 2023 . 'Rumours and gossip': Miles dismisses Qld leadership rumblings . .
  6. News: Riga . Rachel . 29 August 2023 . How serious are the Queensland Labor leadership rumblings about Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk? . ABC News .
  7. News: Gillespie . Eden . 4 September 2023 . Queensland cabinet rallies behind premier Annastacia Palaszczuk amid leadership rumblings . Guardian Australia . Guardian Media Group .
  8. News: Dennien . Matt . 28 August 2023 . 'These conversations happen': Fentiman weighs in on leadership questions . Brisbane Times .
  9. News: 5 December 2023 . Shannon Fentiman denies she has been approached to replace Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk . . News Corp Australia . subscription .
  10. Web site: Queensland Labor gives members, unions say in election of leader . ABC News . 5 November 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231210113134/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-30/queensland-labor-to-change-how-leader-is-elected/5126826 . 10 December 2023 . 30 November 2013.
  11. Web site: QUEENSLAND LABOR Rules 2023 . Queensland Labor Party . 5 November 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240101193212/https://queenslandlabor.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-Rules.pdf . 1 January 2024.
  12. Web site: Dennien . Matt . What (and who) comes next for Queensland Labor after Palaszczuk . Brisbane Times . 5 November 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240618002521/https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/queensland/what-and-who-comes-next-for-queensland-labor-after-palaszczuk-20231210-p5eqeo.html . 18 June 2024 . 10 December 2023.
  13. Web site: Hope . Zach . Enter Fentiman, and a potentially bruising test of Labor’s leadership rules . Brisbane Times . 5 November 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231216015938/https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/queensland/enter-fentiman-and-a-potentially-bruising-test-of-labor-s-leadership-rules-20231211-p5eqm1.html . 16 December 2023 . 11 December 2023.
  14. Web site: Kevin Rudd reveals plan for Labor Party leadership voting reform . ABC News . 5 November 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20241105011944/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-09/kevin-rudd-reveals-plan-for-labor-party-leadership-voting-reform/4806820 . 5 November 2024 . 9 July 2013.
  15. Web site: Atfield . Cameron . Labor overhaul leadership vote system in Queensland . Brisbane Times . 5 November 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240525233256/https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/labor-overhaul-leadership-vote-system-in-queensland-20131130-2yi5c.html . 25 May 2024 . 30 November 2013.
  16. News: Belot . Henry . 10 December 2023 . Steven Miles confirms run for Queensland Labor leader – as it happened . Guardian Australia . Guardian Media Group . 10 December 2023 .
  17. News: Mizen . Ronald . 10 December 2023 . Palaszczuk goes before she was pushed as polls slump . live . . Nine Entertainment . https://web.archive.org/web/20231210094422/https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/palaszczuk-resigns-says-deputy-miles-would-be-excellent-premier-2 . 10 December 2023 . 10 December 2023 .
  18. News: Hewett . Jennifer . 10 December 2023 . Behind Palaszczuk's exit from politics . live . Australian Financial Review . Nine Entertainment . https://web.archive.org/web/20231210095813/https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/behind-palaszczuk-s-exit-from-politics-20231210-p5eqef . 10 December 2023 . 10 December 2023 .
  19. News: Hope . Zach . 11 December 2023 . Enter Fentiman, and a potentially bruising test of Labor's leadership rules . Brisbane Times . 11 December 2023 .
  20. News: Messenger . Andrew . 11 December 2023 . Shannon Fentiman confirms she will join contest to replace Annastacia Palaszczuk as Queensland premier . live . Guardian Australia . Guardian Media Group . https://web.archive.org/web/20231211131714/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/dec/11/steven-miles-qld-premier-annastacia-palaszczuk-replacement-candidate . 11 December 2023 . 11 December 2023 .
  21. News: Steven Miles to be next premier of Queensland as Shannon Fentiman withdraws . 12 December 2023 . 12 December 2023 . 11 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231211230744/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-12/steven-miles-premier-of-queensland-shannon-fentiman-withdraws/103214566 . live . Jessica . van Vonderen . Jack . McKay . ABC News .
  22. News: Dennien . Matt . 12 December 2023 . Premier-to-be Miles, deputy Dick make leadership pitch to MPs . live . . https://web.archive.org/web/20231212091816/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/queensland/miles-to-be-next-premier-as-fentiman-drops-out-of-leadership-challenge-20231212-p5eqtb.html . 12 December 2023 . 12 December 2023 .
  23. News: Elks . Sarah . Lynch . Lydia . McKenna . Michael . 10 December 2023 . Politics Now: Miles declares as contenders emerge . live . . . https://web.archive.org/web/20231210063011/https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/politics-now-foreigners-home-buyers-hit-with-tax-hikes/live-coverage/2f5a36c0694fba269af08da0e6c4dc03 . 10 December 2023 .
  24. News: Smee . Ben . Messenger . Andrew . 10 December 2023 . Who will replace Annastacia Palaszczuk? Three contenders as Queensland Labor picks next premier . live . Guardian Australia . Guardian Media Group . https://web.archive.org/web/20231210063800/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/dec/10/who-will-replace-annastacia-palaszczuk-three-contenders-as-queensland-labor-picks-next-premier . 10 December 2023 .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "2023 Queensland Labor Party leadership election".

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