As a state government, sometimes a good old-fashioned fight with the feds can pay off politically, especially in a parochial state like Queensland.
Think Scott Morrison vs Annastacia Palaszczuk during the COVID years.
The then-prime minister came to regular blows with the premier over closed borders and quarantine facilities.
But Ms Palaszczuk stuck to her guns and we know how that ended: with a romping third-term election victory on the mantra that she had “kept Queenslanders safe”.
Fast-forward to the present day and Labor MPs are feeling far from safe, with a series of opinion polls predicting the government’s demise.
But as the October 2024 election looms, they’re not going down without a fight — and a fight is exactly what they’re getting — on several fronts.
Palaszczuk vs the federal government
The federal government’s decision last month to axe funding for six road projects, two commuter car parks and a dam, got the state all fired up.
The premier and her ministers railed against the “outrageous” cuts.
Deputy Premier Steven Miles marched off to Canberra with a procession of mayors to demand assurances about money for infrastructure in Queensland that’s heaving with huge population growth.
For all the bluster of the few days prior, the meeting with federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King ended with Mr Miles describing the talks as “productive” and his delegation of mayors were “encouraged”.
The premier will raise the issue again at national cabinet on Wednesday, alongside funding for Queensland’s struggling health system and the NDIS.
No sooner was one row off the front pages, than another broke out, this time with local government.
Palaszczuk vs Brisbane’s lord mayor
Brisbane’s LNP Lord Mayor Adriann Schrinner claimed to be blindsided by a state government request for council to pay $30 million towards a mini-stadium at the Brisbane Showgrounds.
The venue would host AFL and cricket games while the Gabba is rebuilt for the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics.
Within two days, the lord mayor had quit an Olympics advisory forum, describing it as a “pointless talkfest” and accusing the state government of playing politics.
It’s a steep souring in the relationship compared with those heady days in 2021 when Brisbane won the right to host the games.
The level of cooperation between the premier and the lord mayor – two people from opposing sides of politics — back then was quite the talking point.
Now Adrian Schrinner has even pulled support for the entire Gabba redevelopment, saying he’s been “listening to the people of Brisbane”.
That “listening” phrase is one the premier likes to use herself and just like Annastacia Palaszczuk, Adrian Schrinner is facing an election, but in March 2024, seven months before the state poll.
So can their unlikely friendship be salvaged?
Ms Palaszczuk has offered a meeting with the lord mayor and he’s indicated he’s happy to accept. Stay tuned.
Palaszczuk vs former Labor ministers
A third battlefront has broken out within the Labor party itself, with salvos fired by two former Labor ministers Bob Gibbs and Robert Schwarten (“old retired blokes” is what Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath calls them).
Mr Gibbs urged Ms Palaszczuk to consider resigning to give Labor a chance at retaining power.
But the premier gave his suggestion short shrift.
“I don’t pay any attention to comments coming from someone who was in office when I was in primary school,” she said.
“The people of Queensland want our government focused on cost of living relief.”
Annastacia Palaszczuk has been asked time and time again about her future and each time she insists she will lead the party to the next election.
The Labor caucus doesn’t meet again until February 2024.
Whether there will be a leadership vote then, she says, is “a matter for the caucus”.
It could be yet one more fight for the premier to take on.