Steven Miles will be installed as Queensland’s 40th premier on Friday, taking the reins from Annastacia Palaszczuk who is bowing out after almost nine years in the top job.
Ms Palaszczuk held her final press conference on Sunday and she has kept a low profile since then, leaving this week’s tropical cyclone press conferences to Mr Miles.
The Labor caucus meets on Friday morning and is expected to endorse Mr Miles, the current deputy premier, as the party’s state leader and new premier, with Treasurer Cameron Dick to become his deputy.
Following the vote, the pair will be sworn in at Government House.
Aiming for renewal of election fortunes
Mr Miles is then expected to deliver a speech outlining his government’s priorities, including accelerating and creating more homes, reducing the cost of groceries, expanding free education and rebates, and preventing crime.
The ABC understands Mr Miles is also expected to announce new emission reduction targets.
Queensland’s current target – set back in 2017 — is to reduce emissions by 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030, and to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
The state government has faced ongoing criticism from environmental advocates and the Greens over its emissions goals, particularly its 2030 target, which lags behind most other jurisdictions.
Mr Miles and Mr Dick formed a leadership team on Monday — a day after Ms Palaszczuk announced her resignation – ending a brief public contest with Health Minister Shannon Fentiman.
A wider cabinet reshuffle is expected to be announced in coming days.
Transport Minister Mark Bailey and Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe have already confirmed they will vacate the front bench, with Mr Bailey saying it was time for him to step aside to “support the promotion of one of our many talented younger Labor MPs”.