After the resignation of Queensland’s Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Sunday, her successor has been selected by the state’s Labor party: Steven Miles. He is set to be officially instated as Queensland’s 40th Premier this Friday.
Serving as the state deputy under Palaszczuk, Miles will rise to the top job after his only other challenger, Queensland health minister Shannon Fentiman, stepped out of the race.
Fentiman, who like Miles is a member of Queensland Labor’s Left faction, withdrew her contest for the leadership position on the grounds that “Queenslanders cannot afford an LNP government of cuts and chaos” with so much at stake in the state.
Replacing Miles as Deputy Premier will be Cameron Dick, a member of the Right faction of Queensland Labor.
In a press conference today with Dick and other state cabinet members, Miles shared that his priorities for the state going forward will be primarily cost of living and housing.
“We will be a government that builds for Queensland’s future,” said the soon-to-be-premier.
Both Palaszczuk and Miles are part of Labor Left, and so policy-wise no massive shake ups should be expected. Though Miles will be creating a new cabinet on Friday, with only Dick and Fentiman assured positions.
Who is Steven Miles?
Beginning politics as a member of Labor’s Right faction, Miles failed to win preselection for any electorates in the 2009 Queensland election, and so moved to Labor Left.
He then failed to win the seat of Ryan in the 2010 Federal Election.
Miles finally joined state parliament as the member for Mt Coot-tha in Brisbane in 2015. That same year he was given the cabinet position of minister for environmental protection and minister for the Great Barrier Reef.
He served as environment minister for just two years, before then being given the portfolio of minister for health in 2017.
Following the 2017 Queensland election he was redistributed to the state electorate of Murrumba.
As health minister Miles helped to steer the state through its COVID response, giving daily press conferences just like the other health ministers did across the country.
Outside of politics, Miles has a wife and three kids, two dogs, and a strong devotion to the Brisbane Broncos. He studied a Bachelor of Arts and has a PhD in philosophy from the University of Queensland.
In her last press conference Palaszczuk had given her support for Miles to take on her role, as he has served as deputy premier since 2020.
Palaszczuk’s resignation made her the third state premier to resign in three months, following two other long-serving premiers: WA’s Mark McGowan and Victoria’s Daniel Andrews.
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