Queensland Premier Steven Miles’ shock admission as devastating byelection results send shockwaves through Labor

Queensland Premier Steven Miles said his government must do better after voters turned against Labor, which will lose one of its safest seats after a huge blow to the party in two by-elections on Saturday.

The shattered premier was in the media spotlight on Sunday following the devastating result, just seven months after the October 26 general state election.

“We will listen to the voters and we will now redouble our efforts to make these issues a reality,” he said.

“It’s a recognition that we have to do better and it’s a recognition that we’ve started doing that, focusing much more on the immediate concerns: cost of living, community safety, health and housing.

“We have made great strides on some of these, but there is clearly more to do, especially around cost of living and community safety.”

LNP candidate Darren Zanow is expected to claim the seat of Ipswich West after his Labor opponent Wendy Bourne was given a 15.2 per cent swing against her.

Former Labor MP Jim Madden, who resigned in the council elections also held on Saturday, held the seat with a margin of 14.2 percent. Labor has held the seat in 19 of 22 elections since 1960.

Labor will retain the seat of Inala, vacated by former Prime Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk, despite voters turning against the party with a huge 30.9 per cent swing against the government.

Candidate Margie Nightingale, who was backed on Saturday by Ms Palaszczuk, Prime Minister Steven Miles and Deputy Prime Minister Cameron Dick, will take her seat in Parliament after defeating the LNP’s Trang Yen.

Federal Nationals leader David Littleproud said voters had sent a message to Labor but the LNP and leader David Crisafulli should not become complacent.

“This is a huge responsibility for the Queensland Labor Government. This is a big message,” Mr Littleproud told the Today show.

‘But I wouldn’t measure the curtains if I were David Crisafulli. There is a lot of work to do between now and October to convince Queenslanders.

‘Understand that there is a big message in this for the federal Labor Party. This was a cost-of-living election.

“And so I think they should be completely concerned, from Anthony Albanese to Steven Miles, that they have to make sure that they’re addressing the real issue, which is the cost of living pressure here in Queensland.”

Crisafulli said voters had expressed their concerns.

“It was clear they couldn’t change the government, but they could change their voice and send a message. And they did so in large numbers,” he said Saturday evening.

Mr Miles told his supporters on Saturday evening that Labor was “talking about issues in the campaign that we know people care about”.

“Only Labor knows, understands and cares about communities like Inala and Ipswich West,” he said.

“We will continue to listen to Queenslanders and deliver on those things.”

It was the first election test for Mr Miles, who succeeded Ms Palaszczuk after her sudden resignation late last year, before the October 26 state election.

He has previously spoken about how difficult it would be for Labor to win a fourth term in October.

LNP candidate Darren Zanow (pictured) is expected to claim the Ipswich West seat after his Labor opponent Wendy Bourne was given a 15.2 per cent swing against her

“Whatever the results are tonight, Ipswich West in particular was always going to be a very difficult seat for us,” he said.

On Saturday evening, Deputy Opposition Leader Jarrod Bleijie said a strong message had been sent to the Labor government.

“Trang has taken what was one of the safest seats in Labor to what is likely to become a marginal seat within a period of election-winning status in October,” he said.

“Trang and the team should be immensely proud of what they have done and it shows that the people of Inala are dissatisfied with the cost of living, the health crisis, the youth crime crisis, the housing crisis and all the things Trang has to offer the LNP. talked about.’