Labor leader Annastacia Palaszczuk .. had enough of people people talking about the battered Labor “brand”.Credit:Scott Beveridge
Ms Palaszczuk,one of just seven Labor MPs left in the 89-seat Parliament,said the diminished party would need extra support as it began redrafting its policies and looking for new ideas.
She said the T.J. Ryan Foundation,named after a Labor premier who governed in Queensland nearly 100 years ago,would provide a forum for debate on policy development.
Ms Palaszczuk’s speech to the Queensland Council of Unions'Labour Day event came amid debate over the way forward for the party,battered by heavy losses at the March 24 state election and last weekend’s Brisbane City Council poll.
The plans were light on detail last night,but initial funding would come from the Labor Party ($15,000),Queensland Council of Unions ($5000) and from a fund contributed to by state Labor parliamentary team members ($5000).
One of the most blistering attacks has come from long-serving Labor councillor David Hinchliffe,who retired last Saturday and railed against the party’s“thugs and villains” and factionalism.
In recent weeks,former premier Peter Beattie has described theALP brand as “damaged” while federal Coalition leaderTony Abbott said it was toxic.
Ms Palaszczuk said the party was determined to rebuild,but she criticised people talking about the battered Labor “brand”.