‘Contempt’: Warning to Albo after QLD vote

Peter Dutton has issued a glaring warning to the Albanese government after Queenslanders booted out its Labor state colleagues after nearly a decade in power.

The Opposition Leader said on Monday there were takeaways for Anthony Albanese, whom he called “a bad prime minister”, from the Sunshine State’s election over the weekend that has been touted as an indicator for next year’s federal vote.

“The lessons are that if you treat people with contempt, if you up huge debt, you mismanage the economy, you create a cost-of-living crisis, you can expect for the electorate to punish you and that is exactly what happened in Queensland,” Mr Dutton told reporters.

“I think that is what is going to happen in the federal level as well because the Prime Minister has promised a lot but delivered nothing.”

Results were still coming in on Monday, but the Liberal National Party (LNP) managed to secure the 47 seats needed to win the Sunshine State over the weekend, ending almost a decade of Labor rule.

Meanwhile, Albanese cabinet ministers have been responding to the outcome, with Industrial Relations Minister Murray Watt saying he was “disappointed”.

“I don’t think it was terribly much of a surprise that Steven Miles and Labor in seeking a fourth term in office fell short on the weekend,” Mr Watt told the ABC.

“Of course, as a Labor Party member, I’m disappointed by the result, but it was a better-than-expected result compared to where we thought we would be even just a few weeks ago.

“But I acknowledge the result on the weekend and I congratulate David Crisafulli and the LNP on their election.”

The federal minister said “there are always lessons in election results” and Saturday’s vote was “overwhelmingly fought on state issues”.

“I do think we can see in those results in the outer suburbs (of Brisbane) that people are experiencing cost-of-living pressures, that’s why we’re working so hard to have that as the centrepiece of our agenda,” he said.

“So, of course, there’s messages there for Labor. I think there’s also messages, though, for Peter Dutton and the Coalition.”

Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers, a Queenslander himself, also said there were “lessons from Saturday”, telling reporters in Canberra the government knows “people are doing it tough”.

“We understand that people often express that at the ballot box, which is their right,” he said.

“And so we will go through the lessons of Saturday with that in mind.”

The Treasurer congratulated premier-elect Mr Crisafulli and his incoming state counterpart David Janetzki.

“I offer them my warmest congratulations and we will work with the new LNP government in Queensland in the same constructive way that we worked with the former Labor government in Queensland,” he said.

“I’ve been able to relay my congratulations to incoming Treasurer Janetzki already.

“We have agreed to catch up this week, most likely on Thursday, subject to the timing of the new government’s swearing in.

“But we’ve had a very warm exchange, and I look forward to talking with him later in the week and working with him on behalf of the people of Queensland as well.”

With 67.9 per cent of the vote counted, the LNP held 48 seats on Monday morning, with Labor coming in at 30.

Outgoing Premier Steven Miles will retain his position as leader of Queensland Labor uncontested.