Jacqui Lambie has warned the Albanese government is in ‘serious trouble’ after Labor’s vote collapsed in the Queensland elections – and called for the resignation of a senior minister.
Queensland Premier Steven Miles cut a forlorn figure yesterday after Labor lost a former safe seat to the Liberal National Party in a state government by-election, and haemorrhaged votes in the local council elections.
Mr Miles admitted his party needed to do more on ‘cost of living, community safety, health and housing’.
But Ms Lambie has warned the electoral shockwaves will go far beyond Queensland and predicted voters will desert Labor in droves at the next federal election.
‘If I was the federal Labor Party I’d be watching very, very carefully and being very careful what they do over the next 12 months,’ Ms Lambie told Sunrise.
‘Because if this is in any indication of what it’s going to look like next May, they’re in serious trouble.’
The Senator for Tasmania also demanded Immigration Minister Andrew Giles resigns over the detainee fiasco which has seen dozens of individuals, including murderers and rapists, released on ‘s streets after a controversial High Court decision.
‘He (Mr Giles) should go,’ Ms Lambie told the program.
‘I’m sick and tired of watching ministers that sit there, that bugger up and there are no repercussions for them.
‘That is why you will never get change in politics until people are held responsible or accountable for their actions.’
In November last year, a landmark High Court ruling, which overturned indefinite detention, triggered the release of over 150 detainees into the community.
Queensland Premier Steven Miles (pictured) cut a forlorn figure yesterday after the Labor party haemorrhaged votes in the state’s local council elections and lost a former safe seat to the LNP
Jacqui Lambie has warned the electoral shock waves will be felt far beyond Queensland, predicting that voters will desert Labor in droves at the next federal election (pictured: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese)
These included convicted murderers, rapists and people smugglers.
The fall-out prompted the passing of emergency legislation to allow courts to re-detain the worst offenders.
Mr Albanese’s government does not support the High Court decision but it has received heavy criticism over the way it has dealt with the aftermath.
Ms Lambie said that the issue would turn voters away from Labor.
‘I am terribly worried about these people being out in the loose, on our streets, it is a real problem and something needs to be done about it,’ she said.
‘And I suggest that they fix it because I tell you, the votes will go down if they cannot fix this.’
Mr Albanese told reporters on Saturday said that the government’s hands were tied on the High Court issue.
‘The High Court made a decision last year, it wasn’t one that the government supported, but we have to comply with the law and we have,’ he said.
‘The priority we have is community safety, we’ll continue to ensure that is the case.’
Next month, the government will defend a fresh High Court appeal made by an Iranian man who is attempting to overturn a Federal Court ruling that will see him deported to Iran where he fears he will be persecuted because of his sexuality.
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Sunrise host Natalie Barr (right) asked Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil (left) how the Labor government had issued 149 invalid visas to freed immigration detainees