New Labor leader Anthony Albanese will spend his first full day as opposition leader in Queensland to try to win back voters that turned against the party at the election.
Mr Albanese will travel to Caboolture on Tuesday, which sits in the seat of Longman - one of two Queensland seats Labor lost at the federal election.
Labor leader Anthony Albanese was confirmed as the new opposition leader on Monday. Source: AAP
Labor's primary vote in the northern state slumped to 26.9 per cent after suffering a 4 per cent swing against it, a key factor in its shock election loss.
The Opposition's poor showing in Queensland is being blamed on its position on the Adani coal mine, but Mr Albanese still refused to publicly endorse the coal mine, saying only he would "respect the process".
By visiting Queensland Mr Albanese is hoping to reach out the one-in-four voters who didn't vote for the opposition or the coalition at last Saturday's federal election.
"Both of the potential government parties in this nation need to acknowledge there's a weakness in the system when the level of the vote is that high," he told reporters in Sydney on Monday.
Mr Albanese has vowed to hold the government to account, while also seeking bipartisanship on energy policy and a way to recognise indigenous Australians in the constitution.
An anti-Adani rally held in Canberra during the election campaign. Source: AAP
His Queensland visit comes as the Coalition ramps up pressure on Labor to support its emissions reduction plan, rather than pursue its policy for more ambitious targets.
Energy Minister Angus Taylor told the Sydney Morning Herald, the Coalition now had a "clear mandate" to implement its energy policies.
"There's now an opportunity for a bipartisan approach to energy and emissions," he said.
"Labor should adopt our plan, which was supported by the Australian people, and I know industry wants to see bipartisanship. Now's the the opportunity.
Senator urges Labor not to 'jump to the right'
Queensland Labor Senator Murray Watt says the party's bruising result in the state doesn't mean it should step away from what it stands for, particularly fairness.
"While the result in Queensland in particular is very bad, I don't think that necessarily means that we have to just abandon everything we stood for and completely change our values," he told ABC Radio National on Monday.
"I don't subscribe to the view that this means Labor has to jump to the right politically."
Labor's Murray Watt says the result in Queensland doesn't mean the party should abandon its policies. Source: AAP
But the result in regional Queensland showed people were concerned about their economic and job security, he added.
"We've got to do a much better job of convincing people that we have their economic interests at heart."
Nominations for federal Labor parliamentary leader closed on Monday morning and, as expected, Mr Albanese was the only person to put his hand up.
Victorian MP Richard Marles is in line to be his deputy, again being the only person with his hat in the ring for the job.
