Pitt could lose treasury in reshuffle

Labor sources have indicated there is a push to dump Curtis Pitt as treasurer, despite Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk declaring he would keep his job.

Queensland Treasurer Curtis Pitt may be ousted from his portfolio in the upcoming reshuffle of Annastacia Palaszczuk's cabinet, despite the premier publicly declaring he would keep his job.

Senior Labor sources have told AAP the move would be part of a broader cabinet reshuffle that could see Deputy Premier Jackie Trad take over the treasury portfolio.

It's understood Mr Pitt could be offered the role of parliamentary speaker, in a similar deal to those offered to former Labor ministers-turned-speakers John Mickel and Tony McGrady.

It follows claims Mr Pitt did not perform to standard during the election campaign and failed to sell the government's economic message.

However the move would be at odds with the premier's claims during the election campaign that Mr Pitt's position was safe.

"Yes I do guarantee his job," she said at the time

"He has delivered every single year a surplus, he has done everything that I have asked of him."

A spokesman for Mr Pitt said they weren't commenting on the issue while the vote was still being counted.

It's understood the reshuffle would also result in a top-down reallocation of the ministerial portfolios, to bring related areas like transport and main roads back together, as well as create new portfolios and altering existing ones to "better reflect a Labor government".

Mr Pitt's Labor Unity or Old Guard faction could be the big loser in any reshuffle, if he loses his portfolio and Rockhampton candidate Barry O'Rourke loses to Labor candidate turned Independent Margaret Strelow.

The move would leave current Tourism and Commonwealth Games Minister Kate Jones the most senior Unity member in state cabinet.


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Source: AAP



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