Lawrence Springborg has attempted to douse speculation he'll be overthrown as Liberal National Party leader if dismal popularity ratings continue.
Mr Springborg trails Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk by 28 per cent to 49 per cent as preferred premier, according to a Newspoll published on Monday.
While 53 per cent of voters are satisfied with Ms Palaszczuk's performance, just 34 per cent believe Mr Springborg is doing a good job as opposition leader.
His net satisfaction rating is the lowest of any state opposition leader for four and a half years.
Senior LNP figures and members of the parliamentary wing were reportedly planning to remove Mr Springborg and his deputy John-Paul Langbroek early next year.
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But since the poll was released they plan to execute their plot before Christmas, the Australian reports.
The opposition leader himself is avoiding questions about whether he will stand down.
Instead Mr Springborg is spruiking his election credentials.
"The last time that I took us to a state election in 2009, I received five per cent more of the primary vote than Annastacia Palaszczuk did at the last state election leading the Labor Party," he said.
"So all I'll just say is we've got a long time between now and the next state election; we always reflect upon how we can improve things in Queensland."
Mr Springborg wasn't disheartened by the Newspoll result, which he said indicated Queenslanders were concentrating on local and federal elections rather than the next state poll in either late 2017 or early 2018.
Treasurer Curtis Pitt said it was clear Mr Springborg did not have the support of the electorate or his own party room.
"Nothing has changed in the LNP - we've got Mr Springborg who's living in the past," Mr Pitt said. "Queenslanders know that, I think his own party room knows that.
"What we have is the same group that we saw pre-Campbell Newman ... this is going to be the same LNP we've (always) seen with no new idea, all about negativity all about politicking."
There's no clear challenger to take on Mr Springborg in a spill, but The Courier-Mail reported that former treasurer Tim Nicholls is a candidate.
In February former NRL referee Tim Mander pushed Mr Springborg in a tight party room ballot, which also included Scott Emerson and Fiona Simpson.
The poll of 1465 city and country voters was conducted this month and last month.
