2.45pm – The Queensland Premier, Peter Beattie, has announced that he will step down on Thursday.
At a press conference in Brisbane, Beattie said he looked forward to the election of Queensland’s first female Premier, Anna Bligh.
Beattie said it was “time for renewal”.
He will leave office as Queensland’s second longest-serving Labor Premier.
Beattie was first elected in 1998, as leader of a minority government.
He won handsome re-elections in 2001 and 2004.
- Read Peter Beattie’s Resignation Speech
- Listen to Beattie’s Resignation Press Conference (23m – part only):
Statement issued by Premier Peter Beattie.
“I have given a great deal of thought to Queensland’s future since my speech to the Party Conference in June and those considerations were taken into account at last Monday’s Strategic Cabinet Meeting.
“The Government has a strategy for the future and now we need new leadership to take Queensland forward.
“Accordingly, I shall resign as Premier effective at 10.00am Thursday.
“Caucus will meet on Wednesday to elect a new leader.
“I have tried to build a new Queensland based on the Smart State during my time as Premier and I would hope that my commitment to the Smart State remains at the core of future Governments regardless of their political persuasion.
“Heather and I and our family are looking forward to a new life. We have not yet made any decisions about what that will entail other than we intend to have a long holiday.
“Renewal is vital for the future of any government or political party and the election of Anna Bligh as Premier will provide that renewal.
“There any many things about the American political system with which I disagree, but there is one aspect that I strongly agree with and that is their two term limit of eight years for Governors and their President.
“I have stayed for over nine years and two months, but that was to work on the construction of the watergrid and to deal with Council amalgamations. Both of those are now well advanced.
“I want to thank Queenslanders for their support and while we have had our successes and failures along the way, all I have ever tried to do is my best for Queensland.”
