Steven Miles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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![]() Miles in 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
40th Premier of Queensland | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Assumed office 15 December 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Monarch | Charles III | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Governor | Jeannette Young | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy | Cameron Dick | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Annastacia Palaszczuk | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy Premier of Queensland | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 11 May 2020 – 15 December 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Premier | Annastacia Palaszczuk | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Jackie Trad | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Cameron Dick | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leader of the Labor Party in Queensland | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Assumed office 15 December 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy | Cameron Dick | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Annastacia Palaszczuk | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy Leader of the Labor Party in Queensland | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 11 May 2020 – 15 December 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leader | Annastacia Palaszczuk | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Jackie Trad | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Cameron Dick | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Member of the Legislative Assembly for Murrumba | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Assumed office 25 November 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Chris Whiting | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Member of the Legislative Assembly for Mount Coot-tha | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 31 January 2015 – 25 November 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Saxon Rice | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Seat abolished | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia | 15 November 1977||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Political party | Labor | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Spouse | Kim McDowell | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Children | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Residence(s) | Mango Hill, Queensland, Australia[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | University of Queensland (PhD) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Signature | ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Website | www | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Steven John Miles (born 15 November 1977) is an Australian politician who is the 40th and current premier of Queensland, in office since 2023. He is the state leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and previously served as deputy premier from 2020 to 2023.
Miles was born in Brisbane and completed a PhD on the trade union movement at the University of Queensland. Prior to entering parliament he worked as a union official, political adviser, and public relations consultant. He was elected to parliament at the 2015 Queensland state election, initially representing the seat of Mount Coot-tha before switching to Murrumba at the 2017 election. Miles was appointed to state cabinet after the 2015 election victory and replaced Jackie Trad as Annastacia Palaszczuk's deputy in 2020. He succeeded Palaszcuk as ALP leader and premier unopposed following her retirement in December 2023.
Early life
[edit]Miles was born in Brisbane on 15 November 1977. He attended Petrie State School and completed his secondary education at St Paul's Anglican School, Bald Hills.[2] He went on to complete the degrees of Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) at the University of Queensland.[3] Miles' PhD thesis was titled "Trade Union Renewal in Australia: rebuilding worker involvement".[4]
Miles was a co-founder and managing director of Reveille Strategy, a public relations agency working with progressive organisations to "mobilise for campaigns and trumpet their message to the community".[5] Prior to his election to parliament he also worked as an adviser to state treasurer Andrew Fraser and as industrial relations director of state public sector union Together.[6][7]
Political career
[edit]Miles was initially a member of the Labor Right faction, but switched to Labor Left after he failed to win a preselection ballot for the seat of Pine Rivers prior to the 2009 Queensland state election.[8] He was the unsuccessful Labor candidate for Ryan at the 2010 Australian federal election.[9]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a3/Tobias_Kulang_and_Steven_Miles.jpg/220px-Tobias_Kulang_and_Steven_Miles.jpg)
In 2014, Miles defeated Fiona McNamara for preselection in the state seat of Mount Coot-tha,[10] and was elected in the 2015 state election.[11] He was sworn in as Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection and Minister for National Parks and the Great Barrier Reef in the First Palaszczuk ministry on 16 February 2015.[12][13]
Following an electoral redistribution in 2017,[14] Miles stood for the North Brisbane electorate of Murrumba[15] and was elected in the 2017 state election. He was appointed and sworn in as the Minister for Health and Ambulance Services in the Second Palaszczuk ministry after the election.[2] He was health minister for the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia and in January 2020 declared a public health emergency, the first such declaration by an Australian state.[8]
On 10 May 2020, Miles was announced as the new Deputy Premier of Queensland and was sworn in the following day, following the resignation of the previous Deputy Premier Jackie Trad.[16] He continued to be Minister for Health and Ambulance Services until the state election in October 2020, after which he was appointed the Minister for State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning in the Third Palaszczuk ministry.[2]
Premier of Queensland
[edit]In December 2023, following Palaszczuk's resignation, Miles announced he would be a candidate to succeed her as state premier and ALP leader in Queensland. It was reported that he was aligned with the dominant left faction and enjoyed the support of the United Workers Union.[17] He was initially opposed for the leadership by Shannon Fentiman, but Fentiman subsequently withdrew after a deal was struck between Miles and Cameron Dick of the right faction in which Dick would become deputy premier.[18] He was elected unopposed on 15 December 2023 and sworn in as premier on the same day.[19]
Personal life
[edit]Miles has three children with his wife Kim McDowell.[20] Miles supports the Brisbane Broncos.[21]
References
[edit]- ^ Lynch, Lydia (11 May 2020). "Queensland has a new deputy premier and treasurer: who are they?". The Brisbane Times. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021.
- ^ a b c "Hon Dr Steven Miles". Parliament of Queensland. Archived from the original on 7 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- ^ "Our Minister". QLD Government. Archived from the original on 22 June 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
- ^ "Trade Union Renewal in Australia: rebuilding worker involvement "Trade Union Renewal in Australia: rebuilding worker involvement"". University of Queensland. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
- ^ "Environment law and policy tracker". Footprint News. 16 February 2015. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- ^ Turner, Adam (26 February 2008). "Microsoft serves up for Labor". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 15 September 2018. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
- ^ "Hon Dr Steven Miles". Members Details. Queensland Parliament. Archived from the original on 24 August 2018. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
- ^ a b Scott, Leisa (9 October 2020). "Miles uncensored: Resurfaced interview gives rare insight into how 'Giggles' became Premier-in-waiting". The Courier-Mail. Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
- ^ "Mount Coot-tha Results". ABC. Archived from the original on 3 February 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
- ^ "OPINION: Paramedics fear the worst as crystal meth tightens grip on Queenslanders". The Courier Mail. 12 April 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
- ^ Green, Antony. "Mount Coot-tha". Queensland Election 2015. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 3 February 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
- ^ "Queensland's new Labor Cabinet sworn in at Government House". Australian Broadcasting Corporation 16 February 2015. 15 February 2015. Archived from the original on 22 February 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
- ^ "Introducing the new Environment Minister". 612 ABC Brisbane. 18 February 2015. Archived from the original on 23 February 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
- ^ "Proposal for the Redistribution of the State's Electoral Districts" (PDF). Electoral Commission of Queensland. February 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 February 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
- ^ "'I was gutted': Miles confirms boundary reshuffle forcing move to Murrumba". ABC News. 27 February 2017. Archived from the original on 27 February 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
- ^ "Jackie Trad resigns as Queensland's Deputy Premier and Treasurer, Steven Miles and Cameron Dick to take on portfolios". ABC News. 10 May 2019. Archived from the original on 10 May 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
- ^ "Annastacia Palaszczuk's anointed successor, Steven Miles, likely to face challenge, say Queensland Labor MPs". Guardian Australia. 10 December 2023. Archived from the original on 10 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- ^ "Steven Miles to replace Annastacia Palaszczuk as Queensland premier". ABC News. 11 December 2023. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- ^ "Steven Miles elected unopposed by Labor MPs as Queensland's new premier with Cameron Dick the deputy premier". ABC News. 15 December 2023. Archived from the original on 15 December 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ "Steven Miles's first interview since elevation to Deputy Premier". The Courier-Mail. 16 May 2020. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- ^ Smee, Ben (15 December 2023). "He's a PhD scholar and Al Gore alumnus, but Steven Miles' march to power began in the outer suburbs". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 15 December 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.