Queensland Labor to change its official platform in coal-friendly revamp

Queensland Labor is set to endorse a change to its official platform to become more coal friendly, asserting the party’s support for the mining industry as it seeks to reconnect with regional and blue-collar voters.

Delegates are expected to overwhelmingly support a proposal at this weekend’s state conference, to be attended by the federal Labor leader Anthony Albanese, which adds a new chapter to the party’s official platform to emphasise the importance of the mining industry to the state.

A draft of the proposal obtained by Guardian Australia commits the ALP to supporting the industry and new mining projects, while lauding rural communities as “the backbone of our great state”.

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“Labor supports the Queensland mining industry as a major economic driver in regional communities that has benefits for every Queenslander no matter where they live,” the draft changes state.

“Labor will continue to ensure Queensland remains a leading destination for mining and resources investment and export earnings.”

The draft also commits the party to providing more incentives for mining companies to train apprentices, in recognition of the “challenges faced by the mining and resources sector” to source local workers.

While the proposed changes will be debated, it is expected that delegates from the industrial left and the right faction will join forces to endorse the new chapter.

The move to highlight Labor’s support for the sector in Queensland comes after the party suffered a statewide swing against it of more than 4% in the May federal election, rattling the state government which goes to the polls in October next year.

Division over the Adani coalmine and a failure to connect with blue-collar workers in the state, particularly in the mining sector, has been seen as a key reason for the party’s poor showing in the state.

The federal MP for the seat of Blair, Shayne Neumann, said the move to alter the party’s platform was recognition that the “political, economic and cultural power” in Queensland was not solely determined by Brisbane.

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“I welcome a new chapter that has a very strong emphasis on rural, regional and remote Queensland which are all crucial to a decentralised state like Queensland where mining is crucial to economic development and jobs,” he said.

While the party has embarked on a review of its loss, several Queensland MPs have attributed the heavy swings in the state to the party’s position on the Adani coalmine.

Labor’s shadow treasurer, Jim Chalmers, said there was a perception that Labor was “sending mixed messages on the coal industry” and called for the party to refocus on jobs and the economy.

The party’s shadow resources minister, Joel Fitzgibbon, has said it was a “huge error” for Labor not to talk about coal because of a fear that it would cost city seats.

Three days after the federal election, the Queensland premier, Annastasia Palaszczuk, said the result was a “wake-up call” as she called for the Adani mine to progress swiftly.

“I think the federal election was definitely a wake-up call for everyone. I hear that message.”