The Queensland ALP is still finding its feet after Liberal Campbell Newman took the state’s second most important political post, the Lord Mayoralty of Brisbane. While Labor has a majority on the Council, which governs most of metropolitan Brisbane, Newman’s getting the glory.

Talk is taking off now that Holland Park Ward Councilor Kerry Rea will challenge Council Labor leader and Deputy Mayor David Hinchliffe in the very near future. As in all good Labor stoushes, factional politics is involved. There’s been criticism of Hinchliffe’s decision to employ former councillor, faction powerbroker and fellow Labor Unity member Sharon Humphreys as his chief of staff. If the idea was to frustrate Newman, it’s backfired.

Sources say the Brisbane Sunday Mail has produced a poll that shows Newman would be returned with an increased margin as well as a majority if an election had been held last weekend. The paper has already carried a reference to Liberal research that produced similar results.

If this is right, Labor’s going backwards. A push is mounting behind Rea. Will it gain momentum?