Reporters arrived outside the Executive Building to catch ministers ahead of the usual Cabinet meeting, only to learn the meeting had been moved 24 kilometres away.

While Fairfax Media understands the Daisy Hill meeting had been scheduled since mid-last week and was not in response to the 18.6 per cent swing Stafford voters delivered against the government on Saturday, the media was not alerted to the change.

Premier Campbell Newman will instead address the media at 1.30pm. He is expected to announce the reinstatement of bipartisan support for the chair of the crime and corruption watchdog and the winding back of some of the more contentious parts of the anti-gang legislation.

But political pundits are now turning to whether, eight months out from the next election, it will be enough.

Those willing to put money on are unsure. The latest odds from sportsbet.com.au has the LNP winning the next election, but the government’s odds have taken a knock, moving from $1.33 to $1.50. Labor’s chances have grown from $3 to $2.50.

But Treasurer Tim Nicholls, who went on a breakfast radio offensive on Monday morning, said the government could turn it around.

“We know that traditionally voters in by-elections use it as an opportunity to give the government a kick in the seat of their pants, as the previous speaker John Mickel said. They certainly took that opportunity,” Mr Nicholls told 612 ABC Brisbane.

“But I think also there are concerns that voters have, that the voters of Stafford certainly did and they wanted the government to sit up, pay attention and listen to that message and very clearly that is what we’ll be doing.

“We have heard what the voters have been saying. We understand we need to work harder to get our message out, but we also need to respond to the messages of concern that are being sent to us by the voters.”

Mr Nicholls' line is very similar to what Mr Newman said in the wake of the 17 per cent swing voters delivered against the government in February.

“I want to say this evening to Queenslanders, we understand that perhaps many of you feel we perhaps haven't listened enough, that we have perhaps moved too quickly or that we haven't consulted you,” Mr Newman said then.

“I pledge this evening to listen to that message. We hear it, we will observe it and we will do things differently as we go forward.”

Mr Nicholls said the government would prove it was listening by changing the laws

“The people of Stafford have sent a message, we’ve heard that message, we have understood that message and we are responding to it,” he said.

“Good leadership is about not [just] setting the example, but also listening to the feedback you get and making the appropriate changes to respond to that feedback, if it is valid and if it is of concern and it obviously is.”

But Alex Scott of the Together Union was not so sure.

“After Redcliffe they promised they would start listening to the Queensland community, the reality is this government needs to fundamentally change its direction.” he said.

“Back flips on minor policies aren’t good enough. Unemployment is higher under this government, cost of living, including electricity process are higher under this government, and we have seen cuts to jobs and services across the state and they are ideologically committed to a radical program of privatisation.

“The problem with this government isn’t how it sells the message, the problem with this government is the message it is trying to sell.”