Three male Labor MPs would need to retire by Queensland's next state election for the party to achieve its requirement of 45 per cent women in Parliament.

Following last month's election, when Labor secured a net gain of four seats to form a 52-seat majority, there are now 21 female MPs and 31 men.

This compares with 22 women and 26 men when Labor held 48 seats in the previous term.

A Labor source told The Courier-Mail: "Under affirmative-action rules, Labor's strong showing at the recent election has consequences for the team we field at the 2024 election." Another said: "Any, or at least the vast majority of, retiring MPs are going to have to be replaced by women."

Under Labor's affirmative action, the party "aims to develop the full potential of all persons regardless of gender, and seeks the improvement of the status of women in Australia as being fundamental to the achievement of this aim".

According to the rules, at least 40 per cent of candidates preselected must be women.

From 2022, the requirement climbs to 45 per cent and from 2025, it means 50 per cent.

Following last month's election, the make up of caucus consists of 40.4 per cent women and 59.6 per cent men.

Labor State Secretary Julie-Ann Campbell said Labor had always led the way for strong women's representation and leadership in the Queensland Parliament.

"After the 2020 election, the LNP still has less than 18 per cent women's representation," she said.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk's new Cabinet, including assistant ministers, consists of more men than women.

There are eight women in Cabinet and four female assistant ministers.

Meanwhile, there are 10 men in Cabinet and four male assistant ministers.

Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman yesterday tweeted a photo of the 21 women in Caucus, with a message on female representation.

The next state election is in 2024.

Originally published as Why Labor needs even more woman MPs