Annastacia Palaszczuk, an Australian politician and solicitor, has been in office as the 39th and cuurent premier of Queensland since February 2015. Since March 2012, she has held the position of the leader of the Queensland branch of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and has been a member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland (MLA) representing the division of Inala since September 2006.she achieved the historic distinction of being the first woman to secure the premiership from the opposition and oversee a cabinet with a majority of female members in Australian history.
Bio/Wiki
Age-54years
Height- 5feet 10 inch (approx.)
Weight-65kg(approx.)
Born- 25 July 1969
Birthplace- Durack, Australia
Spouse- Simon Every (m. 2004–2009), George Megalogenis (m. 1996–1998)
Profession-Politician
Nationality- Australian
Party: Australian Labor Party
Family
Palaszczuk grew up in Durack, a Brisbane suburb. Her father, Henry Pałaszczuk, a veteran state Labor MP in the state, was born in Germany to Polish heritage, while her mother, Lorelle, has German ancestry as a descendant of German settlers. She grew up around other sisters, by the name of Julia.
Relationship
Palaszczuk’s marital history includes a marriage to journalist George Megalogenis from 1996 to 1998 and a subsequent marriage to Simon every, who served as Senator Joe Ludwig’s chief of staff, from 2004 to 2009. From 2015 to 2018, she was in a relationship with Shaun Drabsch, who worked as an infrastructure adviser. During the 2017 Queensland election, there were allegations of a conflict of interest related to Adani Group’s Carmichael coal mine concerning Drabsch. Palaszczuk and Drabsch amicably ended their relationship in February 2018.
Annastacia Palaszczuk and her boyfriend, Dr. Reza Adib, have been characterized as ‘inseparable’ within only a year of their relationship.
Education
Palaszczuk’s educational journey includes her attendance at St Mary’s College in Ipswich from 1982 to 1986. She holds degrees in Arts and Laws from the University of Queensland, a Master’s degree in Arts from the London School of Economics, where she was a recipient of the Chevening Scholarship, and a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice from the Australian National University.
Career
Early political career
Palaszczuk initially served as a policy adviser to various Labor ministers, such as Warren Pitt, who held the position of Minister for Communities, Disabilities, and Seniors, as well as Dean Wells, the former Minister for the Environment. However, she made a career shift toward the legal profession and was in the process of pursuing admission as a solicitor when her father declared his plan to retire ahead of the 2006 election. Between 2009 and 2012, during the Bligh Government, Palaszczuk held various positions. However, following a significant electoral loss that Queensland Labor endured, she found herself as one of merely seven remaining Labor Assembly Members. In this scenario, Palaszczuk was appointed uncontested as the Leader of Queensland Labor, assuming the role of Leader of the Opposition.
Leader of the Opposition
Despite Labor experiencing a significant defeat in 2012, Palaszczuk successfully guided the party to victory at the 2015 election, making her the first woman in Australian history to assume the role of a state premier from the opposition. Notably, her initial cabinet consisted of a majority of female members, marking another historic milestone in Australia. Under her leadership, Labor secured increased majorities at the 2017 and 2020 elections, establishing her as the first Australian female premier to secure three consecutive terms.
Premier of Queensland
During her tenure as opposition leader, Palaszczuk significantly narrowed the gap between Labor and the LNP, often surpassing Newman as the preferred premier. Despite this progress, most experts were skeptical of Labor’s chances in the 2015 state election. Labor faced the daunting task of achieving a 36-seat swing to make Palaszczuk Queensland’s second female premier and the first female premier in Australia elected from opposition. This task seemed nearly insurmountable, especially considering Labor had only nine seats going into the election, with two additional seats won from the LNP in by-elections.
However, the election results defied expectations. Labor secured a remarkable 12-point swing, and on election night, projections showed the party on the brink of securing a majority government, falling just two or three seats short depending on the source. Additionally, Labor achieved the rare feat of unseating Newman in his own seat, a historic event in Queensland’s political history. The final tally displayed 44 Labor seats and 42 LNP seats, with the balance of power held by the lone independent, Peter Wellington, and the two MPs from Katter’s Australian Party. On February 5th, Wellington declared his support for a Labor government led by Palaszczuk, giving Labor 45 out of 89 seats and a one-seat parliamentary majority. In the election, Palaszczuk comfortably secured her seat in Inala with an 18-point swing, making it the second-safest seat in the state.
Subsequently, on February 9, 2015, with Labor guaranteed at least a minority government, Palaszczuk announced her intention to meet with Governor Paul de Jersey on February 11 to inform him of her ability to form a government. Shortly after the election results were official, Governor de Jersey formally invited Palaszczuk to establish a government. She was inaugurated on February 14, 2015, marking only the seventh change of government in Queensland since 1915.
Palaszczuk took the helm of the Labor Party as they entered the 2017 Queensland state election, aiming to secure a second term in office. Pre-election polls indicated that the race was expected to be closely contested.
The election outcome remained uncertain for nearly two weeks. After eleven days, ABC election analyst Antony Green’s election computer projected that the incumbent Labor minority government had secured a minimum of 47 seats out of the 93 in the expanded Legislative Assembly. This number was sufficient to establish a majority government.[34][35][36] Ultimately, Labor emerged victorious with 48 seats, representing a net four-seat gain. This outcome enabled Labor to form a government independently with a two-seat majority.
She went on to lead Labor to increased majorities at the 2017 and 2020 elections, making her the first Australian female premier to win three terms
Net Worth 2023
Annastacia Palaszczuk’s Net Worth:
- 2023: $5.72 Million
- 2022: $5.15 Million
- 2021: $4.58 Million
- 2020: $4.01 Million
- 2019: $3.43 Million
Annastacia Palaszczuk’s latest News
Annastacia Palaszczuk Hospitalized After Medical Episode
Annastacia Palaszczuk has revealed she was rushed to hospital after suffering a medical episode during the Labor Party state conference earlier this year.On her first day back following a two-week overseas holiday that was dominated by speculation about her future as Queensland premier, Palaszczuk fronted a press conference on Monday afternoon when she revealed she spent several hours in emergency care at Mackay Hospital in June.
“I shared with cabinet this morning that during the state conference, I had a medical episode,” Palaszczuk told reporters.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk holds a press conference.Annastacia Palaszczuk held a lengthy 35-minute press conferfence on her first day back from a two-week holiday. (Matt Dennien)
“I was rushed to emergency; I spent about five or six hours in Mackay Hospital.
“I want to thank the staff, they looked after me – the care was first-rate.
