Defiant Palaszczuk brushes off leadership taunts

Fraser Barton and John Crouch | September 12, 2023

Queensland’s premier has rebuffed opposition taunts about her leadership as parliament resumes after a torrent of speculation about her future.

The LNP focused on weeks of discontent among Labor MPs about Annastacia Palaszczuk’s leadership a day after the “energised” premier declared she would lead the government to the next Queensland election.

Opposition Leader David Crisfaulli said that despite cost of living pressures, fears about youth crime and a health system under pressure, “the government’s focus has been on itself”.

“If the premier can’t govern her ministers, how can she govern Queensland?” he asked the premier in Question Time.

Ms Palaszczuk replied by insisting the government remained firmly focused on Queenslanders, spruiking its economic record and the state’s post-COVID recovery.

“We have the strongest economic growth, we have come out of the pandemic the strongest in the nation,” she told parliament on Tuesday.

Peppered by Mr Crisafulli over her 2020 promise to deliver stable and steady government following media reports of Labor MPs leaking against her, the premier said “absolutely”.

She returned fire, pointing out the number of opposition leaders she had faced during her three terms as premier.

“I had to write them down because there’s so many,” Ms Palaszczuk said to laughter from the government benches.

Ministers also rallied to join the premier on the attack, with Treasurer Cameron Dick boasting: “We’ve got the plan, we’ve got the people and we’ve got the leader.”

Deputy Premier Steven Miles joined the chorus, touting the government’s “strong, united team of experienced ministers”.

Several opposition questions about concerns among Labor MPs with her leadership were ruled out of order by the Speaker.

State parliament resumed after the premier returned from a two-week holiday in Italy while leadership speculation raged in her absence.

Reports of discontent among Labor MPs came after a tumultuous week in parliament and a string of polls suggesting the government is headed for defeat at the election in October next year.

Ms Palaszczuk on Monday defended her decision to go on leave, which took some of her colleagues by surprise, and hosed down any leadership concerns. 

“I feel refreshed, I feel energised and I’m absolutely determined to lead the party and this government to the next election,” she said.

Parliament’s agenda this week includes bills that strengthen the regulation of cosmetic surgery and landmark legislation allowing accused rapists to be named before being committed to trial.