Body language expert reveals subtle clues to how Australia’s most powerful leaders are feeling in a group photo – and singles out someone who looked like an ‘awkward schoolgirl’
A body language expert has singled out Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk for looking incredibly “awkward” during a meeting with state leaders.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese shared a photo of himself with the eight state and territory leaders ahead of the National Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
Although most leaders looked calm, collected and professional, they were experts on body language Dr. Louise Mahler told Daily Mail Australia that Ms Palaszczuk looked like a ‘clumsy schoolgirl’.
“First of all, she stands on one leg and kneels,” she said.
‘This is a position of weakness and defense. Young girls do it, it keeps your thighs together. Her feet are also slightly pigeon-toed.
‘She looks very shy. If she were a 15 year old girl I would say it’s a nice photo, but she isn’t. She is the Prime Minister of the state!’
Body language expert Dr. Louise Mahler pointed out the main giveaways. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk felt ‘shy’ and ‘awkward’ during a meeting with state and territory leaders and Premier Anthony Albanese (above)
Dr. Mahler called out Ms Palaszczuk (above) for ‘standing on her knees’, giving her a ‘weak’ and ‘defensive’ appearance
Dr. Mahler said Ms Palaszczuk’s slumped posture and closed body language made her appear shy and intimidated, while the other leaders looked open and confident.
What compounded the effect was the position of Ms Palaszczuk’s hands.
“As an extra defense measure, she has long arms, but one hand covers the other,” Dr. Mahler said.
‘Hands are trust. So there are two problems: that position is called the fig leaf, it’s when you cover your genital area. Then she has the hand covering the other hand.
“She should put her hand on her wrist like Andrew Barr.
‘That’s what Obama always does. It takes you out of the Fig Leaf position.
“Her whole body language screams defensive.”
Dr. Mahler added that the prime minister’s clothing and makeup choices amplified her body language signals.
‘It’s about the jacket. Look, it’s too tight!,” she said.
‘It’s not one size too small, it’s two sizes too small.
“Her smile is beautiful, but who wears light blue eyeshadow under their eyebrows these days?”
She advised that the best thing the Prime Minister can do to appear more confident is to work on her attitude.
Ms Mahler advised Ms Palaszczuk to hold her hands like Andrew Barr (left) to avoid the ‘Fig Leaf’ position, which made her look like a ‘clumsy schoolgirl’
“Stand on two legs, like the men, making sure the body is balanced and upright,” she said.
“You can’t stand with your knees on one leg and your hands covering your genitals while wearing a jacket two sizes too small.”
“She looks like she’s in pain and very uncomfortable.”
Dr. Mahler believed that the other leaders were ‘good looking’, with the right attitude and, for the most part, a broad smile.
As for Albanian, Dr. Mahler said, “He is holding the dog very nicely and the dog seems very happy. He’s fine.’
The National Cabinet met this week for the last time this year. The last day of the hearing was scheduled for Thursday.
High on the agenda were discussions around the NDIS, the National Firearms Register and Medicare funding.