The transformation of Annastacia Palaszczuk – how the Queensland Premier went from a little-known political heiress to ruling the state for almost a decade

Annastacia Palaszczuk, who resigned on Sunday after almost nine years as Queensland’s premier, was dubbed the ‘accidental premier’.

This was because when she took over Queensland Labor in 2012, the party was at its lowest ebb, having lost 44 seats to a resurgent LNP led by Campbell Newman.

She led a party of seven MPs – including herself – and was expected to win some seats in 2015, before someone else would take over and try to regain power in 2018.

But she proved everyone wrong and returned Labor to power within one term, winning 37 seats and forming a minority government, making her the ‘accidental prime minister’.

In some ways, her development from a little-known backbencher first elected in 2006 to the prime minister who won three consecutive elections is reflected in her hairstyles, with the dowdy brown gradually transforming into the vibrant blonde of today.

In some ways, her development from a little-known backbencher first elected in 2006 to the Prime Minister who won three consecutive elections is reflected in her hairstyles, with the dowdy brown (pictured) gradually transforming into the vibrant blonde of today.

But while she was initially not well known outside the party, she did not come from nowhere and was in fact the product of an immigrant success story.

Her father Henry, who was born in Germany to Polish parents, was a Labor MP in Queensland from 1984 to 2006 and held several ministerial portfolios under then Prime Minister Peter Beattie.

When Henry Palaszczuk announced in 2006 that he would not run again for his south-west Brisbane seat of Inala, it was his daughter Annastacia’s time to shine.

Her father had made it the safest Labor seat in Queensland and she was elected by a margin of more than 30 points.

Within three years, she was appointed Minister for Disability Services and Multicultural Affairs under then Prime Minister Anna Bligh following the 2009 state election.

But with Labor reduced to just seven MPs after the LNP’s landslide victory in 2012, Ms Palaszczuk put her hand up for the job no one else really wanted: Leader of the Opposition.

Fortunately for her, and to the dismay of many observers, Mr Newman proved to be an extremely divisive Prime Minister and his slash and burn tactics with many aspects of the state’s public services made him deeply unpopular with many voters.

At the January 31, 2015 election, not only did the LNP lose its majority, Mr Newman also lost his own seat and Ms Palaszczuk became the ‘accidental Prime Minister’.

She was the first woman in Australia to become Prime Minister from the opposition. Every other female prime minister had taken over from a man mid-term.

In May 2017, she apologized to people convicted of homosexual crimes while it was a crime, saying her government had introduced legislation to overturn previous convictions.

Six months later, she became the first woman in Australia to win two terms as leader when Labor was re-elected in a four-seat swing, securing her grip on power.

In January 2020, as the world was gripped by a new disease spreading from China, Queensland declared a public health emergency a day after the state detected its first case of Covid-19.

Although she faced criticism in some quarters over the way the law was enforced, especially along the Queensland-NSW border, most voters approved and she was elected to a third term in October 2020.

In July 2021, Brisbane was overwhelmingly awarded the allocation for the 2032 Olympic Games, with Ms Palaszczuk part of the delegation to Tokyo and her delight at the outcome evident for all to see.

But by May 2023, she and her third-term government were starting to look a little tired and the prime minister was accused of being more concerned with attending glamorous events with her surgeon boyfriend than running the state.

She reshuffled her ministry and admitted the government must do better amid growing concerns over tackling healthcare, housing and youth crime.

There was good financial news in June, however, when the government announced a record $12.3 billion budget surplus thanks to huge coal royalty payments.

But in August there was leadership speculation after a series of poor polls and Ms Palaszczuk taking an unannounced holiday abroad.

This led to reports of discontent among her colleagues, but she insisted she would lead Labor into the next election.

In September 2023, Ms Palaszczuk (pictured) became Australia’s longest-serving incumbent Prime Minister after her Victorian counterpart Daniel Andrews announced his resignation

But on December 10, Ms Palaszczuk (pictured) announced she was retiring after almost nine years as prime minister. She said she had “run a marathon” and it was time for renewal.

In September, Palaszczuk became Australia’s longest-serving incumbent prime minister after her Victorian counterpart Daniel Andrews announced his resignation.

A month later, Ms Palaszczuk again said she would stay the course and lead Labor into the 2024 election.

But on December 10, Ms Palaszczuk announced she was retiring after almost nine years as prime minister. She said she had “run a marathon” and it was time for renewal.

Finally the time had come for the ‘accidental prime minister’.