Annastacia Palaszczuk

Annastacia Palaszczuk's Biography

Annastacia Palaszczuk served 8 years as the Queensland Premier and resigned in December 2023 after seventeen years. During that time she became the longest serving female leader in Australian history.

Prior to the 2015 election, the Premier had been Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Queensland Parliamentary Labor Party following the March 2012 state election. She has represented the Inala electorate in the Queensland Parliament since September 2006.

She served as Chair of the Parliamentary Ethics Committee and following the 2009 election, she was appointed as the Minister for Disability Services and Multicultural Affairs.

She was appointed Minister for Transport in February 2011 and held the position up until the March 2012 election.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland, Master of Arts (Hons) from the University of London, Bachelor of Laws from the University of Queensland and a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice from the Australian National University.

Ms Palaszczuk was the recipient of a British Council Chevening Scholarship enabling her to study for a year in London at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies and the London School of Economics.

She was born in Brisbane on 25 July 1969 and attended Jamboree Heights State School in Brisbane and St Mary’s Catholic College, Ipswich.

Before being elected to the Queensland Parliament she worked as a part-time sales assistant; a tutor with the Aboriginal and Island Students Service at the University of Queensland; tutor at the Australian National University; and as an adviser to federal and state MPs and Ministers.

Ms Palaszczuk, has recently been appointed as International Ambassador with The Smart Energy Council in May 2024.