WATCH: ‘I was attacked by everyone’: Premier hits back in fiery stoush with reporters

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has hit back during a fiery stoush with reporters after an explosive report revealed the government forked out $500k for public sentiment polling during Covid. WATCH THE VIDEO

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has hit back during a fiery stoush with reporters after an explosive report revealed the Queensland government forked out more than half a million dollars on market research to “shape the government’s approach” to Covid-19 policies.

Facing intense questioning by reporters on Tuesday about the long-running polling, Ms Palaszczuk said ‘everyone was attacking me’ over her tough border stance and popularity never influenced the state government’s decisions on managing the Covid response.

The market research, which had a $528,000-plus price tag, tracked sentiment about lockdowns and what should trigger lifting of restrictions but Ms Palaszczuk today denied seeing the entirety of research garnered over more than a year.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk hit back during the press conference. Picture: Dan Peled

It even asked “what advice would you give” to leaders on how to manage the crisis.

In a heated exchange with reporters about if her decisions were based on what sentiment tracking showed as being popular with the public, she said “that’s not going to guide my decision-making”.

“I’ll tell you who helps guide my decision making, this wonderful woman standing to the left of me (Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young), who has helped keep Queenslanders safe,” she retorted.

Ms Palaszczuk then defended her use of short, sharp lockdowns and border closures, saying she faced huge scrutiny for her tough stance.

“You know very clearly, everyone was yelling at me to open the borders,” she said.

“So don’t talk to me about popularity, everyone was attacking me when I stood my ground here and backed in the Chief Health Officer’s advice to me when, you know, it was seen as not being popular out there in the public and it kept Queenslanders safe.

“When we were one of the first ones to come out and do these hard and fast lockdowns, it’s now become the mantra of nearly every other state including the federal government.”

But she won’t release the polling to allow Queenslanders to see what her government learned from the market research’s $528,000-plus price tag.

Right to Information documents released to The Australian revealed secret monthly polling by Ipsos Public Affairs uncovered last year is continuing into the government’s handling of the pandemic and that some of the questioning went beyond those that would inform public health messaging.

When pressed about why the contract was extended, Ms Palaszczuk responded to a reporter: “No need to get a little bit grumpy there” before continuing her explanation.

The journalist pushed the Premier over her attempt at distancing herself from the costly research titled the “Covid-19 Key Insights Project”.

“Half a million bucks on this research and you are saying you haven’t seen it or are you not looking at it?” the journalist asked.

In response, Ms Palaszczuk said, “I’ve seen some.”

She said the work was done to inform advertising campaigns to make sure public health messaging was clear.

But asked why there were specific questions around people’s views on how restrictions should be relaxed, she said there was no problem with seeking those views too.

The Premier faced huge scrutiny over her border closures. Photo: Dan Peled

“I think that’s great they are asking those things because business have been really, really badly impacted by Covid and that’s exactly why my government put in place these comprehensive Covid economic recovery response,” she said.

“Nearly every state, including the federal government, from time-to-time does sentiment testing and research especially to guide their advertising campaigns.

“The advertising campaigns have to be based on value for money and making sure there is clear messaging to the public, whether that’s to do with Covid, social distancing and staying at home, that is important messaging that needs to happen.”

She said it would be “absolutely negligent” for governments not to spend money on sentiment testing, and all states and the Commonwealth would have done the same.

The Premier maintained the only information she used to make her decisions on lockdowns, border closures and restrictions came from Dr Young, who told reporters she was aware of the sentiment research but had only ever seen parts of it that helped her with her public health messaging.

Ms Palaszczuk said she was unaware questions had asked people to rate the performance of specific individuals in the police and health departments.

“Look, I’m quite sure there’s a whole lot of sentiment testing and research and market research that’s been done in a lot of departments right across Queensland,” she said.

“I don’t see everything.”

Ms Palaszczuk said she personally didn’t need a “focus group” because “I’m out there talking to Queenslanders nearly every single day and they can tell me what they’re thinking and what they’re feeling”.