‘Get back to work’: Outcry after Premier demands privacy

Annastacia Palaszczuk has faced a mixed bag of reaction after she took to Facebook to ask for privacy during her Italian holiday.

• Your say: ‘They’ve all failed’
• Opinion: Fear and smear

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has faced a mix of fury and support from Queenslanders, with her social media page blowing up with more than 1000 comments about her jetsetting holiday to Italy.

The Premier’s two-week trip was slammed as a bad call on a Facebook post she wrote while on holiday in Naples with he partner, Dr Reza Abid.

After Ms Palaszczuk was approached by The Courier-Mail at the European hotspot, a post appeared on her Facebook page asking for “privacy”.

“I am on leave. Everyone is entitled to leave,” the statement read.

“Steven Miles is Acting Premier. I return on September 11.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk's statement on Facebook.

The avalanche of replies were split between supporting the Premier, and slamming her decision during the middle of a cost-of-living and youth crime crisis.

“You mean your (sic) hiding from your responsibilities, like keeping voters safe and with a roof over their heads. Goodbye Anna your (sic) sending Queensland backwards,” one person posted.

Another wrote “does homelessness and poverty in your state get to take leave too? Asking for a friend...”, while another comment read “you should be sorting out the crime crisis in Queensland. Get back to work”.

But others defended the Premier’s decision to fly to Europe – her second trip overseas since January.

One said “everyone deserves a holiday”, while another wrote “enjoy your break!! And back with plenty of energy to perform your role as best as you can!!”.

A supporter also posted: “the haters will always hate. After the last few years where you have worked so hard, you deserve any holidays you get. I bet the complainers all take their leave”.

The Premier’s Facebook response comes after The Courier-Mail revealed she will have spent more days on holiday this year than sitting in state parliament, when she returns from her latest European jaunt next month.

Speculation has been rife that Ms Palaszczuk’s tenure as Labor leader could be under threat after she jetted to Italy in the immediate aftermath of a damaging week for the government, with backbenchers unaware she was again taking leave.

Ms Palaszczuk’s second European trip – to Naples and the Amalfi Coast, where partner Dr Reza Adib was speaking at a conference – this year means she will have spent 37 days on leave, including a three-week break in January.

Annastacia Palaszczuk and Reza Adib at Bluesfest 2022.

She has attended parliament for 25 sitting days this year, as well as a budget estimates hearing which lasted about 3½ hours.

But a spokeswoman from Ms Palaszczuk’s office said the comparison was “ridiculous and offensive”.

“The number of days parliament sits does not reflect the number of days the Premier is at work,” she said.

“The Premier works tirelessly for the benefit of Queenslanders every single day.”

Ms Palaszczuk’s most recently published diary – from June – shows her having official meetings or engagements on 23 of the 30 days.

As well as the 25 sitting days since January, Ms Palaszczuk has also attended concerts by Harry Styles, Rod Stewart, Michael Buble and Ed Sheeran, theatre show Moulin Rouge, at least two NRL matches, two State of Origin games and a platinum Australia Zoo experience – all registered as gifts to Ms Palaszczuk.

Acting Premier Steven Miles was asked on Tuesday how many times he had taken an overseas holiday this year.

He said he had taken his family to the US in July for 2½ weeks, during which they went to Disneyland and visited the White House.

Deputy Opposition Leader Jarrod Bleijie took aim at the number of days Ms Palaszczuk had been away this year, saying that “Queenslanders believe the Premier has checked out and won’t buy Labor’s paper-thin excuses”.

“Queenslanders want a leader who is there in the moments that matter, and the facts of the matter are that it is not Annastacia Palaszczuk,” he said.

STACIA STATS

January 2-22: OUT OF OFFICE (European holiday, 21 days leave)

February 21, 22, 23: Queensland Parliament sits (3 days)

March 14, 15, 16: Queensland Parliament sits (3 days)

March 28, 29, 30: Queensland Parliament sits (3 days)

April 18, 19, 20: Queensland Parliament sits (3 days)

May 9, 10, 11: Queensland Parliament sits (3 days)

May 23, 24, 25: Queensland Parliament sits (3 days)

June 13, 14, 15, 16: Queensland Parliament sits (4 days – budget week)

August 1-10: Budget estimates, Premier appears August 1 (approx 4 hours)

August 22, 23, 24: Queensland Parliament sits (3 days)

August 26-Sept 11: OUT OF OFFICE: (European Holiday, 16 days leave)