Annastacia Palaszczuk’s partner Reza Adib shared the limelight

Annastacia Palaszczuk’s relationship with Brisbane surgeon Reza Adib hit the headlines in 2021 – and stayed in the spotlight.

Like many political spouses, Dr Reza Adib will be central to the telling of the story of Annastacia Palaszczuk when it’s written.

He burst on to the scene in 2021 and has been a colourful and somewhat controversial figure since.

And in the end Ms Palaszczuk said it was during a trip to Italy with Dr Adib in late August this year that she turned her mind to stepping down.

Ms Palaszczuk went public with her blossoming romance in 2021 with Dr Adib, whom she ­declared she was deeply committed to.

The revelation from the famously private premier was greeted with joy from many of her followers.

“He is a gorgeous man,” she said at the time.

“He is a very warm and caring, intelligent man with a great sense of humour, and we are just enjoying getting to know each other.”

But whenever the loved-up couple were spotted in public, controversy closely followed as the down-to-earth state leader was quickly savaged for being out of touch due to the frequency of their red-carpet appearances at glitzy events.

Ms Palaszczuk was forced to apologise for inviting Dr Adib to a meeting with senior ­members of the International Olympic Committee after widespread backlash.

“I appreciate that there have been views expressed about this catch-up,” she said.

“I recognise that I have made a mistake, and I should not have taken my partner to that meeting.”

She also raised eyebrows after she cancelled a cabinet meeting to holiday on a luxury yacht.

“It’s unfathomable that the work of government stopped because the Premier chose to be on a super yacht,” Deputy Opposition Leader Jarrod Bleijie said.

Labor minister Di Farmer defended Ms Palaszczuk.

“Frankly I think that this attack from the LNP is actually pathetic. The Premier worked every single day for two years during Covid,” Ms Farmer said.

Ms Palaszczuk used an interview on the Logies red carpet in June last year to reject claims she spent too much time on red carpets.

“I work seven days a week,” she said.

“And most of these events are on weekends so, we could be at home watching television, but we’re out here doing the job Queenslanders expect me to be doing.”

But the mid-year trip to Italy may have been the final straw.

Ms Palaszczuk mentioned in her resignation speech on Sunday that the trip was when she first thought of relinquishing power.

“I turned my mind to this when I was trying to have a holiday with my partner, and everyone deserves a break,” she said.