Annastacia Palaszczuk faces questions about her future as Queensland Premier

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has revealed she suffered a mystery medical episode earlier this year, as she faced tough questions about her future on her return from a two-week Italian getaway.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has affirmed she’s not going anywhere despite calls for her to be axed.

Ms Palaszczuk faced harsh questions from the media about her future as state leader on Monday morning following whispers about her future as state leader while she was away on a two-week European holiday.

She said “not one person” had broached the subject of her stepping aside as Premier upon her return to parliament, which she described as a “normal Monday”.

“I’m absolutely determined to lead the party and this government the next election,” she told reporters.

Annastacia Palaszczuk described her first day back as a ‘normal Monday’ despite rumblings that her leadership may be at risk. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Tertius Pickard

“I am absolutely committed to this job and I’m committed to the people of this state,” she continued.

But the Premier also reveal had suffered a “medical episode” during Queensland’s state conference in June, but did not detail what the issue was.

“I was rushed to emergency, I spent about five or six hours in the Mackay Hospital,” she said.

“I’ve had some tests following and everything’s fine now.”

The Premier hit the ground running upon her return from her Italian getaway, heading straight into a Labor caucus meeting on Monday morning just 12 hours after jetting back into Brisbane Airport.

Her return comes as a shock new poll shows her popularity has slumped at home.

The recent poll from the RedBridge group found Labor’s primary vote sitting at just 26 per cent compared with 41 for the Queensland Liberals.

Ms Palaszczuk dismissed the slump, pledging to lead Queensland Labor through the next election and arguing that “polls change all the time”.

“I believe I’m the best person (to be Premier) because I believe that we have the plans, the policy plans for this state,” she said.

Ms Palaszczuk’s popularity has slumped. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Tertius Pickard

The Premier defended her decision to follow through with her holiday plans despite Queensland battling a youth crime wave.

“It is healthy for leaders to have a break and I felt I needed the break,” she said.

She conceded that she could do things “better” in her role as leader.

“Not one person has raised any issues with me, but of course, as a government and as the leader of the government, I can always do things better,” she said.

“And I need to communicate more to the people of the state and I need to communicate more to the people at the party.”

Ms Palaszczuk also described herself as a “role model” for young women and girls in Queensland.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles insisted Ms Palaszczuk had his full support while he was serving as acting premier. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire

“I’ve been termed accidental, I’ve been termed all these other terms over the years, but you know what, I’ve stood my ground,” she said.

“And I think the young girls and the young women out there have a strong role model that says to them that women and girls can be anything they want in this state and I think there should be more of them.”