Ciao: Annastacia Palaszczuk refuses to address her future in Naples
Besieged Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk remains tight-lipped about mounting speculation over her leadership during a holiday in Naples.
Besieged Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has refused to address growing speculation about her leadership during a holiday in the southern Italian city of Naples, but has revealed she hasn’t been well.
Ms Palaszczuk was in Naples with her partner of two years, Reza Adib, a surgeon, staying at a ritzy five star hotel opposite Castel dell’Ovo, the seafront castle in Naples, also known as the egg castle.
Dr Adib is to attend and speak at a three-day conference, the XXVI World Congress of the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO), south of Naples on Wednesday to Friday.
Ms Palaszczuk, 54, was wearing dark pants, a red top and a smart white jacket and looked to be glowing in the balmy unsettled conditions of chaotic Naples, a far cry from the intensity of the Queensland political arena while with Dr Adib, her partner of nearly two years.
When asked if she had any comments about leadership destabilisation or moves against her back in Australia, Ms Palaszczuk said “no, I am on holiday”.
She said she was upset that photographers had taken her picture on what was a private holiday. Dr Adib protectively put his arm around her, saying the situation of having photographers outside the hotel was embarrassing to him as well because he is “surrounded by 1000 of my colleagues”.
Ms Palaszczuk repeated: “I don’t want to say anything,’’ before adding she wanted to enjoy the break because “I have got some health issues’’.
The couple then left the hotel and walked some dark back streets before joining up with other members attending the congress to go to dinner.
Ms Palaszczuk surprised her party colleagues when it was revealed on Saturday that she was taking an overseas holiday and would be on leave until September 11. Her time off comes amid plummeting polling and disquiet among Labor factional colleagues of her leadership of the party.
The government, in its third term of office, is facing increasing criticism for its handling of youth crime.
The acting premier Stephen Miles said: “The premier works hard – she’s entitled to take leave”.
Ms Palaszczuk will have spent more days on holiday this year than sitting in state parliament, when she returns from her latest European jaunt.
Her second European trip - to Naples and the Amalfi Coast - this year means she will have spent 37 days on leave, including a three-week break in January.
She has attended parliament for 25 sitting days this year, as well as a budget estimates hearing which lasted about 3½ hours.
More Coverage
