It had been about 2½ years since Annastacia Palaszczuk last faced the Queensland media pack.
Back then, it was a shock announcement tacked onto a media conference about the impending arrival of Tropical Cyclone Jasper in 2023.
Things were calmer at South Bank on Tuesday, when Palaszczuk put out the media call for the release of her new book, The Politics of Being Me.
After a “good to see you all again” as she settled in behind the microphone stands, Palaszczuk made a seamless transition from politician to book salesperson.
Of her shock departure as Queensland premier – a decision she insisted was her own, with no outside pressure – Palaszczuk said it was a visit from former West Australian premier Mark McGowan that convinced her it was time to go.
“We were just talking, and he’d left being premier of Western Australia, and he said, ‘life’s good outside politics’,” she said, after the “I-detail-in-the-book” preface that’s so common on author tours.
“It was time to go. I looked around at the ministry in the backbench, and I thought, ‘you know, we’ve set up the future here’.
“I was very content.”
Palaszczuk was in a reflective mood on Tuesday, declining the opportunity to critique either her successor as Labor leader, Steven Miles, or current premier David Crisafulli.
On the most contentious issue of her premiership – Queensland’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic – Palaszczuk said she would have handled some things differently if she had the time over.
“I think more of an effort for families,” she said.
“Now knowing what we know, too, maybe [it could have been] a case of if you’re vaccinated, you can just go about your normal business – you’ve done the right thing by the community.”
Palaszczuk also said hotel quarantine was, in hindsight, perhaps not the right approach.
“You know, having more of those Howard Springs [and] Wellcamp-type of facilities and not being in those confined hotels – that caused a lot of distress for people too, and it would have contributed to mental health,” she said.
“It was tough. I did two weeks, so I know what it was like. It’d be very hard – let alone for a family – to be in such a confined space for an extended period of time.”
Palaszczuk’s premiership during COVID was often defined by a hardline approach that drew national scrutiny.
At the height of the pandemic, Queensland’s strict border closures became a flashpoint, most notably in 2020 when Canberra woman Sarah Caisip was initially denied an exemption to attend her father’s funeral in Brisbane.
It was a case that prompted the intervention of then-prime minister Scott Morrison, who applied public pressure, along with a contentious phone call.
“It was a parliamentary sitting day, I took the call and thought it was just going to be a nice, friendly, cordial call, but unfortunately, it didn’t turn out that way,” she said.
“It was very robust, and I felt quite threatened. It was a very harsh phone call.
“During the phone call, I said to him, ‘Did you realise that today is R U OK Day? I don’t need to take this’, and I hung up the phone.”
The dispute was put aside, Palaszczuk said, and the pair continued to have a professional working relationship.
“But my message there is that women need to stand up for themselves, and you don’t have to cop that sort of language and tone from others,” she said.
“I’ve always treated people respectfully, and I expect people to treat me respectfully back.”
Palaszczuk said she hoped her book would encourage more people, especially women, to get involved in politics.
“The Politics of Being Me could be the politics of being a woman,” she said.
“Women face different obstacles to men, but hopefully this book will give inspiration to young girls and young women across the state, and across Australia, that women can do anything if you put your mind to it.”
As if to drive home her point, Palaszczuk fielded a question about whether she had any plans to marry her long-time partner, Queensland surgeon Reza Adib.
“We’re very happy. Why would we?” she said.
Palaszczuk’s memoir has attracted some criticism, including from those who have not read the tome.
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said he had no interest in the memoir unless it contained apologies for the cost of living, health, youth crime, housing, and CFMEU crises that he said Palaszczuk created.
“Otherwise, I’ll use it for kindling for my winter time,” he said.
But before launching his lengthy broadside about the book, Bleijie could not help but wonder out loud whether he received a mention.
Palaszczuk put his mind at ease.
“I don’t think he’s mentioned. That’s my response,” she said.
As for her life since leaving politics, Palaszczuk reflected on another, more recent, meeting with McGowan.
“I just caught up with him recently, and I agreed with him. I said, ‘yeah, life is good’.”
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