Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has asked the media and public for privacy after being criticised for taking a second holiday this year.
The premier faced criticism for her holiday after the Courier Mail reported she will have spent 37 days on leave this year following the trip, while she spent 25 days sitting in parliament.
“I am on leave. Everyone is entitled to leave. I ask that the media respects my privacy,” Palaszczuk said on Facebook today.
Palaszczuk’s team was quick to point out that the premier’s job entails much more than parliament sitting days.
Among those issues facing the premier are the youth crime crisis and facilitating the planning and infrastructure for the Olympic Games Brisbane 2032.
Deputy Premier Steven Miles will step in as acting premier while Palaszczuk is in Europe.
She will return to her role on September 11.
On Saturday, it was reported Labor was dealing with internal frustrations around Palaszczuk’s leadership ahead of next year’s state election.
Victims of youth crime took to the streets of Brisbane last week to protest stronger laws for young criminals amid a string of high-profile cases.
Palaszczuk and Today host Karl Stefanovic took part in a fiery exchange on the issue last week after the premier declined to meet those marching but instead did so in private.
“I am a woman of my word and I listen,” she said.
“And I spend time with people. You know, that’s the way I operate.”
The government has also faced backlash for pushing through controversial youth justice laws as a last-ditch effort to fix the issue.
Source: 9News