You'd think Anna Bligh would avoid March 24.
It's on that day in 2012 the then-Queensland premier suffered one of the biggest electoral defeats in Australian political history - a moment she describes as humiliating.
But it's also the same day, three years later, she launched her autobiography, Through The Wall, in Brisbane.
She'd already done a similar launch in Sydney, her new home, earlier in the day.
But Deputy Premier Jackie Trad, who introduced Ms Bligh, said the attitude was typical of the country's first female premier, having confronted head-on many trying situations in her political career.
"Anna would always show up and Anna would always be the last to leave," Ms Trad said.
"That was something that inspired hundreds of people to work for you Anna, it inspired many people to follow in your footsteps."
Ms Trad said March 24 would have new historical meaning given it's the day Queensland's second female premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, lead parliament for the first time.
Ms Bligh's desire to be a trailblazer for women in political life was one of the topics she candidly discussed in her autobiography, which also canvasses her childhood and how her mother's desperation to escape her psychologically abusive husband inspired her to achieve.
Ms Bligh has said she still "itches" for her old public life from time to time.
She also joked her son, Oliver, who also celebrated his 22nd birthday on Tuesday, thought she used the date to launch her book to steal the spotlight from him.
Share
