Queensland Premier Palaszczuk unleashes on PM Turnbull

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says Malcolm Turnbull is a worse prime minister than Tony Abbott was in his dealings with state governments.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Source: AAP

The Queensland premier has unleashed an extraordinary attack on Malcolm Turnbull, saying he's a shallow thinker who doesn't understand his job as prime minister.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has branded Mr Turnbull an arrogant and disrespectful leader, and now believes he's a worse prime minister than Tony Abbott.

"All we've seen lately is a fly-in, fly-out prime minister who is espousing thought bubbles without any deep policy conversation," she told reporters on Sunday.

The premier said it took a lot to get her angry, but she was fed up with Mr Turnbull's approach to national leadership.
"I am at breaking point. I am sticking up for the people of this state," she said.

"At times I think he forgets he is the prime minister of a federation of states that should be working together."

In an earlier interview with The Sunday Mail, the premier said Mr Turnbull was far more difficult to deal with than Mr Abbott.

"I now believe Malcolm Turnbull is worse than Tony Abbott," she said.

"When Tony Abbott was prime minister, I could get straight answers. I didn't always like what he had to say, but he stuck to it."

The premier's scathing assessment of Mr Turnbull's performance will make for a very frosty meeting in Townsville on Monday, for a Battle of the Coral Sea memorial.

Ms Palaszczuk said Mr Turnbull didn't even bother to contact her when he flew into Brisbane to announce his recent gas plan.

"It's about time that he showed some leadership and was respectful, not just to me but to all the other premiers across the nation."

Watch: Butler: Turnbull making it up as he goes along

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Source: AAP


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