(Transcript from World News Radio)
Now Annastacia Palaszczuk is a Labor hero after defeating the one-term Liberal National Party in a landslide victory at polls just over two weeks ago.
That win has secured her a place in Australian electoral history
Stefan Armbruster takes a look at her rise.
(Click on audio tab to listen to this item)
Six years ago Annastasia Palaszczuk was at the Queensland Govenor's Residence, being sworn in as a first time minister in Anna Bligh's government
After the 2012 election, nobody picked her as a future Premier, more as a seat warmer for some future Labor leader.
Peter Beattie was Queensland's Labor Premier when Ms Palaszczuk was first elected in the seat of Inala in 2006.
"Well I don't think anyone thought 2012 would wipe out all the current leadership and future leadership of the Labor Party. She was the last woman standing and that there were a whole lot of other people ahead of her, I didn't for one minute didn't think she was capable of it, of course she was capable as she's demonstrated in the last three years and during the election campaign."
Ms Palaszczuk's previous ministerial experience includes Transport and Multicultural Affairs under the Anna Bligh Labor government that lost office in 2012.
She achieved what many thought impossible, leading her team of nine Labor MPs to a historic victory over the Newman Liberal National Party, after it had served just one term.
At the Governor's residence for the swearing-in was her father Henry Palaszczuk, a former Labor MP and minister under the Beattie government.
"I think being premier of Queensland is a wonderful opportunity, she is the 39th person in Queensland to achieve that honour and I feel so proud of her."
She followed in his footsteps as MP for the ethnically diverse seat of Inala, in Brisbane's south.
Does he have any advice now his daughter is premier?
"I think she's done a great job by herself and doesn't need any external advice, that's for sure. LAUGHS"
Hai Van Vu is the vice-president of the Vietnamese Community in Australia in Queensland and knows the Palaszczuks well.
"With the very close relationship with the Vietnamese community for a long, long time, we got a lot of projects and she's helping us and we also doing a lot of work with her. I remember every time we have a festival, she always come to our Vietnamese community and join in."
Ms Palaszczuk's Polish grandfather Leo settled with the family in Inala after the Second World War, having survived a Nazi German labour camp.
In May last year in parliament, Ms Palaszczuk wept as she spoke of her family's experience during a debate over a gaffe referencing concentration camps by one of her own colleagues.
"These were the people who almost killed my grandfather, and also my grandmother. I just can't believe that people on this side of the house talk about Nazis being admirable people. "
Her father renounced his oath to the Queen while he was an MP, when UK newspapers published a picture of Prince Harry in Nazi uniform for a fancy dress party.
Ms Palaszczuk was politically active for Labor at Queensland University while studying law and did a masters at the London School of Economics, which led to ridicule for this election campaign radio gaffe.
"Annastasia Palaszczuk, your time starts now."
"The goods and services tax is taxed at what percentage?"
"Pass."
"Funny, the goods and services tax, is there something you know that we don't know, is currently set at 10 per cent. We'll see what happens on Monday."
"I thought it was 10 per cent."
"Annastacia, you're a politician, how do you not know that?"
Her good-humoured handling of the criticism contrasted with her predecessor Campbell Newman's style
Openness about her personal life has also surprised.
Former premier Peter Beattie is an admirer.
"She was married and tried to have children, and she did an interview, and I told her I thought she was very courageous, where she said she couldn't have children. Now I think there's a lot of people out in the community who have tried and can't and can relate to that."
Ms Palaszczuk has appointed a female deputy and has a cabinet of eight women and six men, including the state's first Aboriginal woman MP, Leeanne Enoch, as a minister.
She is the first woman to lead an opposition into government in Queensland history.
Former Premier Peter Beattie again.
"It's just great to have a grandfather who migrated under those extraordinary circumstances, to have his granddaughter as the premier of Queensland. That in itself is one of those true Australian stories and that in itself shows how rich multiculturalism is in this country, how vitally important migrants are to the development of this country, and you don't get a better Australian story than that."
Share
