Annastacia Palaszczuk, Australia’s longest-serving female premier, was underestimated until the very end

‘Those who saw Annastacia Palaszczuk as an accidental leader failed to see her greatest appeal: how she dealt with people,’ writes Amy Remeikis. Photograph: Jono Searle/AAP

Annastacia Palaszczuk spent her entire political career being underestimated. So it makes sense she would want to take people by surprise one last time.

Her coming retirement was no secret. But the execution – a random weekend morning, with no heads-up, no preplanned media interviews, no off-the-record whispers from inside cabinet, was one final thumbing of the nose to those who never took her seriously. Again, no accident. The Queensland press gallery journalists are rarely rostered on weekends. Her caucus only learned through a text message shortly before she made her announcement.