Labor powerbrokers were so concerned for the health and wellbeing of Queensland Speaker Curtis Pitt during his extraordinary return to parliament they were forced to intervene, the premier has revealed.
Annastacia Palaszczuk was forced to address the controversy surrounding the troubled Speaker before parliament on Thursday.
Mr Pitt noticeably slurred and struggled to maintain control of Wednesday's rowdy chamber during a fiery Question Time the day after the state budget.
He arrived late, and multiple MPs from both sides of the aisle raised concerns, knowing he returned from a mental health break on Tuesday.
Ms Palaszczuk confirmed Queensland Labor president John Battams and Education Minister Grace Grace later met Mr Pitt to "check in".
"I can't reflect on the Speaker," the premier said.
"But what I will say is that a number of members were concerned about his health and wellbeing, and we want him to get better."
"I think it just goes to show that these health and wellbeing issues can happen to anyone at any time in their lives.
"We need to let them have that time to get better."
Mr Pitt attributed his slurred speech to being under the influence of strong pain medication taken to manage chronic back pain.
Asked whether alcohol played a part in his appearance during Question Time, Mr Pitt told Nine News: "No, no. To be very clear, absolutely not."
Mr Pitt maintained he would return to the Speaker's chair on Thursday, but within hours announced he would immediately step down.
"As a consequence of my ongoing medical issues, I have decided to take a further period of leave," he said in a statement.
"I am suffering from severe back problems and will soon be undertaking scheduled surgery.
"Consequently, I am taking strong pain relief medication on an as-required basis to manage this condition which can, at times, manifest in different ways including the onset of drowsiness."
Mr Pitt previously took a hiatus, citing family and mental health issues after May's Cairns sittings of regional parliament in his electorate of Mulgrave.
He later took to social media to admit he was "not doing as well emotionally as I've made out to anyone" after a divorce from a two-decade marriage and dealing with ulcerative colitis, depression and his parents' serious health issues.
