Former Queensland leader Annastacia Palaszczuk, who grew up in Inala, saw her official portrait unveiled this week, with the artwork featuring an Olympic rings pin commemorating her role in securing the 2032 Brisbane Games.
Brisbane artist Bronwyn Hill painted the portrait, which depicts a smiling Palaszczuk sitting in a reading room surrounded by books. The Olympic pin attached to her jacket in the painting was a gift from former International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach and former Australian Olympic Committee chief John Coates.
Palaszczuk, who led Queensland for nearly nine years between 2015 and 2023, said she loved the portrait and felt it captured her essence. The artist conducted multiple sittings to get to know her subject, aiming to create a relaxed, approachable image.
Olympic Legacy Takes Centre Stage
The Olympics pin illustrated in the painting holds special meaning for the Inala native, who played a central role in bringing the 2032 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games to Brisbane. She said getting the Games was a very big task and predicts the event will transform Queensland.
Hill said she wanted to depict Palaszczuk with both warmth and confidence, creating somebody who appears ready to listen and inviting discussion. The setting in the reading room reflected Palaszczuk’s love of reading and her appreciation for finding quiet moments away from the daily demands of leadership.
Books and Changing Times
Palaszczuk predicted her official portrait would be one of the last featuring books in the background, noting that future portraits will probably feature computers and phones instead. During her time in office, she treasured the books and documents that surrounded her workspace.
The unveiling attracted a range of guests including current Queensland leader David Crisafulli, her successor Steven Miles, Governor Jeannette Young, and several former ministers and advisers. Palaszczuk’s parents Lorelle and Henry, who himself served as a minister during the Beattie era, attended the ceremony.
Rare Female Representation in Leadership Portraits
The official portrait joins a small collection of artworks depicting women in leadership roles. Palaszczuk acknowledged being struck by the small number of portraits featuring women during her years as an elected representative, with her artwork now standing as one of only a few depicting female Queensland leaders.
The Inala local said she never dreamed she would become premier and described it as the greatest honour of her life to serve the Queensland people. She is enjoying her post-political life and does not want to make a comeback, though she misses the friendships and interactions from her years in public service.
Published 12-February-2026.
