Former Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk hires celebrity agent Max Markson for post-politics career

Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, George Bush, Nelson Mandela … Annastacia Palaszczuk.

The always unconventional former Queensland Premier has teamed up with legendary celebrity agent Max Markson to hit the speaker’s circuit, just four months after quitting politics.

Palaszczuk has signed Markson, famous for representing several US presidents and world figures but also notorious for some of his more colourful clients.

The ex-premier, who stood down in December when the faceless union leaders who run the Queensland Labor Party turned on her, has asked Markson to help plot her life after politics.

As well as speaking engagements, it’s likely Markson will also negotiate a book deal for the no-nonsense and polarising Palaszczuk.

Palaszczuk, who has never been afraid to speak her mind, is likely to be an in-demand political commentator.

Her dramatic rise, and recent demise, is an extraordinary tale in Australian politics.

Palaszczuk single-handedly dragged the decimated Queensland Labor Party, with only seven MPs in her party room, back into power by destroying the once wildly popular premier Campbell Newman within a single term.

She went from accidental against-all-odds premier to Labor hero by winning successive elections and remaining in power for almost a decade.

Like Peter Beattie before her, Palaszczuk was forced to hand over the leadership in December last year with Labor expected to lose easily at the election later this year.

Anthony Albanese describes Palaszczuk as a “Labor hero” and a “champion of Queensland” during her nine years in power.

Like most of the state premiers during COVID, Palaszczuk sprung to national prominence with her hardline stance throughout the pandemic, insisting on closing Queensland’s borders.

She also clashed with Scott Morrison and had a famously fractious relationship with her NSW rival Gladys Berejiklian.

Palaszczuk is likely to have colourful tales about her relationships with the pandemic premiers, and Morrison. While Morrison is about to release a book, Palaszczuk will be the first of premiers to pursue a public profile, with the others quietly shuffling into corporate jobs.

Palaszczuk became the Queensland Opposition leader when Labor was left with only seven MPs and turned politics on its head by snatching the premiership at the next election, Australia’s first woman to be elected premier.

Markson’s list of clients is unique, having brought Bill Clinton to Australia on four speaking tours, and has also worked with former George Bush Sr and British PM Tony Blair and an array of massive international celebrities such as Kobe Bryant, Mike Tyson and Arnold Schwarzenegger.