Our Minister
Annastacia Palaszczuk, Minister for Disability Services and Multicultural Affairs.
Annastacia Palaszczuk was sworn in as Minister for Disability Services and Multicultural Affairs on Thursday, 26 March 2009. Minister Palaszczuk is the second female lawyer appointed to the Queensland Cabinet.
Prior to the 2009 election, she was the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Main Roads and Local Government.
She studied Arts/Law at University of Queensland. Her post graduate qualifications include:
- Master of Arts (Hons) at the University of London
- Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice (ANU)
- British Council Chevening scholar
She has worked as a Senior Policy Advisor to a number of Labor Ministers, including Minister for Communities, Disabilities and Seniors, Warren Pitt, and former Minister for the Environment, Dean Wells.
Annastacia later decided on a career in the law, and was studying for admission as a solicitor when she decided to run in the 2006 state election.
She was first elected to represent the seat of Inala in September 2006, and was admitted as a lawyer that same year.
She is an active local community member and is patron of Inala Community House, Project Love & Care, Wolston Park Golf Club and the Oxley-Darra Pony Club.
Annastacia has worked hard to deliver local infrastructure and local jobs.
The Bligh Government is committed to ensuring we have a comprehensive response in keeping people in work, creating new jobs and helping those unemployed.
These initiatives include:
- Approximately $1 billion investment into the south-west corridor for new roads, a new railway station and upgrades to both Oxley and Darra stations;
- $40 million railway station at Richlands is currently being built;
- Work is underway for the upgrade of the Centenary and Logan interchanges and the Ipswich Motorway; and
- $1.6 million kindergarten to be built at Forest Lake and a further almost $70 million into local Inala schools.
All of these projects mean jobs for the local community.
Annastacia's immediate priorities are:
- Developing a framework for disability services in Queensland for the next 10 years;
- Implementing the Carter reforms;
- Focussing on early intervention particularly for children with a disability;
- Promoting multicultural partnerships; and
- Strengthening multiculturalism in Queensland.
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