The countdown has begun to replace Australia's longest-serving female leader.
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A new era looms with a by-election date set for former Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk's seat of Inala, in Brisbane's southwest.
The political exit of the nation's latest resigning premier will be complete after voters in the electorate go to the polls on March 16.
Ms Palaszczuk was the last state premier standing from the COVID-19 pandemic after Victorian leader Daniel Andrews' resignation in September 2023 and Mark McGowan's departure in WA months earlier.
"I want to pay tribute to Annastacia Palaszczuk and thank her for her service," said the man who replaced her as premier, Steven Miles, on Friday.
"I am looking forward to continuing the strong legacy our government has built for the Inala electorate and all Queenslanders."
History will be made by whoever wins what was Queensland's safest Labor seat.
Remarkably, it will mark the first time Inala will not be represented by a Palaszczuk family member.
Contested for the first time in 1992, the electorate was initially represented by Ms Palaszczuk's father Henry.
He went on to become a senior minister in the Peter Beattie government before retiring in 2006.
His daughter succeeded him as Inala MP, building an even more impressive political career.
She went from an opposition with seven seats to claiming the 2015 election, holding the top job for almost nine years.
By mid-2021 she became the longest-serving Australian female head of government.
Ms Palaszczuk was also Australia's longest-serving sitting premier after Mr Andrews' resignation.
She appeared on track to be Queensland's longest-serving Labor premier since World War II in May this year after becoming the first woman in Australian history to win three elections, in 2020.
Ms Palaszczuk was adamant she would contest a fourth election in October 2024 despite a string of bad polls.
However last month she tearily announced a shock resignation after almost 12 years as Queensland's Labor leader.
She walked away as premier days later.
Her stint as Inala MP ended on December 31.
Big shoes await her successor.
But Mr Miles backed Margie Nightingale who will step up for Labor at the by-election, which will coincide with local government elections.
"She's lived in the Inala electorate all of her life, it's where she's raised her two daughters," he said.
The opposition had been critical of the delay in holding the by-election, saying it was not acceptable that the community was without representation for several months.
Its timing means there will be no Inala MP for the first two sitting weeks of state parliament this year.
But Mr Miles said the March 16 date was finalised after advice from the Electoral Commission of Queensland.
"It makes sense to hold the by-election on the same day as the local government elections to save on administrative and operational costs," he said.
"Holding it on the same day as the council election isn't just more convenient for those residents, it will save us about $600,000."
Australian Associated Press
