Former Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced her new role as an international ambassador with the Smart Energy Council (SEC), Australia’s renewable energy industry body.
The role will see her supporting the development of partnerships between Australia and other countries to supply renewable energy solutions. As Australia’s peak solar body, SEC have a number of high profile public figures on its board, including Climate 200 founder Simon Holmes à Court and founder and principal of Nexa Advisory, Stephanie Bashir.
Palaszczuk left politics last December after seventeen years. She was premier of Queensland for 8 years, and during that time, became the longest-serving female leader in Australian history.
In a statement published on Wednesday, the former Labor politician said deeply admired the advocacy group for its work.
“I have always had the greatest respect for the work of the Smart Energy Council,” Palaszczuk said. “I admire their passion and commitment to building a smart energy future.”
“Australia can and must be a renewables and critical minerals powerhouse, working closely with other nations to help decarbonise the global economy, and with the Smart Energy Council, I look forward to helping make that a reality.”
SEC CEO John Grimes described Palaszczuk as a “great Australian” with an “extraordinary record of service and achievement.”
“I know she will be a powerful voice for Australia’s smart energy industry as we strengthen our industry partnerships across the globe,” he said in a statement.
Palaszczuk will travel to China next month for an industry delegation. According to its site, the Smart Energy Council has a longstanding and deep engagement with the renewables industry in China. In March, SEC participated in the China-Australia Entrepreneurs Dialogue, where solutions for low-carbon transformation and potential for joint efforts in green development were discussed.
News of Palaszczuk’s role comes just weeks after it was revealed the 54-year-old had hired Sydney-based celebrity representative Max Markson as her publicist.
Markson has organised speaking tours for international figures including Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Mike Tyson.
As Markson’s client, Palaszczuk will likely be engaged in corporate speaking engagements and potentially even secure a book deal.
Markson said the former Queensland leader is “very talented” and possesses “great charisma [and] intelligence.”
“She tells great stories,” Markson told Sky News host Laura Jayes last month, adding that as his client, she will likely be touring the country and internationally for speaking engagements.
“She should be working in other countries and hopefully we’ll make that happen,” he said.
“I just think she’s interesting and she’s fascinating and that’s what will generate work for her. People definitely want to hear from her.”