Palaszczuk cancels book tour stops following partner’s rape charge

Former Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has cancelled two of her book tour stops, days after her partner, Dr Reza Adib, was charged with rape.

Palaszczuk is currently promoting her autobiography, The Politics of Being Me. The former long-serving Labor premier is not involved in the investigation.

At a public event at a Gold Coast library on Thursday night while promoting her book, Palaszczuk was asked about the raid at Adib’s Gold Coast apartment earlier that day.

“I’m not aware of any of that, so I can’t comment,” she said.

A statement from Palaszczuk’s publisher, HarperCollins, maintained the tour had not yet been cancelled.

“We will be postponing media interviews and some events that were locked in to talk about Annastacia Palaszczuk’s book, The Politics of Being Me, until an appropriate time in the future,” the statement read.

But Palaszczuk’s stops at the Brolga Theatre in Maryborough and the Australian National University in Canberra were called off.

The Maryborough event was scheduled for May 7, but the Fraser Coast Regional Council has updated a promotional post for the event and changed the website listing to “postponed”.

“Please keep an eye on the website for future updates,” it said.

The university’s website listing for its event has been removed.

Adib, a prominent bariatric surgeon, was charged with three counts of rape on Friday, after he turned himself in at the Southport police station.

His lawyer, Dan Rogers from Robertson O’Gorman Solicitors, said his client maintained his innocence.

“Dr Adib is shocked about the allegations made about him and is taking the matter very seriously,” Rogers said in a statement issued on Friday afternoon.

“Like all persons accused of a crime, he is presumed to be innocent and intends to vigorously defend the charges.

“Right now, Dr Adib is primarily concerned about the welfare of his family and his patients, and he will do whatever it takes to ensure they are looked after in the coming weeks.”

In addition to the three counts of rape, Adib has been charged with one count of sexual assault and two counts of deprivation of liberty.

Police have alleged he sexually assaulted a woman, aged in her 30s, at his apartment on Goodwin Terrace in Burleigh Heads on March 30.

Adib and Palaszczuk have been in a relationship since 2021.

He is expected to appear in Southport Magistrates Court on May 14.

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