Deb Frecklington said she had ‘no choice but to remain grounded’ because she had children, and said the premier’s fashion choices were ‘too much’

Federal and state Labor MPs have rounded on the Queensland LNP leader, Deb Frecklington, after she criticised Annastacia Palaszczuk for her fashion choices and said she had “no choice but to remain grounded” because she had children.

In an interview with the Sunday Mail, Frecklington said Palaszczuk had “deliberately changed her image – the whole ‘Princess Palaszczuk’ is pretty obvious – but I haven’t changed mine”.

“I have no choice but to remain grounded, because of [my husband] Jason and the girls,” Frecklington said.

“I can have a tough day but then I’ll get a call from one of my kids and you’ve got to deal with whatever’s going on in their lives. She, on the other hand, has had a complete makeover – all the makeup, the designer labels, it’s too much, when there are bigger issues to focus on.”

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Frecklington has three children between the ages of 17 and 21. Palaszczuk has spoken openly about having had a miscarriage, unsuccessful attempts to have a child through IVF, and her painful history of endometriosis, which can affect fertility.

Federal Labor senator Kristina Keneally criticised Frecklington’s comments in a series of tweets, referring to a statement in the report that Frecklington bought her clothes at Target and Cue, in contrast to Palaszczuk, who has begun shopping at the upmarket Scanlan & Theodore, according to the Sunday Mail. It was “even more shameful” that a woman was attacking a fellow female politician for her wardrobe choices, Keneally said.

Kristina Keneally (@KKeneally) And it’s well past time to be attacking a female politician for her clothes - yet it still keeps happening. Play the ball, not the woman!!

Even more shameful - in today’s example - is that a woman - @DebFrecklington - is leading the charge. Our own worst enemy, sometimes 🙄

The deputy premier, Jackie Trad, said Frecklington’s comments were “astonishing”.

Jackie Trad (@jackietrad) The last time I saw this level of meanness was actually in the movie Mean Girls. Astonishing. https://t.co/BysmcwrWOc

The state member for Cook, Cynthia Liu, said in a statement posted on Facebook that it was “a really sad day for all women when this sort of garbage is published”.

Another state Labor MP, Kim Richards, reiterated Liu’s comments.

💧Kim Richards MP (@KimeRichards) A really sad day for all women when comments like this make the front page. @DebFrecklington you are a woman in a significant leadership position, you should be better than this. 🤦‍♀️ https://t.co/YoxJSfjm2Z

Other Labor members, including Mark Furner and the attorney general, Yvette D’Ath, also weighed in.

The former federal Labor MP Emma Husar said Frecklington’s comments were “the epitome of everything that’s wrong with politics”.

Emma Husar (@emmahusarmp) The epitome of everything that’s wrong with politics.



Shaming a woman for being childless, the clothes she wears is not the role model you ought to be setting as a wannabe premier for girls & women. It. Matters.@DebFrecklington resign you don’t deserve your position. pic.twitter.com/LqMoqFdiTa

Asked about the criticism, Frecklington told Guardian Australia she was “simply pointing out my real world experience and that my kids keep me grounded”.

“I won’t stand by and allow the Labor party to try and twist the love I have for my kids for some warped political gain.”