For the first time in more than two years, the core narrative underpinning Queensland politics moved away from the pandemic as the Palaszczuk Labor Government was forced to answer serious questions about public integrity. Forced to call several independent inquiries, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk saw a decline in her government's – and her own – public standing. While relaxed COVID-19 rules and falling unemployment offered some good news, soaring inflation and rising state debt reined in Queenslanders' optimism.