Dr. Reza Adib is an exceptionally successful bariatric surgeon based in Brisbane, running the lucrative Brisbane Obesity Clinic. With over 20,000 weight loss procedures under his belt and extensive training overseas, Dr. Adib is considered one of Australia‘s most prominent laparoscopic specialists.
Dr. Adib serves as a head surgeon at The Wesley Hospital, a major Brisbane medical center. He leads a lavish lifestyle residing in a multi-million dollar Italian villa-style mansion.
Dr. Adib is romantically involved with Annastacia Palaszczuk, the Premier of Queensland at the time. As head of state, Ms. Palaszczuk faced harsh criticism over her high-profile relationship with Dr. Adib. The constant scrutiny ultimately led a fed-up Ms. Palaszczuk to resign as premier in September 2023.
Dr. Reza Adib Relationship with Annastacia Palaszczuk
The couple was first spotted together in July 2021 at the Caloundra Cup at the Sunshine Coast Turf Club. Over the next two years of dating, they endured multiple scandals during Ms. Palaszczuk’s tumultuous time as premier before she announced her resignation in September 2023.
In September 2021, after months of speculation that they were dating, Ms. Palaszczuk (52) officially went public with her relationship with Dr. Adib. She stated at the time:
“He is a very warm and caring, intelligent man with a great sense of humour, and we are just enjoying getting to know each other.”
A spokesman requested privacy on behalf of the couple as their relationship continued.
Throughout 2022, as the couple was frequently spotted together, Ms. Palaszczuk faced harsh criticism and backlash regarding her relationship with Dr. Adib. She was accused of being out of touch for appearing alongside Dr. Adib at high-profile red carpet events like the Baz Luhrmann Elvis premiere and Logie Awards ceremony. The premier also had to formally apologize in May 2022 after inviting Dr. Adib to a private meeting with senior International Olympic Committee members.
Couple’s Holiday to Italy
In August 2023, Ms. Palaszczuk and Dr. Adib took a two-week official vacation to Italy. However, their hopes for a tranquil trip were disrupted when they were tracked down by paparazzi in Naples.
At the time, Ms. Palaszczuk released a public statement on social media asking for privacy:
“I am on leave. Everyone is entitled to leave.”
She directly referenced this Italy trip during her resignation speech in September 2023, implying it was the last straw that prompted her decision.
The Italy vacation appears to have been a peaceful getaway for Ms. Palaszczuk and Dr. Adib.
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By citing the vacation in her resignation speech, Ms. Palaszczuk hinted that the constant pressure and lack of privacy had simply become too much for her.
Annastacia Palaszczuk Previous Marriages
Annastacia Palaszczuk has had three significant previous relationships in her personal life, including two marriages, before dating Dr. Reza Adib.
In 1996, Ms. Palaszczuk married writer George Megalogenis, however, this marriage was short-lived, lasting only two years before ending in divorce in 1998.
Ms. Palaszczuk later married political staffer Simon Every in 2004. This second marriage for Ms. Palaszczuk also ultimately spanned only around five years before ending in 2009.
Most recently, from 2015-2018, Ms. Palaszczuk was in a three-year relationship with infrastructure expert Shaun Drabsch. While this relationship ended as well after a relatively short period, the couple agreed to remain friends afterward.
With three failed relationships and two divorces in her past, Ms. Palaszczuk has been in a relationship with Dr. Adib for more than two years since 2018.
Annastacia Palaszczuk acknowledged her misstep in taking partner Dr. Reza Adib to the Brisbane Olympics meeting
In May 2022, Annastacia Palaszczuk faced scrutiny after inviting her boyfriend, Dr. Reza Adib, to attend a private meeting with visiting International Olympic Committee (IOC) officials.
On Tuesday of that week, Ms. Palaszczuk acknowledged her misstep, stating:
“I recognise that I have made a mistake and I should not have taken my partner to that meeting. I apologise. It was never intentional to cause any distress to anybody.”
The premier described the meeting as an informal catch-up between Olympic officials and local organizational committee members. However, opposition leaders accused Ms. Palaszczuk of misusing the important visit to “show off” her new partner.
Dr Reza Adib’s Decades-Long Medical Career
Dr. Reza Adib began his medical career back in 1994 when he worked as a surgical trainee at the Royal Brisbane Hospital. This kicked off nearly three decades and counting working in medicine across Brisbane and internationally.
Over the next several years, Dr. Adib progressed through intensive surgical training to specialize in areas like bariatric procedures. This advanced training included a Subspecialty Fellowship in Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery in England in the early 2000s and work at Scotland’s largest medical center for gastrointestinal conditions.
By 2004, Dr. Adib had been named a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. That same year, he returned to Brisbane and founded his medical practice focused on laparoscopic and obesity surgery. Then in 2006, he established the Brisbane Obesity Clinic specifically devoted to weight loss procedures.
In addition to his surgical credentials, Dr. Adib holds memberships in numerous prominent international associations for bariatric medicine and surgery. His specialized expertise includes advanced laparoscopic techniques, hepatobiliary surgery, and upper gastrointestinal procedures.
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Currently, alongside running his private bariatric clinic, Dr. Adib serves as a head surgeon at The Wesley Hospital, a major not-for-profit medical center in Brisbane. His leadership was recognized in 2017 when he was appointed co-chair of Wesley’s hospital board.
Couples Luxury Home and High-End Lifestyle
Dr. Reza Adib resides with his partner, former premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, in an extravagant multi-million dollar mansion located in the upscale suburb of Indooroopilly in Brisbane.
Property records show that Dr. Adib purchased this sprawling three-level estate approximately a decade ago in 2013 for $6.25 million. The landmark luxury house features five bedrooms, and five bathrooms, and is designed in the style of a traditional 14th-century Italian villa. It boasts only the finest building materials sourced from artisans around the world.