The partner of former Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, surgeon Vahid Reza Adib, has been suspended from practising medicine after being charged with rape. The Queensland health ombudsman confirmed the suspension on Tuesday, stating that Adib is prohibited from working as a medical practitioner for the duration of the suspension, effective from 2 June 2026.
Adib, a bariatric surgeon who ran an obesity clinic at the Wesley Hospital in Brisbane, was charged on 1 May with three counts of rape, two counts of deprivation of liberty, and one count of sexual assault. Police allege that he sexually assaulted a woman in her 30s at a residence in Goodwin Terrace on 30 March. A crime scene warrant was executed at the property on 30 April, where several items were seized.
Adib's lawyer, Dan Rogers, released a statement on the day of the charges, saying that Adib is shocked by the allegations and intends to vigorously defend them. 'Like all persons accused of a crime, he is presumed to be innocent,' Rogers said. 'Right now, Dr Adib is primarily concerned about the welfare of his family and his patients.'
Adib's website states that he has performed more than 20,000 operations and has expertise in laparoscopic surgery and obesity management. He has worked in Brisbane since the mid-1990s. His relationship with Palaszczuk, which began six years into her tenure as premier, brought him into the public eye.
