Queensland Attorney-General Yvette D’ath yesterday went on week-long leave after three days of intense public scrutiny   surrounding the stalking investigation.

Police charged Mr Denton on February 15 with stalking Ms D’Ath’s former staffer and the investigation was made public by Seven News last Friday on March 1.

Ms D’Ath took a week’s leave on Monday.

In January she moved to dismiss rumours in the Courier Mail that she was quitting and insisted she was going to contest her seat at Redcliffe at the October state election.

On February 22, she announced she was quitting politics and had been thinking about it since around Christmas as well as talking about her future with Premier Steven Miles.

Following her taking leave yesterday, there has no been confirmation from Ms D’ath or her office as to whether her exit from politics is linked to Mr Denton or the investigation.

Premier Miles told Seven News last night Queensland police had advised Ms D’ath not to comment on the matter.

“Obviously it’s very distressing and so she has decided to take a week off to take care of her own mental health,’’ he said.

The State Opposition and sections of the media have reported Ms D’Ath was in a relationship with Mr Denton prior to him being charged on February 15.

The Minister nor her office commented on whether she was involved with Mr Denton or had been interviewed by Queensland police.

Mr Denton is a former union delegate and Labor candidate for Petrie – the same seat Ms D’Ath held between 2007 and 2013 before she was elected as a state MP for Redcliffe in 2014.

Ms D’Ath said she was not aware of any allegations relating to Mr Denton until after the police laid charges.

“As the matter is currently before the court, it would be inappropriate for me to provide any further comment,’’ she said.

State Opposition Shadow Minister Tim Nicholls called on Ms D’Ath to explain when she learned of the stalking investigation and what she knew about the investigation.

He said Ms D’ath needed to answer “serious questions” and she had been “noticeably absent’’ for the better part of the week.

“She has serious questions to answer about what she knew in relation to allegations made against her former partner,’’ he said in Parliament

“What we do know is that the Attorney-General was informed of those charges and six days after the former partner was charged with the offences of stalking, (she) announced that she would not be re-contesting the next election,” he told media.

Mr Nicholls said it was “entirely appropriate” for the Attorney-General to explain the sequence of events as she was not being asked to comment on guilt or innocence.

“…The Attorney-General has to explain what she knew, there are more questions to be answered.

“….Answer the questions about why for example, did she choose six days after the charges were laid to announce her resignation when only 21 days earlier she had been appointed to the role of Attorney-General in the cabinet,” Mr Nicholls said.

Premier Miles appointed Environment Minister Leanne Linard as acting Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence until Ms D’Ath “returns to duty”.

Since 2006, Ms D’Ath has worked in federal and state politics. In her time in state politics, Ms D’Ath has been the target of death threats, survived cancer and party factional power struggles to remain on the front bench following last year’s state government leadership change.

On February 22 Ms D’Ath told media her decision not to re-contest her seat was a “tough decision” that had been on her mind for some weeks since Christmas.

She said she had spoken to Premier Miles about her intentions for the October election over the past few weeks.

“I started as a candidate back in 2006 when my kids were 4 and 6 years old. They’re now 21 and 23, or they’re known as mum and politics, and they’ve made lots of sacrifices,’’ the Redcliffe MP said.

“I think 17 years is a pretty good innings, both at state and federal level, and gives me the time now to concentrate on myself out of the public eye and to see what other opportunities I can pursue, you know, beyond politics,’’ she said.

She said she still had a lot of work to do in her remaining nine months as Queensland’s  first law officer and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence.

“All politicians want to be able to leave on their own terms’’ she told media on February 22.

“This is a personal decision where I know this is the right decision for me to, you know, after the October election to move out of the public world, ‘’ she said of her quitting politics.

She said she was proud of her achievements of social reforms including legislation for same-sex marriages, human rights and domestic and family violence.

Ms D’Ath said last year when then Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk asked her ministers who was going to renominate for their seat, she was not ready to make a decision.

“But also, I should say that, yes, the Premier asked anyone who, at that time, was thinking of leaving to let her know, but she didn’t put a deadline and say, anyone who’s thinking of not running next time must tell me by this date,’’ Ms D’Ath said.

Ms D’Ath said Premier Miles has also been supportive of her since he took over in the leadership role.

“He was very supportive of me as the health minister, having been in that portfolio himself. He understood how tough it was,’’ she said.

Ms D’Ath also paid tribute to former Premier Palaszczuk whom she described as a close friend.

“I thank her immensely for her leadership and being such a great mentor and supporter of me,’’ she said.

She ruled out a future return to politics saying her life had been public for a long time.

“It’s been a difficult few years, both personally and professionally for me,’’ she said.

Ms D’Ath  was Health Minister during Covid and along with other public officials, received death threats over the state enforced border closures.

She was also treated for melanoma which was detected while getting a haircut.

Then last year she was moved from the health portfolio during a cabinet reshuffle by then Premier Palaszczuk and returned to her previous spot as Queensland’s Attorney-General.

Months later the resignation of then Premier Ms Palaszczuk who along with Ms D’Ath and Treasurer Cameron Dick are members of the Labor’s right faction, could have seen her moved under incoming leader Steven Miles from the party’s left faction.