Joh and Flo Bjelke Petersen
Courier Mail, 1996
Joh entered Parliament as a Country Party-National Party member in 1947. He first entered the Cabinet as Minister for Works & Housing in 1963, and became Premier in 1968. The controversial Bjelke-Petersen dominated Qld politics for 20 years, an outspoken reactionary with clear hostility to civil rights, environment, social welfare, organised unions and land rights for Aborigines.
His favouritism towards big business in Qld was even clearer and like many populists, he was impatient and confrontational with parliamentary procedures: he abused parliamentary arrangements, denied the Opposition its legitimate access to facilities, suppressed debate, denied information to the media and often forced ill-conceived, hastily drafted legislation through Parliament.
Queensland was the only Australian state that didn’t have an Upper House; its unicameral parliament meant the normal checks and balances were absent. Worse still were: the weak Labour Party opposition; Bjelke-Petersen's total control over his Conservative Liberal Party coalition partner; and his domination of the Cabinet room.
In the tradition of agrarian populist politicians, Joh didn’t worry about his inability to articulate. His favourite answer to ANY question: Now, don't you worry about that
Among crises that brought him to attention at a national level, in 1971 he declared a state of emergency in Queensland as a reaction to demonstrations against touring South African Rugby Union Springboks.
In 1972-5, Bjelke-Petersen clashed with the Federal Labour Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. Joh established himself as a major political figure and a strong voice for states' rights, dedicating himself to one cause: the obstruction and destruction of the first Federal Labour government since 1949. In 1975 he played a key part in undermining that Labour government; in defiance of established tradition, Bjelke-Petersen selected his own candidate to fill a casual Senate vacancy in the Federal Parliament, thwarting Labour's attempt to gain a Senate majority. His plot was critical to the events leading to Gough Whitlam being sacked as Prime Minister in Nov 1975.
Queensland was the only Australian state that didn’t have an Upper House; its unicameral parliament meant the normal checks and balances were absent. Worse still were: the weak Labour Party opposition; Bjelke-Petersen's total control over his Conservative Liberal Party coalition partner; and his domination of the Cabinet room.
In the tradition of agrarian populist politicians, Joh didn’t worry about his inability to articulate. His favourite answer to ANY question: Now, don't you worry about that
Among crises that brought him to attention at a national level, in 1971 he declared a state of emergency in Queensland as a reaction to demonstrations against touring South African Rugby Union Springboks.
In 1972-5, Bjelke-Petersen clashed with the Federal Labour Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. Joh established himself as a major political figure and a strong voice for states' rights, dedicating himself to one cause: the obstruction and destruction of the first Federal Labour government since 1949. In 1975 he played a key part in undermining that Labour government; in defiance of established tradition, Bjelke-Petersen selected his own candidate to fill a casual Senate vacancy in the Federal Parliament, thwarting Labour's attempt to gain a Senate majority. His plot was critical to the events leading to Gough Whitlam being sacked as Prime Minister in Nov 1975.
Police dragged protesters into gaol
"How far with Bjelke-Petersen go?"
Nation Review, 1977
Bjelke-Petersen continued his tough right-wing policies. In Sept 1977 he banned political protests, leading to clashes with uranium protesters, unionists, students, liberals and mostly women. He showed little concern for heritage and environmental issues, attracting public fury over the 1979 demolition of Brisbane's historic Bellevue Hotel, and favouring oil drilling IN the Great Barrier Reef. He revealed a moralistic stroke, banning Playboy magazine, opposing school sex education and condom vending machines, and trying to ban women flying interstate for abortions 1980. He tried to ban gay teachers from being employed in schools.
Summary
Bjelke-Petersen’s reign as Queensland’s premier began in 1968 and ended ingloriously in 1987 with the Fitzgerald Inquiry into police corruption. Over 2 years, they uncovered a deep web of corruption implicating many at the highest levels of government and police.
Bellevue Hotel Brisbane
built 1885, demolished 1972
State Library Qld
His wife Florence/Flo was seen as an integral part of Joh's political life. As an extension of his political performance, Flo was unwavering in her partisanship. She was elected to the Federal Senate in 1980 as a National Party member for Queensland, commanding respect in her own right while being seen as Joh's “Federal rep”.
He also relied on corrupt police to prop up his government. Dissenters faced police brutality in the streets. Repressive laws that banned protests meant taking to the streets could result in imprisonment for protesters and the media. In 1980, despite criticism by lawyers and civil liberties groups, Joh’s new Police Act further empowered the police.
In 1983 Bjelke-Petersen led his National Party to a victory where he formed a one-party state government, rather than governing in coalition with the Conservative Liberal Party. Owing to Qld’s electoral gerrymander, small populated rural electorates dominated highly populated urban ones i.e the National Party won with 39% of the vote, while Labour lost on 44%. This biased system, a Bjelke-mander, operated in total defiance of the principle of one person one vote.
In 1986 Bjelke-Petersen sensed a loss of direction at the Federal level among the conservatives. He led a campaign, Joh for PM, to have himself elected to Federal Parliament. But Jo’s bid for power split the Federal Coalition.
In May 1987, ABC tv programme Four Corners aired the first public allegations of organised crime and police corruption in Qld. Capitalising on the Conservative’s internal dissent, Labour’s Bob Hawke easily won the 1987 Federal election!
The story didn't end for Bjelke-Petersen. In Sep 1991, he was tried for corruption and perjury, but a hung jury set Joh free. [The jury foreman, a member of Bjelke-Petersen's National Party, had assisted in fund-raising for Joh’s legal expenses]. Soon the Qld government amended the Jury Act and set up a permanent criminal justice commission.
He also relied on corrupt police to prop up his government. Dissenters faced police brutality in the streets. Repressive laws that banned protests meant taking to the streets could result in imprisonment for protesters and the media. In 1980, despite criticism by lawyers and civil liberties groups, Joh’s new Police Act further empowered the police.
In 1983 Bjelke-Petersen led his National Party to a victory where he formed a one-party state government, rather than governing in coalition with the Conservative Liberal Party. Owing to Qld’s electoral gerrymander, small populated rural electorates dominated highly populated urban ones i.e the National Party won with 39% of the vote, while Labour lost on 44%. This biased system, a Bjelke-mander, operated in total defiance of the principle of one person one vote.
In 1986 Bjelke-Petersen sensed a loss of direction at the Federal level among the conservatives. He led a campaign, Joh for PM, to have himself elected to Federal Parliament. But Jo’s bid for power split the Federal Coalition.
In May 1987, ABC tv programme Four Corners aired the first public allegations of organised crime and police corruption in Qld. Capitalising on the Conservative’s internal dissent, Labour’s Bob Hawke easily won the 1987 Federal election!
The story didn't end for Bjelke-Petersen. In Sep 1991, he was tried for corruption and perjury, but a hung jury set Joh free. [The jury foreman, a member of Bjelke-Petersen's National Party, had assisted in fund-raising for Joh’s legal expenses]. Soon the Qld government amended the Jury Act and set up a permanent criminal justice commission.
The media announced the resignation of premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen
and police commissioner Terry Lewis.
Courier-Mail, 1987
Bjelke-Petersen’s reign as Queensland’s premier began in 1968 and ended ingloriously in 1987 with the Fitzgerald Inquiry into police corruption. Over 2 years, they uncovered a deep web of corruption implicating many at the highest levels of government and police.
Joh was certainly guided by a shrewd political awareness. He styled himself as a defender of a unique Qld sensibility and scorned the progressive states, using fear and prejudice for electoral gain. Queensland’s longest-serving premier left a difficult, undemocratic legacy.
22 comments:
Flo & Joh? You couldn't make this stuff up. This stuff would be laughably quaint if it weren't happening in leading democracies to this day
It is hard believe how bad he was and harder to believe that he could do what he wanted without question. One thing and I am not sure if he was responsible for it or not, but under his rule Queensland had a very good free medical system. We should all feel indebted to our ABC, Christ Masters and all for exposing him and his government for what it was.
I remember Tony Fitzgerald taking on the Commission of Inquiry into Police Behaviour and then into Political Corruption. Brave man to ask many hundreds of witnesses over several years. I would have not wanted to take such a risk.
Mandy
Bjelke Petersen's aim was to be visibly close to his wife and 4 children; value living on the land; speak like simple, rural people; praying and reading the Bible every day; attend public worship every Sunday; etc etc.
So the "quaintness" was not organised by a public relations assistance. Rather it came from very old-fashioned values that he still adhered to with _all_ his heart.
Andrew
It is still very hard to believe that he could do what he wanted, almost without question. I can imagine politicians outside his party trying to criticise, but what happened to his own Ministers who were brave enough to fight the Boss? Where they so frightened, they maintained their silence? Did they speak anyhow, and were thrown out of the Parliament or gaoled?
Going out onto the streets to protest his political decisions was very risky. I would not have risked my head being beaten by police batons! And look what happened in the 1971 Springbok rugby tour: Bjelke-Petersen declared a state of emergency over the anti-apartheid demonstration and the police used their new powers to a maximum :(
Student
Bjelke-Petersen was unable to recover from the series of damaging findings and after initially resisting a party vote that replaced him as leader, he resigned in Dec 1987. Just as well it was the end of his career by then anyhow, otherwise Fitzgerald might have faced even more vigorous opposition from the disgraced ex-Premier. As it was, Fitzgerald and his family received vicious death threats.
I hadn't heard of him before, perhaps because at the time he was active I wasn't really of an age to be interested. But reading about him now, there is a strong air of familiarity about his doings. Like most people I know right now, I'm hoping that the law catches up with some of the people running our country, but they're in no mood to resign, no matter how much corruption is exposed. All anyone can do is support those who are taking them on in the courts and trying to hold them to account. And probably they are not doing as much damage as Trump, but only because Britain has a much smaller reach than the US.
You, you, you, you ...! Another Bjelke-Petersen piece of choice articulation. I had a rad-fem-lesbian auntie that chose to move to Qld during his reign, for the challenge we used to say.
Hel explain gerrymandering again. I don't remember it as an Australian problem (except under Bjelke Petersen). How did it compare with the voting crimes in other countries?
Mandy
What a shame for the 2/3 of Queenslanders who adhered to other values.
Jenny
Joh became Premier in 1968 and completely dominated Qld politics for 20 years. I was politically very aware in the late 1960s, particularly because of the Vietnam War demonstrations etc... but was advised by parents and lecturers NOT to travel to Qld.
I can understand why your politicians will not voluntarily resign, no matter how much corruption is suggested by politicians, public servants and journalists. But that is exactly what we said about Bjelke Peterson, Trump, Bolsonaro and every other extremist despot. Nothing changes.
Pipistrello
your aunt must have been a very brave woman. I know winter in Qld is infinitely nicer than in the southern states, but nothing is worth being a target for feral politicians and over-vigorous police.
Joe
Gerrymandering was the political manipulation of electoral district boundaries, intending to create unfair advantage for a political party within the constituency. The votes were either diluted by spreading the voting power of the unwanted party's supporters over different electorates; alternatively by concentrating the unwanted party's voting power in one electorate to reduce their voting power elsewhere. One Vote, One Value would be impossible in a gerrymandered system.
Gerrymandering was totally undemocratic, but perhaps not as criminal as other methods of controlling who can vote, who cannot (eg women, migrants, blacks, ex-prisoners, hospital patients, asylum residents etc) and how to change votes AFTER the elections.
Good News Clipping Path Universe
Clipping
thank you for reading the post. Which element was good news for you?
So nice to meet you Hels. This was interesting to read. Let's hope that these men who are into things for themselves and not the people of a nation, state or province can not be voted into power-once or twice. It is scary how some people make it into such high political power.
Erika
Even if he only got 33% of the vote in some elections, how did such a large minority of voters in a democracy vote for immoral policies?
oh wow this takes me back . I grew up in QLD and was at university during the right to march protests. We were told that if we got caught marching we would be expelled from university . and I am very proud of the fact that my brother who was working at the ABC as a journalist at the 7.30 report or whatever it was called then was involved in uncovering the corruption which was the beginning of the end for Joh . The journalists were tailed by the police and it became evident that they were in danger and so the story was given to 4 corners who did the Moonlight State as a result .
I can remember some really heated debates with family who were Joh supporters . There was a real sense of Them and Us in QLD at that time . I don't think Southerners understand how much this is factor in our politics . Melbournians in particular live in a nice progressive bubble which just doesn't relate to country Queensland .
mem
Thanks for your response. I was at Melbourne Uni at the same time as you were at Qld Uni, and watched what was happening in Qld with dismay. But you are quite right; it was impossible for Southerners to _really_ understand how much Qld life was undermined.
I must say... your brother was a very brave young journalist. He and some of his colleagues took risks that many other people would not have.
That raises another important question. How is it that in an a democracy like modern Australia, a large minority of Qld voters supported Joh Bjelke Petersen, including your relatives?
How is it that in many countries people fall for this type of strong man them and us crap .? He appealed to peoples grievance and feeling that people "down south " got all the perks and goodies and this wasn't helped by the somewhat condescending attitudes shown toward Queensland "country bumpkins". I have to say that growing up there is the country the number of facilities and the quality of facilities that were available to the population were far below those I experienced when I started working and living in Victoria .Queensland has a relatively small population per square kilometer and this has made it a less electorally necessary to provide hence the support for gerrymanders and the paradigm offered up by Joe . I think this has changed a lot over the 40 years I have lived in Victoria but disenfranchising parts of the population never does a democracy good .Look at what is happening world wide .
mem and clipping path
I AM looking at what is happening world wide :(
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