Sir Joh could lose job today

Press, 26 November 1987, Page 10

Sir Joh could lose job today

NZPA-AAP Brisbane A special meeting of the National Party parliamentary wing this morning will dump the Queensland Premier, Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen, the party’s state president, Sir Robert Sparkes, predicted yesterday afternoon. , At a news conference, Sir Robert answered reporters’ questions about Sir Joh’s future by saying he did not expect him to be premier by this afternoon. National Party members of Parliament decided to call a party meeting for noon today (New Zealand time) during a state management committee meeting held yesterday afternoon. Sir Robert said the party had legal advice from five sources and was convinced that Sir Joh could do nothing to stop today’s meeting from going ahead. Sir Joh called a special Cabinet meeting yesterday and postponed a swearing-in ceremony for his new Ministry at Government House. According to Government sources, the meeting started at 9.30 a.m. Brisbane time. Sir Joh is understood to have left shortly before 16 a.m. to drive to Government House for a meeting with the Governor, Sir Walter Campbell. The sources said the three Ministers dismissed by Sir Joh on Tuesday — Mike Ahern, Brian Austin and Peter McKechnie — did not attend yesterday morning’s Cabinet meeting. The special Cabinet meeting, which continued after Sir Joh’s departure, followed discussions on Tuesday night

e between the Premier and f hb y Whb was originally also ■ dismissed. , e - it is understood Mr r Gunn was angered by e suggestions that he would t, lose his portfolio of Mln- - later Assisting the - Treasurer. Sir Joh, who ls also i, Treasurer, believed the - portfolio should be abolt Ished or, at least, brought i under his total control. ) Mr Gunn is understood - to have told the Premier he would not'’ tolerate - such a move. Tbe Premier finally f conceded and, further / agreed to call the special - Cabinet meeting to int form the remaining I Ministers of their new portfolios. Consideration was also to be given to whether I Ministers who did not change portfolios would > need to attend the swear- ! Ing in ceremony. Meanwhile, pressure is I mounting from Sir Joh’s ■ National Party backi benchers for the Premier • to hold an urgent meeting of the parliamentary wing. The meeting is expected to result in Sir Joh losing the Premiership that he has held tor . 16 years. ■ “Normally you have to give seven days notice of such a meeting but if we have seven more days of haemorrhaging by the party, then there will no blood left,” one ’ backbencher said. National’s powerful management committee is due to meet this afternoon to discuss the political crisis and Is expected to push for a. special parliamentary -wing meeting to be held this week.