Sir Joh resigns after struggle

Press, 2 December 1987, Page 1

Sir Joh resigns after struggle

By

ROBERT LOWE

of NZPA in Sydney

The Premier of Queensland, Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen, has ended a week-long power struggle and a 19year era in the state’s political history by announcing his resignation.

Sir Job made bis announcement yesterday in Brisbane at a news conference that was

“They have dominated them to a degree that they are prepared to walk away from myself, the ideals and objectives that I have furthered to make this state great.” But Sir Joh said he bore no bitterness towards his adversaries, saying he was free to do the things he wanted. He said he was the only Australian Premier to have his telephone numbers listed in the directory and had thousands of people ringing him every year. He and his wife, Federal Senator Flo Bjelke-Petersen, had spent “over 20 hours continuously on two phones answering calls” in recent days. “We have just been pure, simple servants of the people of this state and when you are serving you are never really free — you are on tap seven days a week.”

brought forward by an hour so it could be carried live on the main evening television and news bulletins in New South Wales. “I have decided to resign as Premier and retire from Parliament, effective immediately,” he said.

"As this is the last time I will address you as Premier, I wish to say that, in the last 40 years, I have had but one objective — to mate Queensland a better place in which to live and work.

"I have always given of my best. Thank you for your support down the years. I do appreciate your prayers and your messages of love to me and to Flo.

“I wish you well. Thank you all. Goodbye and God bless.”

Sir Joh did not answer questions shouted at him by reporters. “Ladies and gentlemen, I want to appreciate you coming today,” he said. “I am a free man. I am free. I am going to celebrate tonight up at the Sheraton with my family. All the best.” Earlier in his brief statement, Sir Joh said the National Party of today was not the party he had led to power and he had no wish to continue.

Premier since 1968, the 76-year-old Dannevirke-born son of a Lutheran minister seemed indestructible after he retained power against the odds at the state elections last November. However, his star had been waning ever since his aborted Joh-for-P.M. campaign, which came to an embarrassing end in mid-year. He was caught off guard and unprepared in California when the Prime Minister, Mr Bob Hawke, announced an early election on May 27. When Sir Joh threatened to call an early election of his own over his bid to remain Premier to the end of the state’s parliamentary term in late 1989, the party backlash led to his announcement in October that he would resign on the "eighth of the eighth, 88” — the twentieth anniversary of his appointment as Premier.

“It was my intention to take this matter to the floor of Parliament,” he said. "However, I now have no interest in leading the National Party any further.” The man who last week ousted Sir Joh as leader of the National Party, Mr Mike Ahern, will take over as Premier.

In a television interview recorded earlier yesterday, Sir Joh blamed the party president, Sir Robert Sparkes, and the party’s “numbers men” for his demise. "These people have tried to dominate me and the party and they are dominating those people down there today,” he said.

Career details, page 10