Wayne Goss
Encyclopedia
Wayne Keith Goss was Premier of Queensland from 7 December 1989 until 19 February 1996.
and educated at Inala
High School and the University of Queensland
(LLB). He worked as a solicitor and then with the Aboriginal Legal Service before setting up his own practice.
(ALP) MLA
in 1983 for the Division of Salisbury and later Logan. He was elected Leader of the Opposition in 1988.
Goss led Labor into the 1989 state elections against the National Party
government of Russell Cooper
. The Queensland Nationals were still reeling from revelations of the rampant corruption of longtime premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen
. Goss seized on National ads arguing that his plans to decriminalise homosexuality
would result in gays flooding into Queensland. He replied with ads painting Cooper as a wild-eyed reactionary and a carbon copy of Bjelke-Petersen.
Goss and Labor won a strong majority government, scoring a 24-seat swing--the worst defeat of a sitting government since the introduction of responsible government
in Queensland. His election win, which ended 32 years of Coalition
/National Party rule, was seen as the beginning of a new era, with The Courier-Mail
declaring "Goss the Boss". Once installed in office, he presided over the implementation of many of the reforms of the landmark Fitzgerald Inquiry
into police corruption
.
The Goss Government introduced several electoral reforms, the most notable being the elimination of the "Bjelkemander
" that had helped keep the Queensland Nationals in power. It also introduced social reforms such as decriminalising homosexuality. Goss' Chief of Staff as Premier was former diplomat
Kevin Rudd
, later leader of the federal Labor Party and Prime Minister of Australia
.
Goss won a second term at the 1992 state election, maintaining the same 19-seat majority he won in 1989 over the National Party and the Liberal Party
(the two non-Labor parties went out of coalition in 1983, but resumed the coalition after the 1992 election).
Before the 1995 election the Goss Government announced a plan to clear sensitive bushland for an alternative to one of south-east Queensland's major roadways. A number of electorates which Labor lost at the election itself were in Brisbane's Bayside area, and known as 'the koala seats' because of the passion stirred up by a belief that the new road would destroy the habitat of koala
s. The Greens
Party did something it had never done before: it recommended that its supporters not give their second preference, on voting ballots, to Labor. Partly as a result of this, as well as the increasing unpopularity of Goss's management style (widely thought to be authoritarian) and growing anger at the federal Labor government, Labor was reduced to a one-seat majority.
Irregularities were alleged in the Townsville seat of Mundingburra
, which had been won narrowly by Labor's Ken Davies over the Coalition's Frank Tanti, the most serious being that several servicemen serving in Rwanda
didn't have their votes counted. Following a declaration by the Supreme Court of Queensland
, sitting as a Court of Disputed Returns, a by-election was ordered for February 1996. The Labor candidate was defeated by the Coalition candidate at the by-election. This outcome brought about a hung Parliament
; the balance of power was held by Gladstone
Independent
Liz Cunningham
. Cunningham announced that she was going to support the Rob Borbidge
-led Coalition on the floor of Parliament, leaving Goss with no alternative but to resign as Premier.
Goss' defeat proved to be a harbinger of federal Labor's massive defeat in the federal election held a month later. Labor suffered particularly heavy losses in Queensland; it was cut down to only two seats there, its worst result in the state since being reduced to only one seat in 1975
. Goss later said that Queensland voters had turned so violently on then-Prime Minister Paul Keating
that they were "sitting on their verandas with baseball bats" waiting for the writs to drop. http://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2010/guide/preview_qld.htm
Goss returned to the back benches of the Opposition
under new Opposition Leader Peter Beattie
and assumed something of an "elder statesman" role. However, a diagnosis of a brain tumour (subsequently partially removed without any problems) forced him to scale back his activities. Despite support from both sides of Parliament - evidenced when the House gave him a standing ovation
on his return from surgery - Goss retired from politics.
At the time, rumours circulated that the Labor Party's Federal Opposition Leader Kim Beazley
had offered Goss a front-bench position if he ran and won a seat in a Federal election; however no proof has been offered of this suggestion.
group Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
as well as in various other public roles. Goss is currently Chairman of the Australian firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu.
From 2003 to 2007, Goss was on the board of Ingeus Limited, the company founded by Thérèse Rein, the wife of former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd
, his former chief-of-staff.
Goss became Chairman of Free TV, the lobby group representing the free-to-air television companies in Australia, in 2008.
Wayne Goss is also an Ambassador of the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation.
with his wife, Roisin.
They have two children, Ryan and Caitlin, both of whom attended the University of Queensland and were awarded Rhodes Scholarship
s to attend the University of Oxford
in 2007 and 2009 respectively.
Early life
He was born at Mundubbera, QueenslandQueensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
and educated at Inala
Inala, Queensland
Inala is a suburb of Brisbane, Australia, situated in the south-west of the metropolitan area.-History:Following World War II there was a shortage of 250,000 houses across Australia. State and Commonwealth Governments responded by making housing a priority. In Queensland alone over 4000 families...
High School and the University of Queensland
University of Queensland
The University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
(LLB). He worked as a solicitor and then with the Aboriginal Legal Service before setting up his own practice.
Political career
Goss entered state politics as an Australian Labor PartyAustralian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
(ALP) MLA
Member of the Legislative Assembly
A Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
in 1983 for the Division of Salisbury and later Logan. He was elected Leader of the Opposition in 1988.
Goss led Labor into the 1989 state elections against the National Party
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
government of Russell Cooper
Russell Cooper
Theo Russell Cooper is a former Australian National Party politician.He was Premier of Queensland for a period of 73 days, from 25 September 1989 to 7 December 1989...
. The Queensland Nationals were still reeling from revelations of the rampant corruption of longtime premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen
Joh Bjelke-Petersen
Sir Johannes "Joh" Bjelke-Petersen, KCMG , was an Australian politician. He was the longest-serving and longest-lived Premier of Queensland, holding office from 1968 to 1987, a period that saw considerable economic development in the state...
. Goss seized on National ads arguing that his plans to decriminalise homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
would result in gays flooding into Queensland. He replied with ads painting Cooper as a wild-eyed reactionary and a carbon copy of Bjelke-Petersen.
Goss and Labor won a strong majority government, scoring a 24-seat swing--the worst defeat of a sitting government since the introduction of responsible government
Responsible government
Responsible government is a conception of a system of government that embodies the principle of parliamentary accountability which is the foundation of the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy...
in Queensland. His election win, which ended 32 years of Coalition
Coalition (Australia)
The Coalition in Australian politics refers to a group of centre-right parties that has existed in the form of a coalition agreement since 1922...
/National Party rule, was seen as the beginning of a new era, with The Courier-Mail
The Courier-Mail
The Courier-Mail is a daily newspaper published in Brisbane, Australia. Owned by News Limited, it is published daily from Monday to Saturday in tabloid format. Its editorial offices are located at Bowen Hills, in Brisbane's inner northern suburbs, and it is printed at Murarrie, in Brisbane's...
declaring "Goss the Boss". Once installed in office, he presided over the implementation of many of the reforms of the landmark Fitzgerald Inquiry
Fitzgerald Inquiry
The Fitzgerald Inquiry into Queensland Police corruption was a judicial inquiry presided over by Tony Fitzgerald QC. The inquiry resulted in the deposition of a premier, two by-elections, the jailing of three former ministers and a police commissioner who was jailed and lost his...
into police corruption
Police corruption
Police corruption is a specific form of police misconduct designed to obtain financial benefits, other personal gain, or career advancement for a police officer or officers in exchange for not pursuing, or selectively pursuing, an investigation or arrest....
.
The Goss Government introduced several electoral reforms, the most notable being the elimination of the "Bjelkemander
Bjelkemander
The Bjelkemander was the term given to a system of malapportionment in the Australian State of Queensland in the 1970s and 1980s. Under the system, electorates were allocated to zones such as rural or metropolitan and electoral boundaries drawn so that rural electorates had about half as many...
" that had helped keep the Queensland Nationals in power. It also introduced social reforms such as decriminalising homosexuality. Goss' Chief of Staff as Premier was former diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
, later leader of the federal Labor Party and Prime Minister of Australia
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
.
Goss won a second term at the 1992 state election, maintaining the same 19-seat majority he won in 1989 over the National Party and the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
(the two non-Labor parties went out of coalition in 1983, but resumed the coalition after the 1992 election).
Before the 1995 election the Goss Government announced a plan to clear sensitive bushland for an alternative to one of south-east Queensland's major roadways. A number of electorates which Labor lost at the election itself were in Brisbane's Bayside area, and known as 'the koala seats' because of the passion stirred up by a belief that the new road would destroy the habitat of koala
Koala
The koala is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia, and the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae....
s. The Greens
Australian Greens
The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is an Australian green political party.The party was formed in 1992; however, its origins can be traced to the early environmental movement in Australia and the formation of the United Tasmania Group , the first Green party in the world, which...
Party did something it had never done before: it recommended that its supporters not give their second preference, on voting ballots, to Labor. Partly as a result of this, as well as the increasing unpopularity of Goss's management style (widely thought to be authoritarian) and growing anger at the federal Labor government, Labor was reduced to a one-seat majority.
Irregularities were alleged in the Townsville seat of Mundingburra
Electoral district of Mundingburra
The district of Mundingburra is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland.- Overview :The seat is one of four within the Townsville urban area in North Queensland. Significant utilities within the Mundingburra electorate are the Townsville Hospital,...
, which had been won narrowly by Labor's Ken Davies over the Coalition's Frank Tanti, the most serious being that several servicemen serving in Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
didn't have their votes counted. Following a declaration by the Supreme Court of Queensland
Supreme Court of Queensland
The Supreme Court of Queensland, which is based at the Law Courts Complex, is the superior court for the Australian State of Queensland and sits around the middle of the Australian court hierarchy...
, sitting as a Court of Disputed Returns, a by-election was ordered for February 1996. The Labor candidate was defeated by the Coalition candidate at the by-election. This outcome brought about a hung Parliament
Hung parliament
In a two-party parliamentary system of government, a hung parliament occurs when neither major political party has an absolute majority of seats in the parliament . It is also less commonly known as a balanced parliament or a legislature under no overall control...
; the balance of power was held by Gladstone
Electoral district of Gladstone
The district of Gladstone is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland.The current member is independent Liz Cunningham who won the seat on National Party preferences after defeating then Labor MP Neil Bennett at the 1995 election...
Independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
Liz Cunningham
Liz Cunningham
Elizabeth Anne "Liz" Cunningham is an Australian politician. She has been an independent member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly since 1995, representing the electorate of Gladstone...
. Cunningham announced that she was going to support the Rob Borbidge
Rob Borbidge
Robert Edward Borbidge AO , Australian politician, was the 35th Premier of Queensland, and leader of the Queensland branch of the National Party...
-led Coalition on the floor of Parliament, leaving Goss with no alternative but to resign as Premier.
Goss' defeat proved to be a harbinger of federal Labor's massive defeat in the federal election held a month later. Labor suffered particularly heavy losses in Queensland; it was cut down to only two seats there, its worst result in the state since being reduced to only one seat in 1975
Australian federal election, 1975
Federal elections were held in Australia on 13 December 1975. All 127 seats in the House of Representatives, and all 64 seats in the Senate were up for election following a double dissolution of both Houses....
. Goss later said that Queensland voters had turned so violently on then-Prime Minister Paul Keating
Paul Keating
Paul John Keating was the 24th Prime Minister of Australia, serving from 1991 to 1996. Keating was elected as the federal Labor member for Blaxland in 1969 and came to prominence as the reformist treasurer of the Hawke Labor government, which came to power at the 1983 election...
that they were "sitting on their verandas with baseball bats" waiting for the writs to drop. http://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2010/guide/preview_qld.htm
Goss returned to the back benches of the Opposition
Opposition (parliamentary)
Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning the administration or the cabinet rather than the state...
under new Opposition Leader Peter Beattie
Peter Beattie
Peter Douglas Beattie , Australian politician, was the 36th Premier of the Australian state of Queensland for nine years and leader of the Australian Labor Party in that state for eleven and a half years...
and assumed something of an "elder statesman" role. However, a diagnosis of a brain tumour (subsequently partially removed without any problems) forced him to scale back his activities. Despite support from both sides of Parliament - evidenced when the House gave him a standing ovation
Standing ovation
A standing ovation is a form of applause where members of a seated audience stand up while applauding after extraordinary performances of particularly high acclaim...
on his return from surgery - Goss retired from politics.
At the time, rumours circulated that the Labor Party's Federal Opposition Leader Kim Beazley
Kim Beazley
In the October 1998 election, Labor polled a majority of the two-party vote and received the largest swing to a first-term opposition since 1934. However, due to the uneven nature of the swing, Labor came up eight seats short of making Beazley Prime Minister....
had offered Goss a front-bench position if he ran and won a seat in a Federal election; however no proof has been offered of this suggestion.
Post-political career
Since his retirement from politics, Goss has served as an advisor to accountancyAccountancy
Accountancy is the process of communicating financial information about a business entity to users such as shareholders and managers. The communication is generally in the form of financial statements that show in money terms the economic resources under the control of management; the art lies in...
group Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited , commonly referred to as Deloitte, is one of the Big Four accountancy firms along with PricewaterhouseCoopers , Ernst & Young, and KPMG....
as well as in various other public roles. Goss is currently Chairman of the Australian firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu.
From 2003 to 2007, Goss was on the board of Ingeus Limited, the company founded by Thérèse Rein, the wife of former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
, his former chief-of-staff.
Goss became Chairman of Free TV, the lobby group representing the free-to-air television companies in Australia, in 2008.
Wayne Goss is also an Ambassador of the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation.
Family
He still lives in BrisbaneBrisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
with his wife, Roisin.
They have two children, Ryan and Caitlin, both of whom attended the University of Queensland and were awarded Rhodes Scholarship
Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship, named after Cecil Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for study at the University of Oxford. It was the first large-scale programme of international scholarships, and is widely considered the "world's most prestigious scholarship" by many public sources such as...
s to attend the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
in 2007 and 2009 respectively.