Wayne Goss
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Wayne Keith Goss (1951-) was Premier of Queensland from December 7, 1989 until February 19, 1996. He holds a special place in Queensland history as the man who finally ended the conservative dynasty begun by Sir Johannes Bjelke-Petersen.
Goss was victorious in a landslide over Russell Cooper in the 1989 State Election in Queensland and presided over the implementation of many of the reforms of the landmark Fitzgerald Inquiry into police corruption - which had reached astronomical proportions. His election win was seen as the beginning of a new era, with Queensland's major newspaper declaring "Goss the Boss".
Goss would go on to win a second term, but with a reduced majority, over a revitalised National Party-Liberal Party coalition.
The 1995 election, however, was dominated by the Goss government's plan to resume clearing of sensitive bushland for the widening of one of south-east Queensland's major roadways. The Greens party preferenced against Labor and the electorate reacted to Goss' perceived authoritarian style, dealing Labor a narrow one-seat majority.
Irregularities were alleged in the Townsville seat of Mundingburra, won narrowly by Labor's Tony Mooney over the Coalition's Frank Tanti. Following a recount, the seat went to the Coalition, bringing about a hung Parliament with the balance of power held by Gladstone-based 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 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 removed without any problems) forced him to scale back his activities. Despite support from both sides of Parliament - evidenced by moving scenes in which the House gave him a standing ovation on his return from surgery - Goss retired from politics. At the time, rumours circulated that then-Federal Opposition Leader Kim Beazley had offered him a front-bench position if he ran and won in a Federal election, however no proof has been offered of this suggestion.
Since his retirement from politics, Goss has served as an advisor to accountancy group Deloitte Touche-Tomahtsu as well as in various other public roles.
He still lives in Brisbane with his wife Roisin and their two children, Caitlin and Ryan.
One of Goss' early aides was former diplomat Kevin Rudd, now Shadow Foreign Relations Minister in the Federal Labor Party.
| Preceded by: Russell Cooper | Premier of Queensland 1989–1996 | Succeeded by: Rob Borbidge
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