South Coast state by-election, 1988
Encyclopedia
A by-election was held in the Queensland Legislative Assembly
seat of South Coast
on 28 August 1988. It was triggered by the resignation of sitting National Party
member Russ Hinze
.
The seat was retained by the National Party with the election of candidate Judy Gamin
.
was first elected to parliament at the 1966 state election
as the Country Party
member for South Coast
. In 1974, he became a minister in the government of Joh Bjelke-Petersen
, holding several portfolios up until the end of Bjelke-Petersen's reign in December 1987. Like Bjelke-Petersen, Hinze was disgraced by the revelations of the Fitzgerald Inquiry
, a probe into government and police corruption. He was therefore left out of the new government led by Premier Mike Ahern
. Hinze became a fierce critic of Ahern before resigning his seat on 24 May 1988.
Due to recent losses by the Nationals at the Barambah state
and Groom federal
by-elections, winning South Coast was seen as critical by the Nationals.
and the Liberal Party
; businesswomen and regional party vice-president Judy Gamin
and Bob Quinn
respectively. Lindsay Hartwig
, formerly a National Party and independent member for the rural seat of Callide
, stood on behalf of the far right Citizens Electoral Council
. Philip Black, a supporter of Joh Bjelke-Petersen
and former Young Nationals president who had been expelled from the National Party, ran as an independent with Sir Joh's verbal endorsement. Bruce Whiteside, founder of the anti-Japanese investment group "Heart of a Nation", also nominated, although his New Zealand citizenship posed a public perception problem for his campaign given the number of New Zealand companies buying up land in the Gold Coast.
, Judy Gamin
was defeated at the 1989 state election by Bob Quinn
who was once again standing as the Liberal Party
candidate.
Queensland Legislative Assembly
The Queensland Legislative Assembly is the unicameral chamber of the Parliament of Queensland. Elections are held approximately once every three years. Voting is by the Optional Preferential Voting form of the Alternative Vote system...
seat of South Coast
Electoral district of South Coast (Queensland)
South Coast was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland from 1960 to 1992.The district was based in the south-east corner of the state and included much of the Gold Coast.-Members for South Coast:...
on 28 August 1988. It was triggered by the resignation of sitting 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...
member Russ Hinze
Russ Hinze
The Hon. Russell James "Russ" Hinze , born in Oxenford on the Gold Coast, was a Queensland politician in the 1970s and 1980s. He presided over an era of controversy that included the setting up of the Racing Development Fund, ministerial rezonings and the licensing of Jupiters Casino...
.
The seat was retained by the National Party with the election of candidate Judy Gamin
Judy Gamin
Judith Margaret Gamin is a former Australian politician. She was a National Party member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, representing the district of South Coast from 1988 to 1989 and the district of Burleigh from 1992 to 2001....
.
Background
Russ HinzeRuss Hinze
The Hon. Russell James "Russ" Hinze , born in Oxenford on the Gold Coast, was a Queensland politician in the 1970s and 1980s. He presided over an era of controversy that included the setting up of the Racing Development Fund, ministerial rezonings and the licensing of Jupiters Casino...
was first elected to parliament at the 1966 state election
Queensland state election, 1966
Elections were held in the Australian state of Queensland on 28 May 1966 to elect the 78 members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly.The major parties contesting the election were the Country Party led by Premier Frank Nicklin in coalition the Liberal Party, the Australian Labor Party led by...
as the Country 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...
member for South Coast
Electoral district of South Coast (Queensland)
South Coast was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland from 1960 to 1992.The district was based in the south-east corner of the state and included much of the Gold Coast.-Members for South Coast:...
. In 1974, he became a minister in the government of 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...
, holding several portfolios up until the end of Bjelke-Petersen's reign in December 1987. Like Bjelke-Petersen, Hinze was disgraced by the revelations of the 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...
, a probe into government and police corruption. He was therefore left out of the new government led by Premier Mike Ahern
Michael Ahern (Australian politician)
Michael John Ahern AO is a former Queensland National Party politician who was Premier of Queensland from December 1987 to September 1989. After a long career in the government of Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen, Ahern became his successor amidst the controversy caused by the Fitzgerald Inquiry into...
. Hinze became a fierce critic of Ahern before resigning his seat on 24 May 1988.
Due to recent losses by the Nationals at the Barambah state
Barambah state by-election, 1988
The Barambah state by-election, 1988 was a by-election held on 16 April 1988 for the Queensland Legislative Assembly seat of Barambah, based in the town of Kingaroy. The by-election was triggered by the resignation of National MP and former Premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen...
and Groom federal
Groom by-election, 1988
A by-election was held for the Australian House of Representatives seat of Groom on 9 April 1988. This was triggered by the resignation of National Party MP Tom McVeigh.The election was won by Liberal Party candidate Bill Taylor.-Candidates:...
by-elections, winning South Coast was seen as critical by the Nationals.
Candidates
The by-election attracted a field of ten candidates. With South Coast being a reliably conservative electorate, the two most notable candidates were therefore those of the National PartyNational 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...
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...
; businesswomen and regional party vice-president Judy Gamin
Judy Gamin
Judith Margaret Gamin is a former Australian politician. She was a National Party member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, representing the district of South Coast from 1988 to 1989 and the district of Burleigh from 1992 to 2001....
and Bob Quinn
Bob Quinn (Australian politician)
Robert Joseph Quinn is an Australian Liberal Party politician in the Queensland parliament. He was leader of the Queensland Liberal Party from 2001 until being ousted on 7 August 2006 by Bruce Flegg....
respectively. Lindsay Hartwig
Lindsay Hartwig
Lindsay Earle Hartwig was an Australian politician. He was a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly from 1972 to 1986, representing the electorate of Callide...
, formerly a National Party and independent member for the rural seat of Callide
Electoral district of Callide
The district of Callide is an electoral division in Queensland, Australia.It encompasses agricultural and mining towns in the Burnett, Callide and Dawson valleys...
, stood on behalf of the far right Citizens Electoral Council
Citizens Electoral Council
The Citizens Electoral Council of Australia is a minor nationalist political party in Australia affiliated with the international LaRouche Movement, led by American political activist and conspiracy theorist Lyndon LaRouche. It reported having 549 members in 2007...
. Philip Black, a supporter of 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...
and former Young Nationals president who had been expelled from the National Party, ran as an independent with Sir Joh's verbal endorsement. Bruce Whiteside, founder of the anti-Japanese investment group "Heart of a Nation", also nominated, although his New Zealand citizenship posed a public perception problem for his campaign given the number of New Zealand companies buying up land in the Gold Coast.
Results
Judy Gamin of the National Party prevailed narrowly over the Liberal Party's Bob Quinn.Aftermath
Seeking a second term as the member for South CoastElectoral district of South Coast (Queensland)
South Coast was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland from 1960 to 1992.The district was based in the south-east corner of the state and included much of the Gold Coast.-Members for South Coast:...
, Judy Gamin
Judy Gamin
Judith Margaret Gamin is a former Australian politician. She was a National Party member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, representing the district of South Coast from 1988 to 1989 and the district of Burleigh from 1992 to 2001....
was defeated at the 1989 state election by Bob Quinn
Bob Quinn (Australian politician)
Robert Joseph Quinn is an Australian Liberal Party politician in the Queensland parliament. He was leader of the Queensland Liberal Party from 2001 until being ousted on 7 August 2006 by Bruce Flegg....
who was once again standing as 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...
candidate.