Flo Bjelke-Petersen
Encyclopedia
Florence "Flo" Isabel, Lady Bjelke-Petersen (born 11 August 1920) is an Australia
n retired politician and writer. She was a member of the Australian Senate
from 1981 to 1993, and is the widow of the longest-serving Premier of Queensland, Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen
.
, she was employed as private secretary to the Queensland Commissioner for Main Roads when she met Johannes Bjelke-Petersen, who was then a Country Party
member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
. They were married on 31 May 1952.
Bjelke-Petersen was preoccupied with home duties until well after Joh Bjelke-Petersen became Premier in 1968. In the 1970s, however, she assumed an increasingly public role, as part of the Queensland National Party's increasing promotion of a Bjelke-Petersen "personality cult." Her homely sayings and her recipes for pumpkin
scone
s were quoted in the media.
At the 1980 federal election
, Joh Bjelke-Petersen arranged against the wishes of Party President Sir Robert Sparkes
for his wife to be placed in the Number 1 position on the National Party's Queensland Senate ticket, ensuring her election. Her term was due to commence on 1 July 1981, but on 6 February 1981, Queensland Senator Glen Sheil
resigned, creating a casual vacancy. She was appointed on 12 March 1981 for the remainder of Sheil's term, and then continued into her own term. It was speculated that her husband, Joh Bjelke-Petersen, intended entering federal politics, and that at some point Florence would resign from the Senate to allow Joh to be appointed to the vacancy. But Joh Bjelke-Petersen's federal aspirations ended with the failed "Joh for Canberra" campaign in 1987.
When Joh Bjelke-Petersen was knighted in 1984, Flo Bjelke-Petersen became Lady Bjelke-Petersen, and was officially known as "Senator Lady Bjelke-Petersen." She was frequently, but incorrectly, referred to as "Lady Florence" or "Lady Flo". (This usage suggests she is the daughter of a peer rather than the wife of a knight.) Although the name "Lady Flo" is incorrect, it is universally used in the media and among the general public.
She was re-elected at the 1983
and 1987 elections (both double dissolution
s), and her term expired on 30 June 1993.
In Canberra
Lady Bjelke-Petersen was well liked by politicians of all parties, even those who loathed her husband. Her speeches were usually about local Queensland issues and seldom political in content. She retired from the Senate in 1993.
which included her recipe
for her trademark pumpkin scones.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n retired politician and writer. She was a member of the Australian Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
from 1981 to 1993, and is the widow of the longest-serving Premier of Queensland, Sir 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...
.
Biography
Born as Florence Isabel Gilmour 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...
, she was employed as private secretary to the Queensland Commissioner for Main Roads when she met Johannes Bjelke-Petersen, who was then a 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 of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
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...
. They were married on 31 May 1952.
Bjelke-Petersen was preoccupied with home duties until well after Joh Bjelke-Petersen became Premier in 1968. In the 1970s, however, she assumed an increasingly public role, as part of the Queensland National Party's increasing promotion of a Bjelke-Petersen "personality cult." Her homely sayings and her recipes for pumpkin
Pumpkin
A pumpkin is a gourd-like squash of the genus Cucurbita and the family Cucurbitaceae . It commonly refers to cultivars of any one of the species Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita mixta, Cucurbita maxima, and Cucurbita moschata, and is native to North America...
scone
Scone (bread)
The scone is a small Scottish quick bread especially popular in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand,Belgium and Ireland, but are also eaten in many other countries. They are usually made of wheat, barley or oatmeal, with baking powder as a leavening agent...
s were quoted in the media.
At the 1980 federal election
Australian federal election, 1980
Federal elections were held in Australia on 18 October 1980. All 125 seats in the House of Representatives, and 34 of the 64 seats in the Senate, were up for election. The incumbent Liberal Party of Australia led by Malcolm Fraser with coalition partner the National Country Party led by Doug...
, Joh Bjelke-Petersen arranged against the wishes of Party President Sir Robert Sparkes
Robert Sparkes
Sir Robert Lyndley Sparkes was born in Dalby, Queensland, the son of Sir James Sparkes. He was president of the Queensland National Party from 1970 to 1990....
for his wife to be placed in the Number 1 position on the National Party's Queensland Senate ticket, ensuring her election. Her term was due to commence on 1 July 1981, but on 6 February 1981, Queensland Senator Glen Sheil
Glen Sheil
Glenister Fermoy Sheil was an Australian politician, representing the National Party in the Senate for the state of Queensland from 1974 to 1981, and again from 1984 to 1990....
resigned, creating a casual vacancy. She was appointed on 12 March 1981 for the remainder of Sheil's term, and then continued into her own term. It was speculated that her husband, Joh Bjelke-Petersen, intended entering federal politics, and that at some point Florence would resign from the Senate to allow Joh to be appointed to the vacancy. But Joh Bjelke-Petersen's federal aspirations ended with the failed "Joh for Canberra" campaign in 1987.
When Joh Bjelke-Petersen was knighted in 1984, Flo Bjelke-Petersen became Lady Bjelke-Petersen, and was officially known as "Senator Lady Bjelke-Petersen." She was frequently, but incorrectly, referred to as "Lady Florence" or "Lady Flo". (This usage suggests she is the daughter of a peer rather than the wife of a knight.) Although the name "Lady Flo" is incorrect, it is universally used in the media and among the general public.
She was re-elected at the 1983
Australian federal election, 1983
Federal elections were held in Australia on 5 March 1983. All 125 seats in the House of Representatives, and all 64 seats in the Senate, were up for election, following a double dissolution...
and 1987 elections (both double dissolution
Double dissolution
A double dissolution is a procedure permitted under the Australian Constitution to resolve deadlocks between the House of Representatives and the Senate....
s), and her term expired on 30 June 1993.
In Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
Lady Bjelke-Petersen was well liked by politicians of all parties, even those who loathed her husband. Her speeches were usually about local Queensland issues and seldom political in content. She retired from the Senate in 1993.
Miscellaneous
She has published a cookbookCookbook
A cookbook is a kitchen reference that typically contains a collection of recipes. Modern versions may also include colorful illustrations and advice on purchasing quality ingredients or making substitutions...
which included her recipe
Recipe
A recipe is a set of instructions that describe how to prepare or make something, especially a culinary dish.-Components:Modern culinary recipes normally consist of several components*The name of the dish...
for her trademark pumpkin scones.