Russell Cooper
Encyclopedia
Theo Russell Cooper is a former Australia
n National Party
politician.
He was Premier of Queensland
for a period of 73 days, from 25 September 1989 to 7 December 1989. His loss at the state election of 1989 ended 32 years of continuous National Party rule over Queensland.
breeder, followed the customary path to politics in the National Party, becoming involved in the Bendemere Shire Council
before being elected for the seat of Roma in 1983. At the time of Cooper's election, Queensland was under the reign of long-serving Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen
.
By the late 1980s, the once impregnable Bjelke-Petersen government had begun to falter amid the failure of Bjelke-Petersen's ill-fated foray into national politics
, and the establishment of the Fitzgerald Inquiry
into police corruption, which implicated a great many senior governmental and police figures in widespread official corruption. In December 1987, the National Party replaced Bjelke-Petersen as leader and Premier with Mike Ahern. Ahern appointed Cooper to cabinet as part of an influx of younger National parliamentarians who had not been associated with the previous Cabinet. Cooper was given the difficult portfolio of Corrective Services.
Ahern was a very different leader from Bjelke-Petersen. His moderation and focus on consensus leadership was to many Nationals a rude shock after the legendary strong-willed approach of his predecessor. An embittered Bjelke-Petersen worked publicly to undermine and destabilise the National Party leadership, and still held the allegiance of many Nationals supporters.
In the beginning of 1989, Cooper was promoted to Minister for Police, another challenging portfolio that had been at the heart of the turmoil associated with the Fitzgerald Inquiry. The report was particularly damaging, since the Nationals faced a statutory general election later that year. The promotion was seen as an attempt by Ahern to remove the stigma of Fitzgerald from the area. The effect, however, was to raise Cooper's personal profile among Nationals supporters disaffected with Ahern. With polls showing Labor
having its best chance in years to win government, Cooper was promoted as an alternate leader to Ahern. In particular, it was thought he could shore up the National Party's vote in its conservative rural heartland. Portraying himself as a strong leader who was closer to the Bjelke-Petersen mould, Cooper launched a leadership challenge and toppled Ahern as party leader on 25 September. He was sworn in as premier later that day.
All three political parties in Queensland had changed their leaders by 1989 — in addition to the Nationals, the Liberals
were now led by Angus Innes
and Labor by Wayne Goss
. Cooper had a dimmer view of the proposed Fitzgerald reforms than Ahern and put off their implementation. Although the legislation establishing the Criminal Justice Commission
(CJC) was passed under Cooper, he would later have an adversarial relationship with the Commission itself. Although Cooper's elevation did have some effect within rural electorates, the overall decline of the National's fortunes continued.
Cooper led the National Party into the 1989 election with traditional National focuses: law and order
, social conservatism
, and attacks on the federal Labor government. The Nationals produced a number of controversial advertisements, one of which alleged that the Labor Opposition's plan to decriminalise homosexuality
would lead to a flood of gays from southern states moving to Queensland. These advertisements were satirised by Labor ads depicting Cooper as a wild-eyed reactionary. In the election, the Nationals were heavily defeated, suffering the worst defeat of a sitting government in Queensland.
Cooper stayed on as Leader of the Opposition. However, his tenure was brought to an end in 1991, when allegations were made in the Courier-Mail that a large number of Queensland parliamentarians from all parties had abused their travel entitlements (the "travel rorts affair"). The CJC began an investigation, and although the names of those under investigation were suppressed, it became obvious through indirect published hints that one of them was Cooper. On 9 December Cooper announced that he was under investigation for the funding of a trip to Hamilton Island
with his wife, refunded the cost of the trip, and stood down as National Party leader. This was widely seen as a tactical move aimed at shaming senior members of the government such as Terry Mackenroth
. Cooper was succeeded as Leader by Rob Borbidge
. The CJC subsequently cleared Cooper of impropriety.
Following the redistribution, which followed legislation designed to rid Queensland's electoral system of malapportionment in favour of rural areas, Cooper became member for Crows Nest
at the 1992 election. He returned to the Nationals' front bench in November of that year as Shadow Minister for Police. In February 1996, when Borbidge formed a minority government after winning a closely fought by-election in Mundingburra
, Cooper became Minister for Police, Corrective Services, and Racing.
Soon afterwards Cooper was named in what would become the central scandal of the Borbidge government, when it was revealed that during the Mundingburra by-election campaign, Borbidge and Cooper had signed a secret Memorandum of Understanding with the Queensland Police Union guaranteeing the QPU the repeal of unpopular Goss government measures, the power of veto
over senior police appointments, and increased police funding in return for a donation of A$
20,000 to the by-election campaign. This close relationship evoked many memories of the Bjelke-Petersen era, where relations between the executive and the police service were (sometimes improperly) close. When the matter came under investigation by the CJC (the Carruthers Inquiry), Cooper led strident attacks on the body and its independence. Cooper ignored repeated Opposition calls for him to resign.
In 1998, the Borbidge government lost office and Labor's Peter Beattie
became Premier. Cooper became Shadow Minister for Primary Industries but stepped down from the front bench in December 1999. He retired from Parliament in the state election of 2001.
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 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...
politician.
He was Premier of Queensland
Queensland
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...
for a period of 73 days, from 25 September 1989 to 7 December 1989. His loss at the state election of 1989 ended 32 years of continuous National Party rule over Queensland.
Biography
Cooper, a cattleCattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
breeder, followed the customary path to politics in the National Party, becoming involved in the Bendemere Shire Council
Shire of Bendemere
Shire of Bendemere was a Local Government Area in the Maranoa region of Queensland, Australia, until incorporated into Maranoa Regional Council on 26 July 2009. Towns in the shire included Jackson, Wallumbilla and the location of the administration offices, Yuleba.The economy of the shire is...
before being elected for the seat of Roma in 1983. At the time of Cooper's election, Queensland was under the reign of long-serving 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...
.
By the late 1980s, the once impregnable Bjelke-Petersen government had begun to falter amid the failure of Bjelke-Petersen's ill-fated foray into national politics
Joh for Canberra
The Joh for Canberra or Joh for PM campaign was an attempt by the Queensland branch of the National Party of Australia to install Queensland Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen as Prime Minister of Australia....
, and the establishment 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...
into police corruption, which implicated a great many senior governmental and police figures in widespread official corruption. In December 1987, the National Party replaced Bjelke-Petersen as leader and Premier with Mike Ahern. Ahern appointed Cooper to cabinet as part of an influx of younger National parliamentarians who had not been associated with the previous Cabinet. Cooper was given the difficult portfolio of Corrective Services.
Ahern was a very different leader from Bjelke-Petersen. His moderation and focus on consensus leadership was to many Nationals a rude shock after the legendary strong-willed approach of his predecessor. An embittered Bjelke-Petersen worked publicly to undermine and destabilise the National Party leadership, and still held the allegiance of many Nationals supporters.
In the beginning of 1989, Cooper was promoted to Minister for Police, another challenging portfolio that had been at the heart of the turmoil associated with the Fitzgerald Inquiry. The report was particularly damaging, since the Nationals faced a statutory general election later that year. The promotion was seen as an attempt by Ahern to remove the stigma of Fitzgerald from the area. The effect, however, was to raise Cooper's personal profile among Nationals supporters disaffected with Ahern. With polls showing Labor
Australian 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...
having its best chance in years to win government, Cooper was promoted as an alternate leader to Ahern. In particular, it was thought he could shore up the National Party's vote in its conservative rural heartland. Portraying himself as a strong leader who was closer to the Bjelke-Petersen mould, Cooper launched a leadership challenge and toppled Ahern as party leader on 25 September. He was sworn in as premier later that day.
All three political parties in Queensland had changed their leaders by 1989 — in addition to the Nationals, the Liberals
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...
were now led by Angus Innes
Angus Innes
John Angus Mackenzie Innes, was a Queensland politician and leader of the state Liberal Party.-Biography:Innes was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly in 1978 at a by-election to fill a vacancy created by the death of John Herbert...
and Labor by Wayne Goss
Wayne Goss
Wayne Keith Goss was Premier of Queensland from 7 December 1989 until 19 February 1996.-Early life:He was born at Mundubbera, Queensland and educated at Inala High School and the University of Queensland...
. Cooper had a dimmer view of the proposed Fitzgerald reforms than Ahern and put off their implementation. Although the legislation establishing the Criminal Justice Commission
Criminal Justice Commission
The Criminal Justice Commission was established in 1989 by the Queensland Criminal Justice Act 1989, following widespread corruption amongst high-level Queensland politicians and police officers being uncovered in the Fitzgerald Inquiry...
(CJC) was passed under Cooper, he would later have an adversarial relationship with the Commission itself. Although Cooper's elevation did have some effect within rural electorates, the overall decline of the National's fortunes continued.
Cooper led the National Party into the 1989 election with traditional National focuses: law and order
Law and order (politics)
In politics, law and order refers to demands for a strict criminal justice system, especially in relation to violent and property crime, through harsher criminal penalties...
, social conservatism
Social conservatism
Social Conservatism is primarily a political, and usually morally influenced, ideology that focuses on the preservation of what are seen as traditional values. Social conservatism is a form of authoritarianism often associated with the position that the federal government should have a greater role...
, and attacks on the federal Labor government. The Nationals produced a number of controversial advertisements, one of which alleged that the Labor Opposition's plan 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 lead to a flood of gays from southern states moving to Queensland. These advertisements were satirised by Labor ads depicting Cooper as a wild-eyed reactionary. In the election, the Nationals were heavily defeated, suffering the worst defeat of a sitting government in Queensland.
Cooper stayed on as Leader of the Opposition. However, his tenure was brought to an end in 1991, when allegations were made in the Courier-Mail that a large number of Queensland parliamentarians from all parties had abused their travel entitlements (the "travel rorts affair"). The CJC began an investigation, and although the names of those under investigation were suppressed, it became obvious through indirect published hints that one of them was Cooper. On 9 December Cooper announced that he was under investigation for the funding of a trip to Hamilton Island
Hamilton Island
Hamilton Island may refer to:* Hamilton Island , Australia** Hamilton Island Race Week, keelboat regatta** Great Barrier Reef Airport, formerly Hamilton Island Airport* Hamilton Island , Canada...
with his wife, refunded the cost of the trip, and stood down as National Party leader. This was widely seen as a tactical move aimed at shaming senior members of the government such as Terry Mackenroth
Terry Mackenroth
Terence Michael "Terry" Mackenroth is a former Queensland Australian Labor Party politician, serving almost 28 years with a notable parliamentary service history and a number of ministerial roles including Treasurer and Deputy Premier....
. Cooper was succeeded as Leader by 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...
. The CJC subsequently cleared Cooper of impropriety.
Following the redistribution, which followed legislation designed to rid Queensland's electoral system of malapportionment in favour of rural areas, Cooper became member for Crows Nest
Electoral district of Crows Nest
Crows Nest was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland from 1992 to 2001.The district took in rural areas in southern Queensland, centred on the town of Crows Nest-Members for Crows Nest:...
at the 1992 election. He returned to the Nationals' front bench in November of that year as Shadow Minister for Police. In February 1996, when Borbidge formed a minority government after winning a closely fought by-election in Mundingburra
Mundingburra state by-election, 1996
The Mundingburra state by-election, 1996 was a by-election held on 3 February 1996 for the Queensland Legislative Assembly seat of Mundingburra, located in the southern suburbs of Townsville...
, Cooper became Minister for Police, Corrective Services, and Racing.
Soon afterwards Cooper was named in what would become the central scandal of the Borbidge government, when it was revealed that during the Mundingburra by-election campaign, Borbidge and Cooper had signed a secret Memorandum of Understanding with the Queensland Police Union guaranteeing the QPU the repeal of unpopular Goss government measures, the power of veto
Veto
A veto, Latin for "I forbid", is the power of an officer of the state to unilaterally stop an official action, especially enactment of a piece of legislation...
over senior police appointments, and increased police funding in return for a donation of A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
20,000 to the by-election campaign. This close relationship evoked many memories of the Bjelke-Petersen era, where relations between the executive and the police service were (sometimes improperly) close. When the matter came under investigation by the CJC (the Carruthers Inquiry), Cooper led strident attacks on the body and its independence. Cooper ignored repeated Opposition calls for him to resign.
In 1998, the Borbidge government lost office and Labor's 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...
became Premier. Cooper became Shadow Minister for Primary Industries but stepped down from the front bench in December 1999. He retired from Parliament in the state election of 2001.