This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2014/nov/10/wayne-goss-queensland-premier-dies
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Wayne Goss, former Queensland premier, dies at 63 | Wayne Goss, former Queensland premier, dies at 63 |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Political friends and foes alike have paid tribute to the former Queensland premier Wayne Goss, who has died aged 63. | Political friends and foes alike have paid tribute to the former Queensland premier Wayne Goss, who has died aged 63. |
| Goss had been in ill health in recent years and had undergone surgery for brain tumours. His death was announced on Monday morning. | Goss had been in ill health in recent years and had undergone surgery for brain tumours. His death was announced on Monday morning. |
| In December 1989, he became Queensland’s first Labor premier in 32 years, ending the old National party’s long grip on power in the years dominated by Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen. | In December 1989, he became Queensland’s first Labor premier in 32 years, ending the old National party’s long grip on power in the years dominated by Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen. |
| Goss is survived by his wife Roisin, and adult children Ryan and Caitlin. | Goss is survived by his wife Roisin, and adult children Ryan and Caitlin. |
| “As a family we mourn the man we love; as Queenslanders we join with so many others in gratitude for everything Wayne did for our community and our state,” they said in a statement. | “As a family we mourn the man we love; as Queenslanders we join with so many others in gratitude for everything Wayne did for our community and our state,” they said in a statement. |
| “In Wayne’s own words from 1996, ‘Thank you, Queensland. You’ve been good to me. I hope I’ve left you a better place’.” | “In Wayne’s own words from 1996, ‘Thank you, Queensland. You’ve been good to me. I hope I’ve left you a better place’.” |
| Among Goss’s reforms were ending the gerrymander, decriminalising homosexuality and introducing measures to protect the environment. | Among Goss’s reforms were ending the gerrymander, decriminalising homosexuality and introducing measures to protect the environment. |
| Former prime minister Kevin Rudd, who worked as chief of staff for Goss when he was premier, said Queensland was poorer for the passing of Goss. | |
| “Queensland has lost a great man, a great leader and one whom history will conclude was its greatest post-war premier,” he said. | |
| “He changed the face of Queensland, how Queenslanders looked at themselves, and how the rest of the nation saw Queensland.” | |
| Rudd said Goss would have risen to the top of virtually any field he chose but because of his decision to commit himself to public life Queensland was a vastly different place. | |
| “The fact that he chose a political vocation, with all the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune that attend it, made Queensland a decisively better place for us all,” he said. | |
| The state Labor leader, Annastacia Palaszczuk, said Goss would be remembered as one of the state’s great premiers. | The state Labor leader, Annastacia Palaszczuk, said Goss would be remembered as one of the state’s great premiers. |
| “Not only did he lead the Labor party back into government in 1989 after 32 years in the wilderness, he led a government that changed forever the face of our state and the expectations of Queenslanders,” she said. | “Not only did he lead the Labor party back into government in 1989 after 32 years in the wilderness, he led a government that changed forever the face of our state and the expectations of Queenslanders,” she said. |
| “His initiatives in areas such as education, health, the environment and accountability set new and higher standards for our state.” | “His initiatives in areas such as education, health, the environment and accountability set new and higher standards for our state.” |
| Tony Fitzgerald, the retired judge whose landmark inquiry into government and police corruption in Queensland helped usher in a new political age, paid tribute to Goss as the state’s key political reformer in recent years. | Tony Fitzgerald, the retired judge whose landmark inquiry into government and police corruption in Queensland helped usher in a new political age, paid tribute to Goss as the state’s key political reformer in recent years. |
| “Wayne Goss was a man of uncompromising integrity and an outstanding Queenslander whom I greatly admired,” Fitzgerald told Guardian Australia. | “Wayne Goss was a man of uncompromising integrity and an outstanding Queenslander whom I greatly admired,” Fitzgerald told Guardian Australia. |
| Fitzgerald said he first met Goss during the corruption inquiry in meetings with then premier Mike Ahern and Liberal party leader Anguss Innes. | Fitzgerald said he first met Goss during the corruption inquiry in meetings with then premier Mike Ahern and Liberal party leader Anguss Innes. |
| “All three provided essential support then and, after he became premier, Wayne’s leadership produced the reforms which transformed the state,” Fitzgerald said. | “All three provided essential support then and, after he became premier, Wayne’s leadership produced the reforms which transformed the state,” Fitzgerald said. |
| “Like most political reformers, he paid a heavy price.” | “Like most political reformers, he paid a heavy price.” |
| Fitzgerald said he had shared a meal with Goss and his wife a few months ago, when Goss was already gravely ill. | Fitzgerald said he had shared a meal with Goss and his wife a few months ago, when Goss was already gravely ill. |
| Rob Schwarten, who was a backbencher in the Goss government and went on to become a minister in subsequent Queensland Labor governments, said the changes introduced under Goss had made Queensland unrecognisable from the Bjelke-Petersen years. | Rob Schwarten, who was a backbencher in the Goss government and went on to become a minister in subsequent Queensland Labor governments, said the changes introduced under Goss had made Queensland unrecognisable from the Bjelke-Petersen years. |
| “You tell kids today that it was illegal to be a homosexual in Queensland prior to 1989 and they look at you disbelievingly,” he told radio station 4BC. | “You tell kids today that it was illegal to be a homosexual in Queensland prior to 1989 and they look at you disbelievingly,” he told radio station 4BC. |
| “The house sat until 3am and 4am day after day after day to tackle these social reforms, everything from gun laws to prostitution reform.” | “The house sat until 3am and 4am day after day after day to tackle these social reforms, everything from gun laws to prostitution reform.” |
| Schwarten said Goss was a shy man, which occasionally caused some to think he was arrogant. | Schwarten said Goss was a shy man, which occasionally caused some to think he was arrogant. |
| “He was a thoroughly decent man … he was a deep man I think, a great thinker, a great orator. Certainly his passion for change and to bring about a better Queensland can’t be underestimated,” Schwarten said. | “He was a thoroughly decent man … he was a deep man I think, a great thinker, a great orator. Certainly his passion for change and to bring about a better Queensland can’t be underestimated,” Schwarten said. |
| Goss kept the top job until February 1996, when the Mundingburra byelection caused Labor to lose its majority. | Goss kept the top job until February 1996, when the Mundingburra byelection caused Labor to lose its majority. |
| Goss had been preselected to run against Pauline Hanson at the 1998 federal election, but his first brain tumour ended that career option. | Goss had been preselected to run against Pauline Hanson at the 1998 federal election, but his first brain tumour ended that career option. |
| The premier, Campbell Newman, said he was saddened to hear of Goss’s death and observed a minute’s silence in a cabinet meeting where he was informed of the death. He has offered Goss’s family a state funeral. | The premier, Campbell Newman, said he was saddened to hear of Goss’s death and observed a minute’s silence in a cabinet meeting where he was informed of the death. He has offered Goss’s family a state funeral. |
| “Wayne was a true leader who guided his party and the state through a turbulent time in Queensland’s history,” Newman said in a statement. | “Wayne was a true leader who guided his party and the state through a turbulent time in Queensland’s history,” Newman said in a statement. |
| “He drove much-needed reform in many aspects of Queensland’s public life, including social policy, electoral laws and reform of the police service and broader public service. | “He drove much-needed reform in many aspects of Queensland’s public life, including social policy, electoral laws and reform of the police service and broader public service. |
| “He did so with tenacity, determination and courage. Those attributes were also very much at the forefront as he battled cancer.” | “He did so with tenacity, determination and courage. Those attributes were also very much at the forefront as he battled cancer.” |
| The federal opposition leader, Bill Shorten, said Goss was a “lifelong champion for social justice” and it was a very sad day for the Labor party. | The federal opposition leader, Bill Shorten, said Goss was a “lifelong champion for social justice” and it was a very sad day for the Labor party. |
| He reflected that Goss was driven to politics after becoming enraged at the dismissal of the former Labor prime minister Gough Whitlam. | He reflected that Goss was driven to politics after becoming enraged at the dismissal of the former Labor prime minister Gough Whitlam. |
| “Like Gough before him, Wayne would go on to achieve a drought-breaking electoral triumph, bringing with it a mandate for landmark progressive reforms,” Shorten said in a statement. | “Like Gough before him, Wayne would go on to achieve a drought-breaking electoral triumph, bringing with it a mandate for landmark progressive reforms,” Shorten said in a statement. |
| “His victory in the 1989 state election marked a new era – an end to the malaise and corruption that had eaten away at Queensland’s democracy in the final stretch of 32 years of conservative rule.” | “His victory in the 1989 state election marked a new era – an end to the malaise and corruption that had eaten away at Queensland’s democracy in the final stretch of 32 years of conservative rule.” |
| Terry Mackenroth, who was a minister in the Goss government, said he had last spoken to Goss a few months ago. | Terry Mackenroth, who was a minister in the Goss government, said he had last spoken to Goss a few months ago. |
| “He was a good premier, he brought a great deal of discipline to government and he brought in many reforms that are still in place today,” Mackenroth said. | “He was a good premier, he brought a great deal of discipline to government and he brought in many reforms that are still in place today,” Mackenroth said. |
| “His reforms put us in good stead for many years to come.” | “His reforms put us in good stead for many years to come.” |