Ann Scott comments on the Bjelke-Petersen Government and its relationship with the public service. She notes that while the government was unquestionably oppressive, as demonstrated by the increasing use of the police to quell discontent, it allowed the public service a great deal of autonomy and, consequently, it was generally a very comfortable time to work there.
Ann Scott discusses her early interest in education policy, particularly in the actions of the STOP and CARE group, and her first job at the North Brisbane College of Advanced Education, teaching courses tailored to give women more occupational mobility. She also discusses her PhD in the politics of education, focused on the impacts of the Ahern Committee, and her subsequent employment as a policy officer in the Education Department.
Peter Beattie considers the major crises faced during his premiership, reflecting that his government avoided the scandals of the Bjelke-Petersen era by emphasising honesty.
Peter Beattie speaks about the reforms to the Labor Party in the 1980s, the recognition that a strong public service was required to deliver the party's new policy directions, and the importance of key senior public servants during the Bjelke-Petersen era.
Wayne Goss discusses the corruption that thrived under the Bjelke-Petersen Government, the degree to which Bjelke-Petersen himself was involved, and the dangers of one party being in power for a long period.
Wayne Goss speaks about the lack of change in Queensland during the decades of conservative government and his desire for wide ranging reform, including the public service and the organisation of portfolios.
Russell Cooper describes the end of the Bjelke-Petersen era and his experience from within the party. He describes the beginning of the Ahern Government and the stability it created in the National Party.
Brian Head recalls his arrival in Brisbane in 1982, and the concern with the apparently unassailable Bjelke-Petersen regime. He briefly discusses the eventual downfall of the Bjelke-Petersen Government, and the election of the Goss Government on a reform platform. He discusses his position as the first head of policy in the Premier's Department in 1990, and discusses the selection process in the context of the post Bjelke-Petersen merit-based appointment system. He also mentions the gulag to which many senior Bjelke-Petersen public servants were sent by the Goss Government.
