Leigh Tabrett recalls the development of the Smart State slogan for Queensland and the concomitant investment in research and higher education during the Goss and Beattie governments, as well as the growing interest in creative industries.
Frank Peach discusses the difficulties of summarising the greatest achievements of his career. He highlights the Leading Schools program and the policies surrounding this, the reforms implemented in Corrections and the Families portfolio. He discusses his time at Inala and Bamaga schools and his role within the Queensland Teachers' Union.
John Strano considers some of the companies that Queensland did not attract and the reasons for this. He describes the case of winning Fisher & Paykel and later their exit from Queensland. He recalls the South Australian government selling off IT assets.
John Strano discusses the influence of ministers in the process of encouraging government investment. He describes this from Bjelke-Petersen Government through to the Beattie Government, he details the ministers through this period and then the staff where problems sometimes occured. He notes that from about 1995-96 he needed to justify some of the investment projects his section proposed. He notes that he had to educate governments to invest in the private sector but also let companies go about their business.
John Strano notes that Borbidge and Beattie had a very good relationship. He notes examples in the transition to the Beattie Government when investment deals still went ahead. He describes the importance of early investment projects, such as with Boeing, that led to Queensland being the Smart State before being labeled thus.
Jim Varghese addresses why he joined the public service and explains how he was invited by Thomas Fenwick to take up the position of Deputy Director General of Natural Resources. He describes his decision to continue in the public service rather than accept a position in the commercial sector.
Desley Boyle discusses becoming the member for Cairns and her relationship with the Labor Party and with the AWU faction. She describes serving in Beattie's minority government, and the scandals and resignations that marred the end of his first term.
