Peter Beattie discusses his decision to retire from politics, his work to foster talent within the party in order to transition the leadership of the party, and initial resistance to his selection of a female successor.
Peter Beattie talks about the shadow cabinet's preparation for office while in opposition, and their development of a suite of new reform policies gathered together under the agenda-setting concept of the Smart State.
Ross Rolfe reflects on the relationship between premiers and universities, including Peter Beattie and Mike Ahern, and Peter Beattie's ability to convince the media of its importance. He describes the spread of Smart State-ism to other activities including 'clean coal' technologies, gas, coal seam methane, and aviation. He describes the failure in the synchrotron bid and the resulting initiative with Paul Greenfield of the University of Queensland to get federal funding for the AIBN.
Ross Rolfe describes the Smart State strategy and the origins of some aspects in the Borbidge Government such as the Institute of Molecular Biosciences. He states that the Beattie Government took it to a new level providing operational funding and attracting researchers and forming clusters. He describes how the biosciences strategy was developed in first 6 months of the Beattie Government.
Scott Prasser decribes the effect of the Smart State policy in departments he was associated with including State Development, and the establishment of the International Science and Technology Unit. He describes the creation in the second Beattie Government of the Department of Innovation under Minister Paul Lucas, and its contribution to Science Week. He discusses the production of the Smart State Initiatives booklet and the relabelling of programs under Smart State.
Scott Prasser outlines Beattie's drive regarding Smart State and his involvement with the Vice-Chancellor at University of Queensland John Hay in the biotechnology project.
Scott Prasser discusses the origin of the Beattie Government's Smart State strategy, including its origins pre-Beattie, and his personal preference for the term 'Innovative state'.
