Jim Elder

Interviewed by
Chris Salisbury
Apr 07 2011
Jim Elder
Labor politician Jim Elder entered parliament in 1989 and served as a minister in the Goss Government. He became Deputy Premier when the Labor Party returned to power in 1998.
Biography
Time Summary Keywords
00:00:00 Jim Elder discusses his early childhood and education. He details his career in the private sector, his membership of Young Labor and his entry into parliament in 1989. Goss Government 1989-96, Wayne Goss, Young Labor
00:04:13 Jim Elder discusses the role of factions in the party. He notes his ideological position and his ties with the AWU and associated party branches. He discusses preselection and election. factions, Goss Government 1989-96, unions, Wayne Goss
00:07:15 Jim Elder outlines his experiences as a new Member of Parliament in 1989 and the excitement he experienced as a backbencher during the first Goss Government. backbench, Con Sciacca, Joan Budd
00:09:51 Jim Elder discusses his first term in parliament. He highlights his role as a factional leader within the party which involved management of the backbench. He delves into his role as the chair of the committee examining the state's ambulance service. factions, unions, Wayne Bennett
00:13:42 Jim Elder discusses his promotion to the ministry after the 1992 election and his approach to the Business, Industry and Regional Development portfolio. He also discusses the Goss Government's approach to state development and the role of his Director General Ron Boyle. 1992 election, Business, Industry and Regional Development, Coordinator General, Economic Development, Health Department, Ron Boyle, state development, Trade, Wayne Goss
00:18:31 Jim Elder outlines his relationship with the Director General and the bureaucracy. relationship with public service
00:20:35 Jim Elder discusses his time as the Minister for Health. He outlines the challenges of the portfolio and states his belief that the government was not getting the credit it deserved for the changes they introduced. Health Department
00:22:53 Jim Elder discusses the 1995 election and his shift from Health to Transport. He details the debate surrounding the Gold Coast Motorway. Gold Coast Motorway, Health Department, koala habitat, Peter Beattie, Transport, Wayne Goss
00:25:29 Jim Elder describes his relationship with the Premier as his assistant in Economic and Trade Development matters and as a factional leader. He states the Premier probably helped his career behind the scenes. Business, Industry and Regional Development, Economic Development, factions, Tom Burns, Transport
00:30:21 Jim Elder discusses his relationship with the Office of Cabinet. Cabinet Office, Kevin Rudd
00:32:26 Jim Elder discusses the role he played in his constituency of Capalaba and states that he thinks people are generally too hard on politicians.
00:34:01 Jim Elder discusses the appointment of his various directors general. Bruce Wilson, Ron Boyle
00:36:49 Jim Elder discusses the leadership transition from Wayne Goss to Peter Beattie and his decision to support Beattie and to take on the deputy leadership. He discusses the personality of Peter Beattie. He outlines the fall of the Goss Government. Bundaberg, Con Sciacca, leadership, Liz Cunningham, Peter Beattie, Townsville, unions, Wayne Goss
00:44:15 Jim Elder outlines his leadership aspirations and his decision to back Peter Beattie in the belief that he was the best chance to return Labor to power. leadership, Peter Beattie, Wayne Goss
00:46:02 Jim Elder discusses Labor's return to power and the importance of Beattie's leadership. leadership, Peter Beattie, Peter Wellington, Warren Pitt
00:47:35 Jim Elder provides his views on the Borbidge Government's approach to public service and the existence of a hit list of public servants. Borbidge Government 1996-98, Hit List, Mundingburra by-election 1996, Wayne Goss
00:50:36 Jim Elder outlines the Goss Government's public service reforms and the rebuilding of relationships when Labor returned to power. Beattie Government 1998-2007, Borbidge Government 1996-98, Goss Government 1989-96, public sector reform
00:52:24 Jim Elder details the agenda of the first Beattie Government. He notes that reducing unemployment was the core message but the government had a wide range of other legislative aims. Beattie Government 1998-2007
00:55:21 Jim Elder discusses the origins of the Smart State strategy and the origins of State Development as a super department. He discusses the appointment of Ross Rolfe as the Director General of State Development and Trade. He discusses the implications of having economic development in Treasury and the decision to move the commercial arm out of Treasury. Business, Industry and Regional Development, Peter Beattie, Ross Rolfe, Smart State, State Development Department, Treasury
01:02:40 Jim Elder discusses the move of the commercial arm of Treasury to State Development. He outlines some of the industries the government encouraged. Economic Development, State Development Department, Stuart Booker, Treasury
01:04:32 Jim Elder outlines his personal role in developing the Smart State agenda. Smart State, State Development Department
01:06:59 Jim Elder states his belief that Smart State grew out of the state development agenda. Peter Beattie, Smart State, state development
01:08:51 Jim Elder discusses his role in coordinating the state development agenda across portfolios. Cabinet, Ross Rolfe, state development
01:12:17 Jim Elder discusses the Beattie Government's portfolio arrangements and his position within the Cabinet. Cabinet, Peter Beattie
01:14:19 Jim Elder discusses the break-up of State Development after his departure from parliament. Beattie Government 1998-2007, Bligh Government 2007-12, State Development Department
01:17:48 Jim Elder discusses industry development and the efforts made to attract businesses to Queensland. Australia Trade Coast, aviation, Bob Gibbs, Cabinet, Coordinator General, Ed Casey, IT, Peter Beattie, Primary Industries and Fisheries, tourism, Virgin Airlines
01:22:41 Jim Elder recalls the rise of One Nation and the effort the Beattie Government put into limiting the damage to Queensland's reputation in Asia. 1998 election, Asia, One Nation, Pauline Hanson, Peter Beattie
01:26:37 Jim Elder explores of the role of Treasury and the funding of new initiatives associated with State Development and the Smart State. Cabinet Budget Review Committee, Gerard Bradley, Peter Beattie, Smart State, State Development Department, Treasury
01:30:37 Jim Elder discusses the process surrounding the funding of new initiatives. budget process, State Development Department, Virgin Airlines
01:33:35 Jim Elder discusses whole-of-government coordination. Cabinet Office, Coordinator General, Goss Government 1989-96, State Development Department
01:35:28 Jim Elder describes the emergence and development of a knowledge-based economy. biosciences, biotechnology, energy production, health, IT, QIMR, universities
01:39:51 Jim Elder reflects on his time in politics and as Deputy Premier. He notes the hard work involved in a political career but states he enjoyed his time in parliament. Peter Beattie
01:42:34 Jim Elder tells of his greatest achievements from his time in politics. Beattie Government 1998-2007, Health Department, State Development Department
01:44:39 Jim Elder describes the events leading up to the Shepherdson Inquiry and discusses his disappointment about the end of his political career. Courier mail, Crime and Misconduct Commission, factions, Peter Beattie, Shepherdson Inquiry, Townsville, unions
01:50:36 Jim Elder discusses the things he would have liked to have achieved if his political career had not ended. He describes the impact of his political career on his family life. State Development Department
01:56:33 Interview ends.
Position:
Labor, Politician
Bailiwick:
Deputy Premier, Health, State Development
Decade:
1990s
Sound byte: 

Jim Elder

Biography

Jim Elder

Labor politician Jim Elder entered parliament in 1989, serving as a minister in the Goss Government and rose to become Deputy Premier when Labor returned to power in 1998.

Jim Elder was born on 14 December 1950 in Melbourne. He spent his early years in Victoria before moving to Queensland. Like future premier Wayne Goss, Elder attended Inala State High School.  Prior to entering parliament he worked in the private sector and become the manager of the Brisbane Broncos Rugby League Club. After having been a member of Young Labor he rejoined the Labor Party in the mid-1980s and entered parliament in 1989. 

Jim Elder rose quickly in the new Labor government. He worked behind the scenes as a leader of the AWU faction as well as serving on parliamentary committees including the investigation into the Ambulance Service. After the 1992 election he became the Minister for Business, Industry and Regional Development. In 1995 he briefly served as the Minister for Health and after the 1995 election he moved to take up the Transport portfolio as well as becoming the Minister Assisting the Premier on Economic Development and Trade. 

The 1996 Mundingburra by-election heralded the end of the Goss Labor government. Wayne Goss resigned and Peter Beattie replaced him as leader with Elder as his deputy. When Labor returned to power in 1998 Elder became Deputy Premier and the Minister for State Development and Trade. The Labor Party had gone to the election with the promise of ‘jobs, jobs, jobs’ and the state development portfolio was central to the government’s plan to tackle unemployment. 

Elder’s parliamentary career came to end in early 2001. He resigned in the wake of the Shepherdson Inquiry. Since leaving politics he has returned to the private sector and is also involved in charity work.

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Associated interviews: 
Peter Beattie
Associated interviews: 
Ross Rolfe