John Sheed
Retirement day 26 years service
Farewell to John Sheed
- Staff at 200 Mary St, toast John as he retires after 26 years.
- John is seen working on his last story on Thursday 14th July
One of the best stories written by John
- By John Sheed
- KINGAROY, Qld, April 23 AAP - Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen, the controversial political figure credited with taking Queensland from a cinderella state to an economic powerhouse, is dead at age 94.
- Sir Joh, Queensland premier for a record 19 years, died in hospital in his home town Kingaroy in south-east Queensland at 6pm (AEST) tonight.
- An emotional Isabelle Jonsson, Sir Joh's personal physician who nursed him through his illness-plagued final years, emerged from the hospital a short time later to announce his death.
- "It is with great sadness that I have to announce that Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen died at 6 o'clock. All his family were with him," she said.
- Queensland Premier Peter Beattie said Sir Joh's record of serving 19 years as Queensland Premier between 1968 and 1987 "will almost certainly never be surpassed"
- State National Leader Lawrence Springborg said Sir Joh was a no-nonsense visionary.
- "He had that all important common-touch like no one before him and no one since. And he had a passion for Queensland and Queensland families that is hard to surpass."
- Prime Minister John Howard, who said he bore no ill will about Sir Joh's doomed 1987 campaign for PM which derailed his first tilt at The Lodge, said: "He was certainly a strong political figure and I extend my condolences to his wife and his family."
- Sir Joh succumbed to Supranuclear Palsy, which had left him unable to speak or eat and caused him great difficulty in breathing.
- The South Burnett Community Hospital's director of nursing Leonie Galvioli, who had tears in her eyes, said her staff were upset by Sir Joh's death which came after a six-day fight for life in hospital.
- "It's a small rural community, everyone knows everyone else - they know the Bjelke-Petersens well.
- "It's hard to watch anyone die," Ms Galvioli said.
- Sir Joh suffered two emergencies today with his breathing that brought family members rushing to his bedside, fearing the worst.
- But each time he rallied, then the end came suddenly.
- Long time Joh adviser Ken Crooke, who has been helping the Bjelke-Petersen family, said an era in Australian and Queensland's political history had closed.
- "Love him or hate him, no-one, then or since, has been able to bestride the political stage and stir emotions in the same way as Sir Joh.
- "He had a simple rule for success in politics and that was, `say what you think and then do what you say'.
- "Joh led Queensland from a cinderella state to an economic power that has led the nation.
- "Sir Joh has departed this life this evening but his achievements will live on - don't you worry about that."
- Mr Crooke said final arrangements for Sir Joh's state funeral would take about five working days to complete.
- His funeral will be held in Kingaroy and he will be buried in a special plot on his family's property Bethany.
- Sir Joh died just hours after his eldest granddaughter Anna Noack Brown and his two great grandchildren Kahli, 5, and Landon, 22 months, arrived from their Indianapolis, US, home.
- Mrs Noack Brown said she had fond memories of her grandfather who would tell her stories and take her walking on his property.
- "He's been a terrific influence to have in my life as a grandfather, just perfect," Mrs Noack Brown said.
- Two other of Sir Joh's 13 grandchildren, Justin, who was flying from Moscow and Carl, who was trying to get home from Egypt, were not expected to reach Australia until next week.
- Federal Agriculture Minister and former mayor of Kingaroy Warren Truss, who visited Sir Joh just hours before he died, said he had been privileged to work with him during his final seven years as premier.
- "He's been a great mentor and friend of mine over the years, I admired him greatly," Mr Truss said.
- Sir Joh's family including 84-year-old wife Lady Flo were expected to attend a church service in Kingaroy tomorrow.
- AAP jfs/kj/sc/hu/de
