Eight Songs About Joh Bjelke-Petersen's Queensland

There have been few Australian politicians to polarise the country quite like Queensland National Party premier from 1968-1987, Joh Bjelke-Petersen. Well, maybe Pauline Hanson has subsequently come close. 

Depending on your side of politics, Bjekle-Petersen was either the best premier the state ever had or the worst thing to happen to Queensland since its inception. Joh reigned Queensland with unprecedented popularity, winning election after election with his autocratic, police-led method of governing and a regime that was subsequently found by the Fitzgerald Inquiry to be systemically corrupt. 

He famously quelled demonstrations and had no time for 'lefties', growing an underground of discontent that spawned among other things, 4ZZZ and a many other movements. He was a darling of property developers, approving the now-famous high-rise skyline of the Gold Coast and turning a blind eye to "progress" like the demolition of Cloudland. 

The juxtaposition of the arts community's disquet with the general community push to even install him as Australian prime minister in 1985 (largely driven by Gold Coast property developers) created a wide rift between the Queensland community. As with all long-term political disagreements, music was at the forefront, with Queensland's famously conservative way of life making its way into songs not just domestically, but across the world. 

We look at eight of the songs that were spawned by the Joh Bjelke-Petersen government and the legacy they left. 

The Stranglers - Nuclear Device (1979)

Inspired by a visit to Brisbane in the late 70s and an altercation with police at a Brisbane pub by JJ Burnell, The Stranglers took Queensland to the international stage... for better or worse.  

"They jumped on stage and there was a bit of a punch-up. We ended up holed-up in our hotel. I think we could've constituted an illegal gathering because there were more than three of us together." The song brands Bjelke-Petersen as the "wizard of oz" and refers to the continual shifts of the electoral borders to benefit the National party - "I don't really care which way you vote, 'Cos my gerrymander works out fine" 

The Parameters - Pig City (1983)

Recorded at the 4ZZZ studios, The Parameters Pig City was a 1980s institution casting shade on the premier. One Youtube comment lists it as "a foundation stone of Queensland". It was eventually immortalised as the title of Andrew Stafford's seminal book on Brisbane's music culture Pig City: From The Saints To Savage Garden. The Parameters were Tony Kneipp on vocals, rhythm and slide guitars and saxophone, Ian Graham on lead guitar and bass and Steven Pritchard on drums. 

The Saints - I'm Stranded (1976)

The Saints were global punk pioneers, but what prompted the anger? Living in conservative Joh-era Brisbane with nothing to do. A metaphor for 70s Brisbane, the band railed against the homogeny and conservatism of the time. "I'm riding on a midnight train, And everybody looks just the same, A subway light it's dirty reflection, I'm lost babe I got no direction"

Skyhooks - Over The Border (1979)

A classic diss song from Greg Macainsh and the boys, this one thumbs its nose at Queensland, saying "it's nice to visit but I wouldn't want to stay". Ironically, the song was a big hit in Queensland reaching the top 10, but didn't reach the top 30 nationally. Bjelke-Petersen wasn't impressed saying the song was "a cheap little gimmick aimed at attracting free publicity".

Time Lords Inc - Don't Mess With Joe (1986)

There's a time and place for subtlety, but this isn't it. Little-known local reggae act Time Lords Inc (not to be confused with The KLF) dropped their one and only single in 1986 and gave us a lesson on who not to mess with. Joh of course. 

Redgum - Letter To B.J. (1978)

The fight against the government encouraging people to be 'taking to the street'. From the band's debut 1978 album If You Don't Fight You Lose, the song was classic John Schumann who would go on to be a political candidate in the 1990s for the Australian Democrats, nearly unseating Alexander Downer in the South Australian seat of Mayo. 

The Go-Betweens - Streets Of Your Town (1988)

Released the year after John was deposed, this one isn't a Joh song specifically, but has heavy barbs at the legacy he left. Part love letter, part attempt to reconcile the past two decades ("they shut it down"), the song epitomises Queensland in the late 80s, trying to figure out what a post-Joh state looked like as the people re-assessed their identity. Now easily The Go-Betweens biggest hit, the back-handed nature of the compliments to Brisbane seem to have been lost on a lot of people, who even named a bridge after the band in 2010. But maybe that's its charm. 

Joh For PM - The Musical (2017)

You know you've left a legacy (of some kind) when you've got an entire musical written about you. Keating can claim it and so can Joh. First produced in 2017 and performed at the Brisbane Powerhouse for the Queensland Music Festival and starring Lano & Woodley's Colin Lane and theatre legend Chloe Dallimore, the show was nominated for a Matilda Award for best musical. The Courier Mail noted that: "it doesn't get any more Queensland than this, right down to the pineapple emblems displayed on the groin areas of various costumes". 

Sounds like Joh would have loved it.