Brian Burke - Political Career

Political Career

The son of federal Labor parliamentarian Tom Burke, Brian Burke started his career as a journalist, initially at the West Australian newspaper and later in radio and television. He entered politics in 1973, winning the Legislative Assembly seat of Balcatta at a by-election. His elder brother Terry held the seat of Perth from 1968-1987. In 1981, Brian Burke defeated Ron Davies to become opposition leader. At the February 1983 state election, he became the state's 23rd premier (and its third youngest after John Scaddan and Newton Moore), ending almost nine years of conservative coalition government which had commenced under Sir Charles Court, and was completed by Ray O'Connor (1982–1983). On 25 February 1983, Burke's 36th birthday, the governor commissioned the Burke ministry.

The Burke government abolished capital punishment in Western Australia in 1984.

His premiership was characterised by very close associations with businessmen such as Laurie Connell and Alan Bond and arranging joint government and business deals. As a result of the 1987 stock market crash, major corporate collapses including that of Connell's merchant bank Rothwells unwound some of those deals which, in turn, caused major losses to the state. The corporate deals and the attempted government-sponsored rescue of Rothwells under subsequent premier Peter Dowding were widely styled in media and civil society as "WA Inc".

Burke resigned as premier and as member for Balga on 25 February 1988, on the fifth anniversary of his becoming premier and his own 41st birthday. A packed public gallery attended his resignation speech and both he and his deputy Mal Bryce, who resigned on the same day, were given a rare standing ovation in the House. Burke was able to play the part of kingmaker, convincing party colleagues to support the Dowding-Parker ticket for the leadership. Burke then accepted an appointment as Australia's ambassador to Ireland and the Holy See.

As a result of the allegations, the WA Inc royal commission was established in 1991, and led to Burke being charged with various offences for which he was sentenced to two years' imprisonment. He served seven months in jail in 1994 for travel expense rorts before being released on parole. In March 1997 he was sentenced to three years' jail for stealing $122,585 in campaign donations. He served six months before the convictions were quashed on appeal. He was stripped of his honour as a Companion of the Order of Australia.

Burke has since been active as a consultant and lobbyist for Western Australian business interests. His continued involvement in state Labor branch politics has been a subject of controversy since before Labor returned to power in 2001. Former premier Geoff Gallop banned cabinet ministers from contact with Burke, but this was lifted by his successor Alan Carpenter when he took office in February 2006.

On 9 November 2006, Burke resigned from the Labor party after public criticism from Labor premier Alan Carpenter, in part due to evidence provided to the Corruption and Crime Commission (CCC). Norm Marlborough MLA, the Minister for Small Business and the South-West in the Carpenter Ministry, was forced to resign from the Ministry and from the parliament on 10 November 2006 after the Corruption and Crime Commission revealed he had kept a "secret mobile phone" to stay in touch with Burke.

This triggered a by-election for Marlborough's seat of Peel, although Labor retained the seat. Burke subsequently stood trial on five charges of telling lies to the CCC inquiry and on 1 April 2010 was found guilty of deliberately giving false testimony. He was fined $25,000.