Joh For Canberra - The Campaign Intensifies

The Campaign Intensifies

At the end of February 1987, the Queensland National Party decided to withdraw its twelve federal members of parliament from the Coalition, and demanded that federal National Party leader Ian Sinclair also withdraw because of "basic differences in taxation and other philosophies and policies" between the Liberal and National parties. Within the Queensland National Party, the party president Robert Sparkes enforced support for Bjelke-Petersen, making practical opposition within the Queensland ranks unlikely. However, tensions persisted even amongst Bjelke-Petersen's closest followers. Although Sparkes had agreed to run the campaign, now known as "Joh for PM", he took the post only reluctantly and initially tried to dissuade Bjelke-Petersen from running for federal office. Privately, Bjelke-Petersen and Sparkes had come to detest one another, with "their hatred for each other overwhelming the courtly setting and polite manners". Bjelke-Petersen would later claim that Sparkes was responsible for the subsequent failure of the "Joh for PM" campaign. The formal notice approving Bjelke-Petersen's run for the prime ministership was passed by a Queensland National Party Central Council in February 1987. It read:

That the National Party of Australia (Qld) fully supports the move by Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen to attain the Prime Ministership so that he can put in place an anti-socialist federal government equipped with appropriate policies and the will to implement those policies...

Despite their success in the Queensland branch, Bjelke-Petersen and his newly independent Nationals faction received a humiliating setback in the Northern Territory election on March 2, with the National Party failing to achieve much success despite Bjelke-Petersen's patronage and the Country Liberals continuing to dominate the state. On April 10, the Queensland MPs formally withdrew from the Coalition, leaving them in "the ridiculous position of being half in and half out of the federal National Party". The perceived obstinacy of the Queensland National Party drew the ire of many senior Coalition members. Ian Sinclair refused to join Bjelke-Petersen's campaign and attempted to preserve the federal Coalition. On April 29, as Hawke continued to capitalise on the Coalition's disunity, John Howard slammed the "real wreckers...Bjelke-Petersen and Sparkes, and the unilateral action of the Queensland branch which set itself on a course of destruction with the Coalition". Although Howard was publicly critical of the "Joh for PM" campaign, it has been alleged that he was actually desperate to appease Bjelke-Petersen, at one point flying to Queensland to seek a compromise agreement. The Coalition formally split in early May, with Ian Sinclair looking increasingly impotent and unable to ensure the loyalty of National Party members. At this point, Bob Sparkes reneged on his loyalty to Bjelke-Petersen and withdrew from the campaign. With his pool of supporters steadily decreasing, an effective challenge to the federal Coalition from Bjelke-Petersen began to look more and more unlikely.