REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN Friday, September 10, 1976

IT WAS the beginning of the end for the then Gold Coast mayor and Surfers Paradise MP Sir Bruce Small.

The Bulletin revealed on its front page in early September 1976 that the Nationals MP was facing a tough fight to retain his seat in what was shaping as a major three-corner race.

“A well-groomed Liberal candidate is waiting in the wings for endorsement against Sir Bruce,” the paper reported.

“He is Mr Geoff Taylor, 43, who is in his third term as chairman of the Surfers Paradise branch of the Liberal Party. It is understood his endorsement is just around the corner.”

Other names mentioned as possible candidates were sitting councillors Bruce Bishop and Keith Hunt as well as former Cr Jock McIlwain.

Sir Bruce, who had held the seat since 1972, was 81 at the time and his age was seen as a major weakness leading into the 1977 poll.

Mr Taylor’s challenge did not eventuate and Cr Bishop was selected as the Liberal Party’s candidate. The two men, who both concurrently sat on the Gold Coast City Council, battled it out before Cr Bishop won on Labor preferences at the 1977 state election.

Sir Bruce bounced back and was returned to the mayoralty but this was not to last either.

Deteriorating relations between the Small council and Bjelke-Petersen Government led to the unprecedented move of the local government being sacked in 1978.

Sir Bruce retired from politics after the sacking and did not contest the 1979 elections. He died in 1980.