When greed ruled
Three decades ago saw the age of excess on the Coast, an interlude that shaped city and state for the future
THE year was 1987 and greed was good.
Welcome to the Gold Coast of the late 1980s and the rise of new buildings that became monuments to the decade of excess and the fall of past icons and traditions.
Three decades ago, Glitter Strip residents lived through a turbulent month that would shape the future of the city and Queensland as a whole.
UP IN SMOKE AND ALCOHOL PRICING SMOKERS were told to butt out by the Hawke government which initiated a ban on smoking aboard planes flying in Australia.
The ban, proposed in late 1986, came into effect in early 1987 and caused a ruckus among those who enjoyed nicotine.
But smokers were told to breathe easy because under the initial rules, they would not have to stub out their cigarettes before boarding short flights.
Ansett Airlines refused to accept Federal Government proposals on flights of less than 90 minutes.
A spokesman for Aviation Minister Peter Morris told the Bulletin only East-West Airlines showed any interest in the proposal.
In fact, the airline led the way, proposing a total ban on smoking aboard all domestic flights.
Meanwhile, local bottle shops reacted with fury as the price of alcohol rose.
The recently opened Ashmore Cellars took out a two-page ad in the Bulletin carrying a caricature of the prime minister and offering a sale before the price went up.
“Yes, Bob (Hawke) and Paul (Keating) are at it again, putting the liquor prices up to pay for their new (Parliament) house in Canberra. Stock up now and save,” the ad read.
And business was good, with a 750ml bottle of Bundaberg Rum going for just $11.99.
A slab of Fourex Bitter – Gold hadn’t quite been concocted yet – was just $15.80.
Customers were limited to five cartons each.
A ‘GODLESS PLACE’ POLICE used RAAF helicopters, horses and a convoy of cars in a dawn raid on the Finks Motorcycle Club’s Upper Coomera Hinterland hideaway.
It was one of the largest operations by Gold Coast police in the months before the Fitzgerald inquiry was announced, unveiling the city’s underbelly.
A Surfers Paradise preacher used the occasion to declare the Gold Coast was fast becoming one of the most godless societies in the world.
Reverend Garth Filmer, a Uniting Church minister for more than 10 years, said “the eternal God of the Bible” was being replaced by alternate gods such as “beer, betting and bad women”.
“You see, you can attend church every Sunday and lots of us on the Gold Coast do just that,” he said.
“During the rest of the week we find ourselves serving the gods in the ‘b’ category – beautiful houses, boats, beaches, bowls clubs, better schools and the bank accounts that make it all happen.” AND SPEAKING OF ‘80S EXCESS ... REV Filmer’s talk of serving bank accounts came as 250 construction workers pushed ahead rapidly with putting the roof on Christopher Skase’s great legacy: the $157 million Sheraton Mirage.
The beachside hotel was rising on the former site of the Andalusia Park theme park, with a completion date of September 1987.
JOH FOR PM QUEENSLAND’S long- serving Premier Joh BjelkePetersen decided to use early 1987 to launch his disastrous “Joh for PM” campaign.
He toured the Gold Coast and other cities trying to drum up support for his tilt at the nation’s top job, forcing a split in the Coalition.
Prime Minister Bob Hawke decided to use the chaos to his advantage and called an early election.
Sir Joh was in the US visiting Disneyland.
He had not nominated for a federal seat and was unable to stand for Parliament. But that didn’t stop him campaigning anyway, arriving at the Arts Centre Gold Coast just three days before the July 11 poll to fire up supporters.
Walking on stage with future senator John Stone, Sir Joh urged Gold Coasters to support the Nationals.
Ultimately, Labor won a third term in office.
The premier returned to focus on the spiralling corruption scandal which brought about his downfall just months later.