Pauline and Joh for PM: A new story from an old tale in Fantasyland

June 18, 2026 — 11:40am

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Joh Bjelke-Petersen was visiting Disneyland in California in May 1987 when he was forced to face reality, something that was alien to his style.

His bid to become prime minister of Australia was a dead Donald Duck.

Back in Australia, the actual prime minister, Bob Hawke, had just called – on May 27 – a double-dissolution election for July 11.

It was four months earlier than expected, the first federal post-war winter election, catching Bjelke-Petersen and his excitable boosters with their pants around their ankles.

Despite being premier of Queensland for 19 years and declaring he was ready to lead Australia, Bjelke-Petersen hadn’t managed to get to the point of nominating for a seat in the federal parliament. Now it was too late.

Even he had to understand that the ride to the prime ministership was a lot steeper than to Disney’s Space Mountain when you couldn’t even wangle yourself a seat in the House of Representatives.

And so came to an end the silliest political campaign in Australian history.

It’s all very well to chuckle about it now.

Back then, however, a lot of prominent Australians who should have known better took Bjelke-Petersen seriously, and so did up to a quarter of ordinary voters, according to polls of the time.

On January 31, 1987, the old charlatan launched his Joh for PM campaign at a “grassroots” rally in Wagga Wagga.

“I’m starting a bushfire today and it will go all over Australia,” he announced, standing on the back of a truck. For good measure, he threatened that anyone from his own side who didn’t support him would find their seats........

© Brisbane Times