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JUNE 06-07, 2015

I’M AUSTRALIA’S MOST VILIFIED MAN

BRIAN BURKE IN FULL FLIGHT By Andrew Burrell

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THE POLLIE WHO FELL HE WAS A BRILLIANT POLITICIAN IN HIS DAY; THEN IT ALL WENT BAD. TO BRIAN BURKE ON HIS COLOURFUL PAST, THE MISTAKES HE MADE – AND LIFE ON THE OUTER EARTH

By Andrew Burrell Photography Philip Gostelow

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most vilified man”, Burke appears to have done became fatally close to a gaggle of dodgy all right for himself. In fact, the 68-year-old wheeler-dealers, including Bond and the late former premier’s vista of the sparkling Indian Laurie “Last Resort” Connell. And after exactly Ocean is almost as good as the view from Bond’s five years in the job, Burke stepped down on his old hotel. Burke would hate the comparison 41st birthday, because, he reflects now, he was with Bond, but the two men are the highest- “bored”. Most assumed he would go to Canberra o get to Brian profile survivors of the WA Inc era, which and take a shot at the prime ministership but Burke’s house, ended in both of them serving time. The Burke Burke insists his only ambition at the time was you drive north clan owns three large houses in the street, all a diplomatic posting to Ireland, his ancestral Talong ’s next to each other, along with three vacant homeland. Bob Hawke, who had praised Burke boundless coast- blocks of land that are being sold off for about as a “great Australian”, appointed him ambassa- line past one of the starkest reminders of the $1 million each. Two gleaming Mercedes-Benz dor to Ireland and the Holy See. irrational exuberance of the 1980s, the 25-storey cars sit in Burke’s driveway. Three years later, however, Burke was forced Observation City (now Rendezvous) hotel built But he has invited me here in an attempt to to return to Perth to face the WA Inc royal by local tycoon . A few minutes later, convey the opposite impression: that the years commission, which led to findings of his you arrive at Trigg Beach, where a few hardy of scandal and “unjust” prosecutions have “grossly improper” conduct as premier over swimmers are braving the autumnal chill. One exacted a heavy toll on his personal finances, disastrous business dealings that cost WA tax- block back from the sand, at the end of a sleepy caused untold stress for his family and strained payers dearly. In 1994, he was convicted and cul-de-sac, Brian Thomas Burke – a radically his relationships with friends and associates. served seven months in jail for rorting his travel slimmed-down version of the one-time Labor Many of his old mates, such as former construc- expenses as premier, becoming the first head of colossus – welcomes me into his comfortable tion union leader Kevin Reynolds and veteran any government in Australia to go to prison. home and ushers me upstairs. After several radio broadcaster , have stuck by “Nobody thinks I did it,” he says now, with months of turning down my requests for an him over the years. But some people cross the characteristic chutzpah. He later served six interview, he has finally agreed to talk. road to avoid having to speak to him, he notes. months of a three-year sentence for stealing It’s soon clear that Burke, one of the most As Burke begins talking, his stoic wife Sue $122,000 in ALP campaign donations before divisive and controversial figures in Australian listens attentively, wipes up spilt coffee and that conviction was overturned on appeal. politics over the past three decades, has become fetches her husband’s headache pills when he By the early 2000s, Burke was busily remak- more reflective, perhaps a little mellower, as he needs them. Two of his 17 grandchildren are ing his reputation, setting up a spectacularly ponders his legacy. He is generous, funny, charm- watching Peppa Pig on TV and his two beloved successful political lobbying business with his ing and, in full flight, mesmerising. At times it indoor birds, a cockatiel and an African love- old Labor ministerial chum . WA’s seems like he remembers every conversation he’s bird, are chirping with vigour. Outside are then premier, , was horrified at the ever had and the name of everyone he’s ever met. Burke’s two prized red-tailed black cockatoos. duo’s rising influence within his government But it’s also clear he hasn’t lost his Machiavellian “They are just beautiful birds – I spend half an and banned his ministers from having contact streak; he can be wily and controlling. hour with them every day,” he smiles. Burke with them, but it had little effect. Gallop’s suc- Burke’s bout of introspection has been still has a restless energy about him – he still cessor, , lifted the ban – a move sparked by an autobiography that he’s been makes plenty of phone calls and has been help- he would come to deeply regret. working on recently, and which he hopes to ing eldest son Peter with some property deals. The mining boom in the west was cranking have published this year. But don’t expect the He gives the impression of a man who would up and plenty of companies were happy to pay staunch Catholic to confess to any major sins. love to be back in the thick of it. After all, he tens of thousands of dollars for Burke to work He is unapologetic and unremorseful. Every once ruled this town. his magic. Whatever the problem, the lobbyist accusation about corruption and criminal con- always seemed to “know someone” he could duct is flicked away with long-rehearsed lines. Brian Burke was the most brilliant and lean on to fix it. Using flattery and intimida- Despite two jail terms and a string of other popular politician in the nation when he ran tion, Burke could obtain a confidential docu- well-documented brushes with the law that with youthful flair during the ment, persuade a minister to slash red tape or halted his career as a political lobbyist and led, economic boom of the 1980s. After becoming convince a public servant to take a sudden in his own words, to his status as “Australia’s premier on his 36th birthday, in 1983, he interest in some hitherto insignificant cause.

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The former premier’s influence within the legal minds. Only recently Labor Party meant he held sway over some MPs a new commissioner, the and ministerial staffers who were relying on his respected Supreme Court help with fundraising or preselection. judge John McKechnie, Yet Burke was more than an aggressive has taken charge after the spruiker with top-notch contacts. He also post had been vacant for devised sneaky methods of bypassing about a year. Premier the usual channels to get things done. Colin Barnett wants the Some of these practices seemed an commission to focus more affront to democracy. When a local gov- on organised crime rather Stamp of approval: ernment in WA’s south-west refused to Burke in 1986, the than political misconduct. back a $330 million hotel project, year his popularity Burke argues that in Burke helped to secretly finance and soared to 73 per cent his case the CCC’s sweep- promote a group of council candidates 2007, four Labor cabinet ing powers – including the right to install more likely to favour the development. ministers in WA had stood recording devices in private homes and the And when Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest’s down or been sacked over right to interrogate people without legal rep- then-fledgling miner Fortescue Metals Group their links to the lobbyist, including small busi- resentation – were misused. He describes the needed new laws rushed through parliament in ness minister Norm Marlborough who, it was CCC’s tactic of using its hearings to play late 2005, Burke came up with the idea of intro- revealed, had carried a “secret” phone to take private recordings of conversations to often ducing the Bill into the upper house rather than regular instructions from his old mate. stunned witnesses, who had no right of cross- the lower house, ensuring it was passed in a The saga took on McCarthyist undertones examination, as one that lacked procedural fair- single day. Burke’s lobbying work for Forrest when the Howard government tried to ensnare ness and, moreover, failed to get to the truth. ensured Fortescue was able to win all of its Labor leader Kevin Rudd over revelations of a Burke grows visibly angry when discussing government approvals in record time and begin Perth dinner he’d attended with Burke two the “innocent victims” of the CCC, which in his exporting iron ore from the Pilbara by 2008. years earlier. Treasurer Peter Costello fanned the mind include the public servants accused of act- As the money poured in, Burke’s activities flames of hysteria by declaring: “Anyone who ing on his orders as well as Norm Marlborough, attracted the attention of WA’s new Corruption deals with Brian Burke is morally and politically who was driven to contemplate suicide. “The and Crime Commission, which began bugging compromised.” Yet those words quickly back- problem with the CCC is that powers as per- his phones and monitoring his emails. The fired on the federal government when WA vasive as that should only rest in the most able CCC must have had trouble keeping up. In Liberal senator Ian Campbell was forced to hands, and they didn’t,” says Burke, who argues 2006, the assiduous networker’s best year in resign after admitting he had met Burke for just NSW’s Independent Commission Against business, Burke racked up a staggering 25,389 20 minutes over a routine electorate matter. Corruption operates more fairly and has suc- phone calls, faxes and text messages. ceeded in uncovering genuine corruption. By the time the CCC exposed Burke’s After the spotlight dimmed, Burke endured Unsurprisingly, Burke won’t countenance modus operandi by launching a public inquiry several years of trials that resulted in only one the view – widely held among his critics – that and playing extracts of his phone calls to an conviction: of giving false evidence to the CCC, the CCC inquiry’s biggest achievement was to aghast public, the game was up. The CCC was for which he copped a $25,000 fine. Reflecting expose his sneaky lobbying methods and to chasing Burke for corruption and the rest of on the imbroglio, Burke is unrepentant. He therefore ensure he could no longer influence the nation was asking itself how such a tainted reveals he has personally spent $2.3 million on government decision-making on behalf of his figure from the 1980s had been able to legal fees as a result of the CCC’s investigation. clients. “Do you spend $30 million to expose manoeuvre himself back into a position of He says he has not worked as a lobbyist since the way I operate?” he asks. “People like you say, influence in the Wild West. 2006, has no income, no savings and a “very ‘Well, it shone the spotlight on the way you The answer, in part, stems from Perth’s tight big” mortgage on his house. He says he and Sue operated’. Well, it did do that. But look at the networks of patronage and its relatively small are being financially supported by their prop- line of broken bodies and the unfair treatment talent pool, along with the city’s tradition of erty developer son Peter, who lives next door. of people. This all happened because the absolving its “lovable rogues”. During the Burke denies deliberately misleading the investigators, thinking they could make their furore, Paul Keating described Burke and Grill CCC, insisting he answered all of the questions reputations by pursuing me, took control of the as the “Arthur Daley and Terry” of the West put to him as best he could. “Only frightened whole CCC process. They looked at every Australian Labor Party – a reference to the TV people tell lies; I’m not frightened,” he says. He single part of me and came up with nothing.” hit Minder – but also noted Burke was “smarter argues that the CCC’s pursuit of him achieved Burke now admits that many of his salacious than two-thirds of the Labor Party rolled nothing, and that the commission is deeply phone conversations that were played at the together; that’s why he keeps bobbing up”. flawed and damaged by weak leadership. inquiry sounded bad, but he maintains that he Burke didn’t help his reputation for shadi- Burke is undeniably correct on one point: does not regret any of his actions as a lobbyist. ness by turning up to the inquiry each day the CCC has been racked by severe dysfunction In one taped call, Burke boasted that he had a wearing a Panama hat and dark sunglasses. By and appears to have struggled to attract the best Labor minister’s “pants off him and [I’m] f..king

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working on his shirt and he doesn’t even f..king believed was destined to succeed Hawke as out ’s Rothwells merchant bank know it”. Burke was also heard laughing as he federal leader. “Hard-bitten journalists are sup- and Robert Holmes à Court’s faltering empire – told Marlborough: “I’m a f..king handful, aren’t posed not to be impressed by politicians,” wrote costly decisions that Burke insists were neces- I”, to which Marlborough, then a cabinet a journalist in The Bulletin who interviewed the sary and generally well received at the time. minister, replied: “You’re going to get me shot, premier for a gushing profile piece. “All are Looking back, though, Burke admits he was you know.” Says Burke now: “I cringe when I actors but successful politicians are those who far too young to be premier. “I thought I was listen to the phone calls that were recorded and really are the characters they are trying to pro- bulletproof,” he says. “If things hadn’t been so I wish that I hadn’t been so pushy or so insist- ject. Burke is likeable, plausible and credible. easy, if I hadn’t have been so confident, I would ent. But then I think any of us would have lots That makes him a rare politician whom the have realised I lacked the experience.” of problems if someone listened to all our phone ALP could ill afford to be without.” calls and then took the little bits out that looked The journalist’s name was Tony Abbott, the Burke also concedes – for the first time – that and sounded the worst.” future Liberal prime minister, and he shared his government was too close to the entrepre- He acknowledges he rubs people up the with Burke a conservative social outlook and a neurs. “I felt that as a Labor government we’d wrong way. “It’s my voice, it’s how I present strong commitment to Catholicism. always been criticised for being anti-business,” things, it’s how energetic and muscular I am,” Burke was premier during an extraordinary he says. “And I felt as though we needed to he says. “You’re always going to get that feeling period of economic confidence in WA that know business, we needed to be trusted by busi- when you listen to me prosecute an argument, began when Alan Bond’s yacht Australia II won ness and we needed to be able to get on with whether it’s with you or Sue or someone else, the America’s Cup, transforming the tycoon business so we could assist in creating jobs and because I generally believe very strongly in what into a national hero. “There was a buzz in the economic growth.” He rejects the popular belief I’m arguing about.” air, there was almost a crackling frisson – it was that he was personally close to Bond and the 1980s,” Burke recalls. “The economy took Connell, saying he had neither the time nor the Today’s political leaders would kill for off and we were doing better than all the other inclination to socialise with business people. “I Burke’s opinion poll results from the 1980s. As states.” He led a reformist government on social think I went to Connell’s house once in my life,” premier his popularity rating hit a stratospheric issues, removing restrictions on the ability of he says. “I’m not a drinker, I’m not a womaniser, 73 per cent in 1986, soon after he won his people to gather in public and abolishing the I don’t go to the races… we weren’t close.” second term in office. Burke was a young family death penalty. And he shocked many traditional Burke also proved to be a brilliant fundraiser man who lived in the working-class suburb of Labor supporters by taking the radical step of for the ALP. In 1985, he created the John Curtin Balga and led a moderate ALP government that cutting public servants’ salaries – including his Foundation through which business figures appealed to mainstream values. own, all MPs, judges and even the state gover- paid between $10,000 and $100,000 each for The one-time heavy drinker had given up nor – in order to help balance the books. the privilege of being a “vice-patron”. Those the grog in 1977 after being sprung for As the boom picked up, Burke sensed an who joined included Connell, Bond and fellow drink-driving. (Burke hit the back of a taxi and opportunity for taxpayers to share in the spoils. tycoons Ric Stowe, and Multiplex left the scene of the accident; he was represented He did deals with and took advice from the construction king John Roberts. After a while, by a young lawyer called Robert French, now so-called “four-on-the-floor” flash operators who the premier simply began asking his favourite Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia). dominated the business world, creating a body businessmen to hand over campaign donations Before becoming premier, Burke also shed called the Western Australian Development to him personally, leading to the creation of the dozens of kilograms thanks to a strict diet and Corporation for the government to invest in infamous Leader’s Account. According to the exercise regime. Crucially, having worked in the private-sector deals. WA Inc royal commission report, early ’70s as a Channel Seven reporter, Burke After the 1987 stock market Labor raised millions through dona- was also one of the first politicians to recognise crash, the government bailed tions to the Leader’s Account, includ- the power of television. He Charismatic: Burke ing $2 million from Bond, $950,000 was seen by many was a natural media per- as a successor to from mining magnate Lang Hancock, former and left his oppo- Bob Hawke, left $860,000 from Connell and nents for dead. After being $690,000 from Roberts. thrashed by Burke in “Personal associations and the 1986, Liberal leader Bill manner in which electoral contribu- Hassell did his best to tions were obtained could only create explain the loss: “I don’t the public perception that favour could be think people dislike me, I bought, that favour would be done,” the royal think that it is just that commission reported in 1992. “We have they like Burke,” he said. observed that the size of the donations was quite By 1987, the rest of the extraordinary. In his approaches the premier was nation wanted to know direct to the point at times of being forceful.” more about the charis- Burke admits that he was “hopelessly naive” matic everyman who many in failing to ensure that campaign donations

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were kept separate from the business of govern- politics because of him is wrong. I went into ment. But he maintains there was no corrup- politics because I am a Labor person.” BRIAN tion involved in any of his party fundraising Still, Burke’s advice for the Labor Party today and points out that the royal commission found is couched in the principles instilled in him by BURKE ON: no evidence of illegal behaviour on his part. his father: “Dad used to say that the natural “The royal commission was exhaustive – there constituency of the Labor Party in Australia is a were more than 500 witnesses,” he says. “No moderate constituency. The natural constitu- one has ever accused that royal commission of ency will reject the extremes such as [former being less than thorough and no one has ever Queensland premier] Campbell Newman and Bill Shorten accused it of going soft on me. The royal com- Tony Abbott, and embrace the moderation of “A thoroughly decent, mission found no evidence of corruption and it people like Bob Hawke.” pleasant person. Bill is said in the report that all of the donations were finding it hard to cut not linked to any particular favour or action.” It is common knowledge in Perth that some through because cutting But Burke was later charged with rorting his Labor MPs still seek out Burke for tactical through requires more than travel expenses to the tune of $17,000. He advice, but he insists he plays no real role in just being Bill Shorten.” argues that the royal commission had created an West Australian politics these days. And he says environment that virtually ensured he would be he does not care about his legacy – a claim Tony Abbott found guilty of something. “Had I been charged seemingly at odds with his decision to write an “His instincts are terrible with sheep stealing, I would have been con- autobiography. All he wants, he insists, is to be and he is only ever one victed,” he says. “There was no chance that I a good husband, father and grandfather. “I breath away from a would ever be regarded as anything but guilty of don’t have any view on how I want to be remem- decision that again reveals whatever people wanted to charge me with. It bered,” he says. “I want to be loved by my fam- the threatening harshness was that sort of atmosphere.” ily and I want them to respect me and remember people so dislike.” me proudly. But with due respect, I couldn’t Burke is now a Labor outcast. He was forced care less how you remember me.” Malcolm Turnbull to resign from the party in late 2006 after then Biographer Quentin Beresford believes he “If Malcolm Turnbull premier Alan Carpenter effectively ordered him will be remembered as a man who lived parallel took over the Liberal out during the CCC furore. But Burke says he lives. “He was an enormously gifted politician, Party tomorrow the will always regard himself as a Labor man and probably one of the most gifted politicians in Labor Party would doesn’t need a membership card to feel like one. state or federal politics,” says Beresford, whose be in opposition Burke idolised his father Tom, a federal 2008 book The Godfatherr was deeply critical of for three or four terms.” Labor MP, and from a young age he helped his Burke’s career as a politician and a lobbyist. dad with electioneering, including door-knock- “But he undermined acceptable standards of Bob Hawke ing and handing out how-to-vote cards. His governance and damaged his own reputation, “The best politician earliest memory is driving across the Nullarbor probably irreparably. It’s also often overlooked I’ve ever met.” with his parents in their Humber Super Snipe that he tarnished the image of an otherwise very to attend Ben Chifley’s funeral in Bathurst in good government. The Burke government did 1951. But when Brian was a chubby kid of some very good things and had some very capa- eight, the Labor split took place that would ble ministers of great integrity, and a lot of those result in Tom Burke being expelled from the people still feel that Burke’s infamous conduct party. Burke senior died six months before has overshadowed that record.” Paul Keating Brian entered state politics in 1973. Burke claims he has long learnt to live with “The architect of the It’s tempting to draw parallels between Burke this sort of criticism. “I accept that if I’m going Hawke Government’s and his father; several observers have speculated to live my life the way I live it, I’m going to take achievements. Like [AFL that Burke embarked on a political career to hits, I’m going to make enemies and it’s going star] Wayne Carey, Paul avenge his father’s poor treatment by the party. to make people uncomfortable and probably came closest to being the “These events [the Split] burned deeply into the dislike me,” he says. total package.” heart of young Brian Burke who loved his father As I drive away from Trigg and back past greatly,” wrote journalist John Hamilton in Observation City, I conclude that Burke does, John Howard P

“He grew as a politician; F

1987. “He vowed to right what he saw as the in fact, care deeply how he will be remembered. A ; injustice some day, reform the party and by his But surely he is way too smart to expect that the he was a very good leader. A X MEDI A The most significant prime F R actions make his father proud of him.” Burke tributes will be kind. Then again, there is still I A rejects this, describing it as a “worn-out hypoth- plenty of time to convince people he’s been minister in my lifetime after F esis”. He says: “I loved Dad a great deal and I badly treated. And Perth does have a habit of Hawke and Menzies.” think he was a great man, but to say I went into forgiving its fallen heroes. ● F PHOTOGRAPHY:

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