Godfather The Life of Brian Burke

Award-winning biographer Quentin Beresford tracks the spectacular rise and fall of the man in the Panama hat in this definitive biography of the former Western Australian premier and ruthless behind-the-scenes ALP powerbroker. Once touted as a future prime minister of Australia, former WA premier Brian Burke has had a rollercoaster political career. This is the first major biography of this charismatic and influential politician who even out of power and disgraced, pulls the political strings in WA and beyond. As premier, Brian Burke was one of the key players behind the mineral boom that became the infamous WA Inc in the 1980s. After a high profile inquiry, he was jailed for corruption in 1994 for and then again in 1997. Most men would have sought a quiet life after losing their reputation in this fashion, but Brian Burke became a ruthless behind the scenes powerbroker in WA politics, business and unions. With his capacity to deliver fundraising largesse to the ALP, his control over pre-selections, and a cadre of mafia-like devoted supporters, Brian Burke became the Godfather of WA politics. As the Corruption and Crime Commission steadily closed in on him he fled to Ireland, but his fingerprints are still all over WA politics. Quentin Beresford tracks the rise, fall, resurrection and then collapse of the man in the Panama hat, asking what it is in Burke's personality, the nature of Labor factionalism and the WA business community that has allowed him to obtain such power and influence.

Quentin Beresford is Associate Professor of Politics at Edith Cowan University and author of the award-winning biography Rob Riley: An Aboriginal leader'quest for justice.

Acknowledgements Introduction 1 Son of Labor 2 The making of a political operator 3 In the shadow of Huey Long 4 The fixer 5 Crony capitalism: Burke and WA Inc6 The rise and fall of an ambassador 7 On trial 8 Back from the brink 9 Return of the Godfather 10 An uncertain future Epilogue Notes Bibliography Index