‘Integrity and courage’: Mayor’s tribute to Mike Ahern

As Queensland mourns the passing of former premier Mike Ahern, aged 81, Sunshine Coast Council Mayor Mark Jamieson paid tribute to the “transformational leader’’, who he said had embodied integrity and courage.

Mayor Jamieson said Mr Ahern, a prominent Caloundra local, had served as premier when our state needed him most.

“Queensland was in the grip of an integrity crisis when the Sunshine Coast’s Mike Ahern stepped up to take over the leadership from Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen, showing courage and resolve.

“He was a transformational leader during the Fitzgerald Inquiry into official corruption, standing tall and inspiring change that would set his state on a much brighter path.

“Mike Ahern was a man of integrity, honesty and courage and we and generations to come have so much to thank him for.

“He was a proud Caloundra resident, having lived at Shelly Beach for half a century and cherished his community and local environment, often seen walking along the beautiful foreshore near his home.

“Mike was born into a dairy farming family in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, following his father’s interest in Country Party politics.

“He entered parliament in 1968 and was actually nicknamed the ‘Conondale Kid’ because, at 25, he became the youngest MP ever elected in Queensland.’’

Mayor Jamieson said Mr Ahern had been a champion for the Sunshine Coast region, serving as State Member for Landsborough (now the seat of Caloundra) from 1968 to 1990.

He said that after his retirement from politics in 1990, Mr Ahern became a successful businessman and was awarded an Order of Australia for his services to politics, trade relations, education and charities, which also saw him receive a Queensland Greats Award in 2010.

Mayor Jamieson said his and the Sunshine Coast community’s thoughts were with Mr Ahern’s wife Andrea and five children Louise, Claire, John, Christine and Sharon in this difficult time.