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towards Asia, the broadening the economic base though encouragement of tourism, manufacturing and agriculture,
and measures to increase and stabilise the population have been continuing features on the Territory’s political
agenda. So also has been intergovernmental conflict with the Commonwealth which Everingham used not only
as a device to enhance the CLP’s partisan standing but also as a way of fostering Territory identity. Even with
the Coalition in power the Chief Minister fought hard for what he saw as essential Territory interests; his battles
with the Commonwealth over uranium development and Aboriginal land rights were notable examples of conflict.
From the outset, he firmly established the tactic of ‘Canberra-bashing’ as a useful political weapon for the CLP.
When Labor came to office, the intensity of dispute rose sharply; the early Territory election in 1983 was called,
fought and won on Labor’s decisions to alter its commitment on funding the transcontinental railway, to restrict
uranium mining in the Territory and to accept Aboriginal ownership to the Ayers Rock (Uluru) National Park.
Political opponents not only slated Everingham’s ‘Canberra-bashing’ approach but were also highly critical
of his policies on Aboriginal issues and the electoral advantage they afforded the CLP. The Chief Minister’s
relationships with Aboriginal organisations were seldom smooth and were particularly soured by his long, but
unsuccessful, campaign to change parts of the Commonwealth’s land rights legislation, which he considered were
detrimental to the Territory’s economic development.
Everingham’s political style was brash, outspoken and populist. Although by instinct and temperament
of conservative disposition, he was in practice highly pragmatic with a keen sense of political opportunism.
His informality and approachability—‘call me Paul’ was one of his favourite lines—was a decided asset. So too
was his Queensland drawl—sometimes exaggerated for effect—which added to his folksy image and his political
appeal. He was often, and usually endearingly, called ‘Porky’, a nickname that was suggestive of some of his
physical characteristics.
In February 1984, Everingham announced his intention to contest the Territory’s House of Representatives’
seat; he argued that his presence in Canberra would be more effective in defending local interests than continuing
as ‘king of the kids’. He continued as Chief Minister, amid much criticism, until his resignation in October. By a
narrow margin (and reflecting the propensity of some Territorians to switch their partisan votes at different election
levels), Everingham defeated the Labor incumbent in December and, fulfilling a long-held ambition, entered the
Commonwealth political arena.
The new Territory member (MHR) was immediately appointed to the Opposition front bench where he
remained until September 1985 when a change of the Coalition leadership (from Andrew Peacock to John Howard)
undermined his position. Despite initially (his own and others) high expectations, Everingham was not a success
in Canberra and, shortly after his demotion to the backbench, announced his decision to retire at the next election.
He left federal politics in July 1987. While Territory MHR, he remained a force in CLP politics in the Territory,
intervening in issues concerning his successors as Chief Minister and on a wide variety of policies, including the
question of statehood on which he vigorously argued, against the preferred Territory government line, the case for
initial constitutional parity with existing states.
After his retirement, Everingham moved permanently to Queensland where he resumed his legal career. In 1989
he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (OA) for his public services. There had been considerable
speculation, while he was in Canberra, about his intentions to switch to Queensland politics, either as a state or
federal representative. He resurfaced, however, in the organisational wing of the Queensland Liberal Party of which
he became President for a short and tempestuous time. Everingham’s pugnacity, so marked during his Territory
political career, was also a feature of his Queensland activities. Business matters, such as his involvement in
lottery organisations, retained for Everingham a link with the Territory but, in political terms, he had no continuing
significance. Still, his contribution to self-government and the early development of the new Territory polity will
remain his lasting legacy.
F Chan, King of the Kids, 1992; P Everingham, ‘Developing the North’, E Harman & B Head (eds), State, Capital and Resources in the
North and West of Australia, 1982; A Heatley, Almost Australians, 1990; D Jaensch & D Wade-Marshall, Point of Order!, 1994; P Weller &
W Sanders, The Team at the Top, 1982.
ALISTAIR HEATLEY, Vol 3.