Joh: Last King of Queensland

Joh: Last King of Queensland backdrop
Poster for Joh: Last King of Queensland
MOVIE

Joh: Last King of Queensland

A captivating and cautionary portrait of one of Australia’s most controversial politicians, Joh Bjelke-Petersen, whose career can be seen as a playbook for the Trump era.

Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen reigned over Queensland for 19 tumultuous years (1968–1987). Hugely popular, he presided over enormous growth, but corruption raged under his tenure, as did electoral manipulation and often violent suppression of dissent. This film tells Joh’s story through rare archival footage and revelatory interviews, exploring a life shaped by a hard yakka, god-fearing upbringing on his family’s farm. Trump’s spectre is evoked in Joh’s famously mangled and meandering way of speaking – brilliantly dramatised by Richard Roxburgh – alongside his unyielding execution of power and the desperate denial of his final days in office.

Release Date

2025-06-07

Year

2025

Duration

1h 39m

Status

Released

Score

0.00

#australian-politics#queensland,-australia#queensland

Cast

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Joh Bjelke-Petersen

Self (archival)

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Matthew Condon

Bob Katter

Bob Katter

Richard Roxburgh

Richard Roxburgh

Joh Bjelke-Petersen

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Lindy Morrison

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Ed Kuepper

John Howard

John Howard

David Littleproud

David Littleproud