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Liberal Party politician Denver Beanland was elected to the State seat of Toowong in 1986 following a 10 year term on the Brisbane City Council. He was leader of the Liberal Party in Queensland 1990-91 and held various ministries and shadow ministries before his defeat in 2001. In 1997 a vote of no-confidence was passed against him as Attorney-General over his role in the Carruthers and Connolly-Ryan Inquiries.

Labor politician Desley Boyle discusses her career that began in 1988 as a Councillor on the Cairns City Council before moving into state politics. She ended her ministerial career in 2011 as Minister for Local Government and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships and stepped down from her parliamentary seat in 2012. She discusses the challenges she faced in each of her portfolios, and focuses on her passion for the environment and good planning.

Diane Fingleton served as Chief Magistrate of the Queensland Magistrates Court from 1999-2003, though her time in the position was surrounded by controversy. Her career spans a range of legal and policy-related roles and she discusses the workings of politics and justice in Queensland.

Long time public servant Erik Finger reflects on a career which began as an engineer in the Main Roads Department in 1961, and ended as the Head of the Premier's Department in 1994. He focuses particularly on the 1989 transition from long-term conservative government to new, reformist Labor government, and the changes wrought to the public service.

Public servant Frank Peach reflects on his diverse career as Director General of several departments including Education, Corrective Services and Families. He comments on the role of government and the public service in developing and implementing  policy, highlighting the frustrations incurred due to a persistent tension between limited resources and increasing demand for social services.

Labor Party politician Geoff Smith served as a minister during the Goss Government. He held a range of portfolios, including Manufacturing, Commerce, Regional Development and Lands. During his time as Lands Minister the department implemented the Land Rights Act.

Public servant Gerard Bradley was appointed to the Treasury in 1995-96, in the final year of the Goss government. He was reappointed to the Treasury in 1998 after the Beattie government won office. He has overseen government corporatisation processes and a budgetary reform agenda during a period of high growth and economic diversification in Queensland.

Harry Hauenschild's career spanned several fields – unionism, the Labor Party and the TAFE sector. He discusses the federal intervention in the Queensland Labor Party, the relationship between the state and commonwealth and the implementation of competency based apprenticeships and traineeships.

Labor politician Jim (Demetrios) Fouras discusses his long involvement with Queensland politics, beginning with his appointment to the shadow ministry in 1977, and ending with his retirement from the seat of Ashgrove in 2006. He focuses on his work for social justice, particularly during the Bjelke-Petersen years, his passionate belief in equality, and his personal experience as a migrant.

Former Police Commissioner Jim O'Sullivan reflects on a career in the Queensland Police Service which stretched from the 1950s to the early 2000s, and saw him rise from the lowest rank in the service to the highest. He focuses on his involvement with the Fitzgerald Inquiry, and the ongoing challenge of keeping the police service and political system free from corruption.

Jim Soorley served as popularly elected Labor Lord Mayor of the Brisbane City Council from 1991-2003. He reflects on how his Council introduced the City Cat ferries on the Brisbane River, expanded the city's busway network and reformed the superannuation entitlements of BCC Councillors and staff.

Public servant Jim Varghese was the Director General of Main Roads, Employment and Training, Education and Primary Industries and Fisheries and was involved in developing and implementing policy reforms during the Borbidge, Goss and Beattie eras. He discusses several key policy reforms in each of these portfolios and outlines some of his strategies for change management.

Liberal Party politician Joan Sheldon was leader of the Liberal Party in Queensland from 1991-98. In the Borbidge Government 1996-98 she was Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for the Arts. She reflects on her work as Treasurer and commitment to social equality.

Public servant John Sosso served in the Queensland departments of Consumer Affairs, Justice and Emergency Services and was Deputy Director General in the Premier’s Department until removed in 1998 by the incoming Beattie government. He reflects on his involvement in the Fitzgerald Inquiry, public sector reform and the ‘hit list’ controversy. He discusses his experiences with the Goss and Borbidge governments, including his participation in censorship reform and the PSMC.

John Strano was a senior member of the Queensland public service with a firm belief in the community benefits from private investment. He was a leading figure in attracting private capital to the state during the Beattie Government era.

Labor Party member Judy Spence discusses her extensive experience as a Minister in the Beattie and Bligh governments and outlines her contributions to Queensland politics in a range of areas including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy, Police and Corrective Services and social services.

Public servant Leigh Tabrett discusses her career working in the Department of Education and then Arts Queensland during the 1990s and 2000s. She focuses on the reform of the state's education system, particularly higher education, as well as the re-invigoration of the Brisbane cultural precinct and the importance of arts and culture to the community.

Public servant Leo Hielscher reflect on his long career in the Treasury Department and in the Queensland Treasury Corporation, serving fifteen different treasurers.

Lesley Clark was a Councillor in the Mulgrave Shire before running for the Queensland state parliament. She represented the electorate of Barron River from 1989 to 1995 and then again from 1998 to 2006. She has a particular interest in environmental, social welfare and women's issues.

Llew Edwards was leader of the Queensland Liberal Party and Deputy Premier in the Bjelke-Petersen Government (1978-83), Queensland Treasurer (1978-83), Queensland Minister for Health (1974-78) before retiring in 1983. He was appointed the Executive Chair of the World Expo '88 Committee.

Public servant Mal Grierson served as Director General of Public Works from the Goss Government through to 2011 and throughout his career played a significant role in the development of the Information and Communications Technology sector in Queensland.

Labor politician Manfred Cross represented the seat of Brisbane in the federal parliament from 1961-75, and again from 1980-90. He was associated with the federal intervention into the Queensland Labor Party in 1980.

National Party member Martin Tenni was elected to state parliament in 1974 and served in the governments of Joh Bjelke-Petersen, Mike Ahern and Russell Cooper, and was Minister for Mines and Energy 1987-89 until he retired in 1989.

In 1987 Mike Ahern successfully challenged Joh Bjelke-Petersen to become leader of the National Party and Premier of Queensland. He reflects on the reforms following the Fitzgerald Inquiry into corruption, the role of parliamentary committees and the impact of technology on state development.

Molly Robson, Labor politican and Environment Minister 1992-95, discusses the growth of the environmental movement in Queensland, the role of the Goss Government in implementing the reforms of the Fitzgerald Inquiry and provides insights into the relationships between the government, the public service and various interest groups.

Academic Pat Weller discusses his involvement with Queensland politics from the late 1980s until 2009, particularly the period in which Labor returned to government after a 32 year absence, providing insight into the internal workings of the party, and on his involvement with the Corrective Services Commission.

Paul Reynolds is a widely-published academic and political commentator on national and state politics with a career spanning over 30 years.

Labor politician Peter Beattie discusses his career in politics, beginning as Labor Party Secretary, and ending with an almost decade-long stint as Queensland Premier, 1998-2007. He focuses on his agenda to modernise and reform Queensland's government and economy through the Smart State policy and a committment to equal opportunity initiatives.

Public servant Peter Coaldrake served as the chair of the Goss Government's Public Sector Management Commission. He played a significant role in the reform of the culture and structures of the Queensland public service.

Public servant Peter Ellis was a geologist working with the Environment, Industry and Mining Departments, before being appointed Director General of the Department of Premier and Cabinet and Coordinator General under the Borbidge Government 1996-98.

Peter Henneken discusses his experience of working in the Queensland public service from the Bjelke-Petersen era to the Beattie era. He comments on the industrial relations and training policy and explores the approaches of various government to managing the public service.

Public servant Rachel Hunter discusses her career as the Public Service Commissioner from the early 2000s, and ending as the Director General of the Department of Justice and Attorney General in 2010. She focuses on the importance of education and links to the Beattie Government's Smart State initiative.

Labor Party member and ministerial staffer Rob Whiddon was a central figure in pursuing the reform of the Queensland branch of the Labor Party and later served as Premier Peter Beattie's Chief of Staff. In this capacity he was involved with the implementation of the Smart State agenda.

Public servant Robin Sullivan discusses her career including her work as the Director General of the Department of Child Safety. She reflects on her time as the Children and Young People's Commissioner and discusses her experiences of gender inequality as well as her professional commitment to social justice.

Labor Party politician Rod Welford served in a number of ministries in successive Beattie Governments including Environment, Attorney General as well as Education, Training and the Arts.

As Director General of Education in the Goss Government 1990-94, public servant Roger Scott comments on the relationship between the Education Department and tertiary education institutes including TAFE. He reflects on the merging of tertiary institutions.

Liberal Party member Rosemary Kyburz discusses her time in the Queensland state parliament 1974-83, her advocacy of women's issues and her commitment to education and environment.

Ross Rolfe was Director General of three Queensland departments, Environment and Heritage 1996, 1998, State Development 1998-2002, and Premier and Cabinet 2005-07, working on state infrastructure and with Premier Peter Beattie on many of the Smart State initiatives, the water policy and the Cyclone Larry recovery plan.

National Party politician Russell Cooper was Queensland Premier for 73 days in 1989 after successfully challenging Mike Ahern. As Minister for Corrective Services he brought about sweeping changes to prisons and oversaw gun reform.

Ruth Matchett was Director General of the Queensland Department of Family Services and Aboriginal and Islander Affairs 1990-95, during a time of unprecedented legislative change in that policy area, including child protection, domestic violence, disability services, ageing and land rights.