SYDNEY, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- Former Queensland premier Wayne Goss died on Monday aged 63 after losing a 17-year battle with brain cancer.
The Australian Labor Party politician won power on Dec. 7, 1989, beating the then Liberal/National Coalition government and ending 32 years of conservative rule in the northern Australian state.
Goss won a second term in 1992, but was defeated in the 1996 election, leaving his mark as a reforming premier. His government changed the electorate boundaries into a more fairer system, scrapped the controversial "special branch" of the Queensland police force, legalized homosexuality and introduced new laws to protect the environment.
After serving as premier, he was appointed chairman of the Queensland Art Gallery and chairman of Deloitte Australia.
Born in 1951, Goss studied law at The University of Queensland before working as a solicitor with the then Aboriginal Legal Service before entering politics.
Terry Mackenroth, who was a minister in the Goss government, said the former leader would be remembered for his reforms.
"He was a good premier, he brought a great deal of discipline to government and he brought in many reforms that are still in place today," Mackenroth told the Brisbane Times.
"His reforms put us in good stead for many years to come."
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