Russ Hinze

Russell James Hinze was born on 19 June 1919 in Oxenford on the Gold Coast of Queensland to a German father and an Australian mother. His father was a dairy farmer. Russ started his career as a sugar cane cutter. Later he took up dairy-farming; like his father. == Politics ==

After becoming chairman of the South Coast Cooperative Dairy Association, he was elected to the Albert Shire Council in the early 1950s, serving as shire chairman for nine years from 1958 to 1967. In 1966, Hinze entered the State political arena as the member for South Coast, representing the then Country Party. After eight years as a backbench member of the Coalition Government, he was promoted to Cabinet. In 1971, while still a backbencher, he was part of a plot within the Country Party parliamentary wing to topple Joh Bjelke-Petersen that failed only when Bjelke-Petersen broke a tie in the party-room meeting by voting for himself. Between 1974 and 1987, he served as the Minister for Local Government and Main Roads. Between 1980 and 1987, he served as the Minister for Racing. Between 1980 and 1982, he served as the Minister for Police. These ministerial positions earned him the commonly known title of 'Minister for Everything'. In May 1988, Hinze resigned from Queensland Parliament after allegations were made against him during the Fitzgerald Inquiry, which was investigating corruption in Queensland during the Bjelke-Petersen era. ==Later life==

In December 1989, Hinze was charged on eight counts of having received corrupt payments totalling $520,000. However, before the case could go to trial, he died from bowel cancer on 29 June 1991, at the Allamanda Private Hospital in Southport, aged 72. He was buried in Lower Coomera cemetery on the Gold Coast. ==Legacy==

Hinze Dam was named in honour of local pioneers Carl and Johanna Hinze (grandparents of Russ Hinze) who lived in the valley that was flooded by the dam. His granddaughter, Kristy Hinze, is a model. ==References==