ald ▁In qu iry ▁had ▁eng ulf ed ▁B jel ke - P eters en , ▁who ▁was ▁replaced ▁as ▁Premier ▁and ▁National ▁Party ▁leader ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁by ▁Mike ▁Ah ern . ▁Bor b idge , ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁generation ▁of ▁National s ▁un touch ed ▁by ▁political ▁sc andal , ▁was ▁promoted ▁by ▁Ah ern ▁to ▁Cab inet ▁as ▁Minister ▁for ▁Small ▁Business , ▁Communic ations ▁and ▁Technology . ▁ ▁He ▁received ▁the ▁important ▁port folio ▁of ▁Tour ism ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁and ▁was ▁briefly ▁made ▁Minister ▁for ▁Police , ▁Emer gency ▁Services ▁and ▁Tour ism ▁by ▁Ah ern ' s ▁successor ▁Russell ▁Cooper ▁before ▁he ▁lost ▁office ▁at ▁the ▁hands ▁of ▁the ▁Labor ▁Party ' s ▁Wayne ▁G oss ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁election . ▁ ▁National ▁Party ▁leadership ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁post - e lection ▁party ▁room ▁ball ot , ▁Bor b idge ▁was ▁elected ▁deput y ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁party , ▁and ▁hence ▁Deput y ▁Le ader ▁of ▁the ▁O pp osition . ▁The ▁shell - sh ock ed ▁National s ▁worked ▁at ▁re building ▁the ▁Co al ition ▁with ▁the ▁Liber als , ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁torn ▁apart ▁seven ▁years ▁earlier , ▁and ▁adjust ing ▁to ▁opposition ▁after ▁ 3 2 ▁years ▁in ▁office . ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁an ▁inqu iry ▁by ▁the ▁C riminal ▁Justice ▁Commission ▁was ▁announced ▁to ▁investigate ▁irregular ities ▁in ▁the ▁travel ▁allow ances ▁of ▁members ▁of