▁Parliament . ▁Cooper ▁announced ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁individuals ▁under ▁investigation ▁and ▁res igned ▁as ▁National ▁Party ▁leader ▁in ▁favour ▁of ▁Bor b idge . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁lead - up ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁election ▁Bor b idge ▁attempted ▁to ▁make ▁over t ures ▁to ▁the ▁Liber als ▁about ▁reform ing ▁the ▁coal ition , ▁but ▁was ▁re buff ed ▁by ▁the ▁Liber als , ▁who ▁were ▁aim ing ▁to ▁finally ▁achieve ▁long - await ed ▁senior ▁coal ition ▁party ▁status ▁in ▁Queensland ▁after ▁having ▁been ▁the ▁junior ▁partner ▁since ▁ 1 9 2 5 . ▁This ▁did ▁not ▁event uate ; ▁G oss ▁remained ▁in ▁office , ▁and ▁the ▁ch ast ened ▁parties ▁discussed ▁mer ging ▁before ▁agree ing ▁to ▁sign ▁a ▁new ▁coal ition ▁agreement . ▁ ▁Bor b idge ▁and ▁Liberal ▁leader ▁Joan ▁Sh eld on ▁initially ▁failed ▁to ▁make ▁much ▁head way ▁against ▁the ▁G oss ▁government , ▁with ▁some ▁dis gr unt led ▁National s ▁comparing ▁Bor b idge ▁unf av ou rab ly ▁to ▁B jel ke - P eters en . ▁In ▁response ▁to ▁spec ulation ▁about ▁the ▁leadership , ▁Bor b idge ▁called ▁a ▁sp ill ▁for ▁the ▁leadership ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁He ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁uno pp osed . ▁ ▁The ▁G oss ▁government ' s ▁fort unes ▁suffered ▁a ▁sharp ▁revers al ▁when ▁it ▁announced ▁plans ▁to ▁construct ▁a ▁by pass ▁through ▁areas ▁of ▁bush land ▁that ▁compr ised ▁significant