Career
Austin switched to the National Party (along with Don Lane, who was the Minister for Main Roads) in 1983 after Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen lobbied several Liberals to cross the floor, thus enabling the National Party to form government with a very slim majority, as prior to the swap the Nationals were one seat short of governing in their own right. At the 1986 Queensland state election, Austin became the first Member of Parliament for the new Queensland electorate of Nicklin (1986–1989). In 1987, Austin was one of three ministers who told Governor Walter Campbell that Petersen no longer had enough support to govern.
This was a key event in the caucus coup that saw Bjelke-Petersen deposed as premier later that year.
Austin was subsequently implicated in the Fitzgerald Inquiry and was forced to retire in 1989. Austin was convicted on 25 counts of misappropriating public funds, regarding $8700 spent on private accommodation, travel and meals, and was sentenced to 15 months" jail.
In 2010 his profession was reported by the Courier-Mail newspaper to be selling real estate in the exclusive Brisbane suburbs of Ascot, Hamilton and Clayfield.
