His fall from power at the end of the 80s was surrounded in controversy, with the state embroiled in corruption findings going to the level of his deputies, and Bjelke Petersen's claims of ignorance coming under challenge with charges of perjury.
80年代終わりの彼の失脚のとき、汚職探しに巻き込まれた州は彼の代理レベルにも及び、ビェルケ・ピーターセンの無知の主張も偽証罪に問われることとなって、議論が沸き起こった。