Initially a small informal grouping within the Liberal Party, the group came to wield greater and greater power within the Liberal partyroom, culminating in Terry White's successful leadership challenge in 1983, and the party's subsequent defeat and loss of influence at the 1983 election.
From 1949, an electoral malapportionment meant that regional areas held significantly more political power in the Legislative Assembly than their populations would have suggested.
These fears were confirmed to be baseless at the 1963 election, when it was shown that preferential voting did not noticeably alter the outcome in all but a few seats, and the Country Party dropped its opposition.
Charles Porter, an MLA who would later become identified with the Ginger Group, declared that the decision not to contest the election was "flabby, craven, and lacking in confidence.
Bjelke-Petersen publicly stated that he would not work in a coalition with Innes leading the Liberal Party, and that he would form a minority government if necessary.
Edwards was able to defeat the challenge, but the close margin (12-10)[5] showed that the Ginger Group was gaining increasing power and influence within the Liberal Party.
White and Hewitt were ministers,[6] and the group was supported from outside parliament by John Herron, then the state president of the Liberal Party.
Matters came to a head in 1983 when the Ginger Group crossed the floor of parliament over the establishment of a public accounts committee, which had been a longstanding demand.
White, in turn, challenged Edwards for leadership of the party, which he managed to secure with the assistance of the other Ginger Group members.
However, Bjelke-Petersen advised the Governor, James Ramsay, to adjourn parliament, allowing him to stay in power at the head of a minority government until the election without having to face any confidence motions from White.