Global InformationPaul Keating information
The Honourable Paul Keating | |
|---|---|
 Keating c. 1994 | |
| 24th Prime Minister of Australia | |
| In office 20 December 1991 – 11 March 1996 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Governors General |
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| Deputy |
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| Preceded by | Bob Hawke |
| Succeeded by | John Howard |
| Leader of the Labor Party | |
| In office 19 December 1991 – 19 March 1996 | |
| Deputy |
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| Preceded by | Bob Hawke |
| Succeeded by | Kim Beazley |
| Deputy Prime Minister of Australia | |
| In office 4 April 1990 – 3 June 1991 | |
| Prime Minister | Bob Hawke |
| Preceded by | Lionel Bowen |
| Succeeded by | Brian Howe |
| Deputy Leader of the Labor Party | |
| In office 4 April 1990 – 3 June 1991 | |
| Leader | Bob Hawke |
| Preceded by | Lionel Bowen |
| Succeeded by | Brian Howe |
| Treasurer of Australia | |
| In office 11 March 1983 – 3 June 1991 | |
| Prime Minister | Bob Hawke |
| Preceded by | John Howard |
| Succeeded by | John Kerin |
| Minister for Northern Australia | |
| In office 21 October 1975 – 11 November 1975 | |
| Prime Minister | Gough Whitlam |
| Preceded by | Rex Patterson |
| Succeeded by | Ian Sinclair |
| Member of the Australian Parliament for Blaxland | |
| In office 25 October 1969 – 23 April 1996 | |
| Preceded by | Jim Harrison |
| Succeeded by | Michael Hatton |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Paul John Keating 18 January 1944 Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia |
| Political party | Labor |
| Spouse |
Annita van Iersel
(m. 1976; div. 2008) |
| Domestic partner | Julieanne Newbould (since 1998) |
| Children | 4 |
| Residence(s) | Potts Point, New South Wales, Australia |
| Education |
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| Profession |
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| Signature |  |
| Website | paulkeating |
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Deputy Prime Minister of Australia
Prime Minister of Australia Term of government (1991–1996)
Ministries
Elections
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Paul John Keating (born 18 January 1944) is an Australian former politician who served as the 24th prime minister of Australia from 1991 to 1996, holding office as the leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP). He previously served as the treasurer of Australia in the Hawke government from 1983 to 1991 and as the seventh deputy prime minister of Australia from 1990 to 1991.
Keating was born in Sydney and left school at the age of 14. He joined the Labor Party at the same age, serving a term as State President of Young Labor and working as a research assistant for a trade union. He was elected to the Australian House of Representatives at the age of 25, winning the division of Blaxland at the 1969 election. Keating briefly was Minister for Northern Australia from October to November 1975, in the final weeks of the Whitlam government. After the Dismissal removed Labor from power, he held senior portfolios in the Shadow Cabinets of Gough Whitlam and Bill Hayden. During this time he came to be seen as the leader of the Labor Right faction, and developed a reputation as a talented and fierce parliamentary performer.
After Labor's landslide victory at the 1983 election, Keating was appointed treasurer by prime minister Bob Hawke. The pair developed a powerful political partnership, overseeing significant reforms intended to liberalise and strengthen the Australian economy. These included the Prices and Incomes Accord, the float of the Australian dollar, the elimination of tariffs, the deregulation of the financial sector, achieving the first federal budget surplus in Australian history, and reform of the taxation system, including the introduction of capital gains tax, fringe benefits tax, and dividend imputation. He also became recognised for his sardonic rhetoric, as a controversial but deeply skilled orator.[1][2] Keating became deputy prime minister in 1990, but in June 1991 he resigned from the Government to unsuccessfully challenge Hawke for the leadership, believing he had reneged on the Kirribilli Agreement. He mounted a second successful challenge six months later, and became prime minister.
Keating was appointed prime minister in the aftermath of the early 1990s economic downturn, which he had famously described as "the recession we had to have". This, combined with poor opinion polling, led many to predict Labor was certain to lose the 1993 election, but Keating's government was re-elected in an upset victory. In its second term, the Keating government enacted the landmark Native Title Act to enshrine Indigenous land rights, introduced compulsory superannuation and enterprise bargaining, created a national infrastructure development program, privatised Qantas, Commonwealth Serum Laboratories and the Commonwealth Bank, established the APEC leaders' meeting, and promoted republicanism by establishing the Republic Advisory Committee.
At the 1996 election, after 13 years in office, his government suffered a landslide defeat to the Liberal–National Coalition, led by John Howard. Keating resigned as leader of the Labor Party and retired from Parliament shortly after the election, with his deputy Kim Beazley being elected unopposed to replace him. Keating has since remained active as a political commentator, whilst maintaining a broad series of business interests, including serving on the international board of the China Development Bank from 2005 to 2018.
As prime minister, Keating performed poorly in opinion polls, and in August 1993, received the lowest approval rating for any Australian prime minister since modern political polling began.[3] Since leaving office, Keating received broad praise from historians and commentators for his role in modernising the Australian economy as treasurer, although ratings of his premiership have been mixed.[4][5][6][7] Keating has been recognised across the political spectrum for his charisma, debating skills, and his willingness to boldly confront social norms,[1] including his famous Redfern Park Speech on the impact of colonisation in Australia and Aboriginal reconciliation.[8]
- ^ a b Johnson, Carol. "How Paul Keating transformed the economy and the nation". The Conversation. Archived from the original on 16 June 2020. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
- ^ "The collected insults of former PM Paul Keating". ABC News. 11 November 2013. Archived from the original on 17 June 2022. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
- ^ "Federal Newspoll Archive". Archived from the original on 1 March 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2022 – via Infogram.
- ^ Strangio, Paul (2 August 2021). "Who was Australia's best prime minister? Experts rank the winners and dunces". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2 August 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
- ^ "Ranking Australia's prime ministers". The Sydney Morning Herald. 25 June 2010. Archived from the original on 25 October 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
- ^ "Prime ministers' rank and file". The Age. 18 December 2004. Archived from the original on 14 November 2012. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
- ^ Walker, Tony; Koutsoukis, Jason; "The good, the bad and the couldabeens", Australian Financial Review, 3 January 2001.
- ^ "Unforgettable Speeches (ABC Radio National)". www.abc.net.au. Archived from the original on 17 February 2007. Retrieved 17 June 2022.