Paul Keating was Prime Minister of Australia between 1991-1996
He entered Parliament in 1969 as the ALP member for Blaxland, at the age of 25. He was briefly the Minister for Minerals and Energy in the last month of the Whitlam Government in 1975, and became Treasurer in the Hawke Government in 1983, a position he held until 1991.
Keating unsuccessfully challenged Bob Hawke for the ALP leadership and the Prime Ministership in July 1991, went to the backbench, and launched another successful challenge on December 19, 1991. As Prime Minister, he introduced the Native Title legislation in the wake of the High Court’s Mabo decision, initiated moves towards Australia becoming a republic, and promoted Australia’s relations with Asia. He defeated the coalition in the 1993 elections, but lost the 1996 elections.
Since leaving Parliament, Keating has established a business career. He makes occasional public addresses on domestic and international political issues.
Keating Words
- Jul 12, 2010: Keating’s letter to Bob Hawke regarding Blanche D’Alpuget’s biography
- Sep 03, 2003: Address At The Launch Of ‘The History Wars’
- Jul 05, 2002: ‘John Curtin’s World And Ours’: Curtin Memorial Lecture
- Mar 03, 2002: Howard Government Attacks Australia’s Great National Institutions: listen to extracts of a Keating speech.
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- Jun 14, 2000: The Australian Media – speech by Keating
- Mar 30, 2000: “Engagement” – Keating launches his new book on Australia’s relations with Asia
- Oct 1999: A Tribute To Paul Keating – listen to Keating’s Life Membership Acceptance Speech to the 1999 Annual Conference of the NSW Labor Party.
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- Feb 14, 1996: Campaign Launch – Keating’s Speech Launching the ALP’s 1996 Election Campaign
- Jun 07, 1995: An Australian Republic: The Way Forward – the Speech that started the Republican debate – with audio
- Nov 11, 1993: Funeral Service Of The Unknown Australian Soldier – the acclaimed speech at the National War Memorial
- Jul 31, 1993: Corowa Centenary – Keating’s Speech at the Corowa Federation Centenary Dinner
- Mar 13, 1993: Keating’s election night victory speech – “The Sweetest Victory Of All”
- Dec 10, 1992: The Redfern Speech – Keating’s seminal speech on Australia’s treatment of the Aboriginal people
Archived Posts
- May 16, 2012: ACTU Congress Pays Tribute To Bill Kelty
- Jul 15, 2011: Paul Keating Defends Carbon Tax On Lateline
- Aug 23, 2008: Paul Keating: Nothing But The Man
- Jun 02, 2006: Paul Keating Launches 'The Longest Decade'
- Jul 05, 2002: John Curtin's World And Ours
- Jun 14, 2000: Paul Keating On The Australian Media
- Mar 30, 2000: Engaging With Paul Keating
- Nov 10, 1999: Queen's Representative To Open Olympic Games
- Nov 06, 1999: HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY: WILL AUSTRALIA VOTE FOR A REPUBLIC?
- Mar 21, 1996: Gary Gray: The 1996 Federal Election
- Mar 13, 1996: Andrew Robb: The 1996 Federal Election
- Jun 07, 1995: An Australian Republic - The Way Forward
- Nov 11, 1993: Funeral Service Of The Unknown Australian Soldier
- Apr 01, 1993: Andrew Robb: The 1993 Federal Election
- Dec 10, 1992: Paul Keating's Redfern Speech








[...] economic power is shifting from Europe and the US to Asia. The foresight of former Prime Minister Paul Keating to align our nation more closely with Asia has already begun to pay great dividends. The greatest [...]